New National Fourth Reader by Charles J. Barnes and J. Marshall Hawkes

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Read the poetry--first, slowly and quietly; then, in a loud tone of
voice, expressing the feeling of anger.

Which method of reading the poem do the pupils prefer?

Which do they think represents the poet's feelings?

Let pupils pronounce in concert, and singly, the following words: _hero,
year, people, deep, eagle, knee, serious, meteor, complete, pieces_.

* * * * *

Language Lesson.--Let pupils point out and explain the unusual
expressions found in the first two stanzas, writing out a list of the
changes made.

* * * * *

LESSON LXXII.

ver'tic al, _upright_.

cat'a ract, _a great fall of water over a precipice_.

pro vis'ions, _stock of food_.

con struct'ed, _made; formed_.

in cred'i ble, _not easily believed_.

sta'tion a ry, _not moving; fixed_.

ex tinct', _inactive; dead_.

de pos'it, _that which is laid or thrown down_.

ap'er ture, _an opening_.

di am'e ter, _distance across or through_.

com pris'es, _includes; contains_.

* * * * *

NATURAL WONDERS OF AMERICA.

PART I.

Within the vast extent of territory belonging to the United States,
there are many wonderful natural curiosities which attract visitors from
all parts of the world.

A short description of some of the principal attractions is here given,
with the hope that many who read this lesson, may at some time visit a
part or all that are noticed.

GEYSERS OF THE YELLOWSTONE PARK.

The Yellowstone Park is a tract of country fifty-five by sixty-five
miles in extent, lying mainly in the northwest corner of the Territory
of Wyoming, but including a narrow belt in southern Montana. It
contains nearly thirty-six hundred square miles, and is nearly three
times as large as the State of Rhode Island. No equal extent of country
on the globe comprises such a union of grand and wonderful scenery.

Numerous hot springs, steam jets, and extinct geyser cones exist in the
Yellowstone basin. Just beyond the western rim of the basin, lies the
grand geyser region of Fire-Hole River.

Scattered along both banks of this stream are boiling springs from two
to twelve feet across, all in active operation.

One of the most noted geysers of this district is "Old Faithful." It
stands on a mound thirty feet high, the crater rising some six feet
higher still.

The eruptions take place about once an hour, and continue fifteen or
twenty minutes, the column of water shooting upward with terrific force,
from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet.

The great mass of water falls directly back into the basin, flowing over
the edges and down the sides in large streams. When the action ceases,
the water recedes from sight, and nothing is heard but an occasional
escape of steam until another eruption occurs.

[Illustration]

Just across the river and close to the margin, a small conical mound is
observed, about three feet high, and five feet in diameter at the base.

No one would suspect it to be an active geyser. But in 1871, a column of
water entirely filling the crater shot from it, which by actual
measurement was found to be two hundred and nineteen feet high.

Not more than a hundred yards from the river, there is a large oval
aperture eighteen feet wide and twenty-five feet long. The sides are
covered with a grayish-white deposit which is distinctly visible at a
depth of a hundred feet below the surface.

This geyser is known as the "Giantess," and a visitor in describing it
states that "no water could be discovered on the first approach, but it
could be distinctly heard gurgling and boiling at a great distance
below. Suddenly it began to rise, spluttering and sending out huge
volumes of steam, causing a general scattering of our company.

"When within about forty feet of the surface, it became stationary, and
we returned to look upon it. All at once it rose with incredible
rapidity, the hot water bursting from the opening with terrific force,
rising in a column the full size of this immense aperture to the height
of sixty feet.

"Through, and out of the top of this mass, five or six lesser jets or
round columns of water, varying in size from six to fifteen inches in
diameter, were projected to the marvelous height of two hundred and
fifty feet."

[Illustration: View in the Grand Canon]

THE CANONS OF THE COLORADO RIVER.

The length of the Colorado River, from the sources of the Green River,
is about two thousand miles.

For five hundred miles of this distance, the river has worn deep cuts or
gorges through the soft rock, called canons.

The rocky sides of these canons form lofty vertical walls, which, in
some places, rise to a height of more than a mile above the surface of
the water.

The largest and most noted of these vast gorges is the Grand Canon,
which extends a distance of more than two hundred miles. The height of
the walls of this canon varies from four thousand to seven thousand
feet.

The river, as it runs through it, is from fifty to three hundred feet
wide. So swift is the current, that it is almost impossible to float a
boat down the stream without having it dashed to pieces against the
rocky walls on either side.

The first descent through these canons was made in 1867, from a point on
Grand River, about thirty miles above its junction with Green River.

Three men were prospecting for gold, and being attacked by Indians and
one of their number killed, the other two decided to attempt the descent
of the river, rather than retrace their steps through a country where
Indians were numerous.

They constructed a raft of a few pieces of drift-wood, and having
secured their arms and provisions, commenced their journey down the
stream.

A few days afterward, while the raft was descending a cataract, one of
the men was drowned and all the provisions were washed overboard.

The third man, hemmed in by the walls of the canon, continued the
journey alone amid great perils from cataracts, rocks, and whirlpools.

For ten days he pursued, his lonely way, tasting food but twice during
the whole time. Once he obtained a few green pods and leaves from bushes
growing along the stream, and the second time from some friendly
Indians.

At last he succeeded in reaching Callville in safety, after having
floated several hundred miles.

* * * * *

LESSON LXXIII.

pro por'tions, _relations of parts to each other_.

in te'ri or, _the inside_.

al a bas'ter, _a kind of whitish stone_.

chasm, _a deep opening_.

a're a, _any surface, as the floor of a room_.

an'cient, _belonging to past ages_.

un ex am'pled, _without a similar case_.

co los'sal, _of great size_.

feat'ure, _any thing worthy of notice_.

dra'per y, _hangings of any kind_.

o ver awed', _held in a state of fear_.

sur pass'ing, _exceeding others_.

* * * * *

NATURAL WONDERS OF AMERICA.

PART II.

THE MAMMOTH CAVE.

In the year 1809, a hunter named Hutchins, while pursuing a bear in
Edmondson County, Kentucky, was surprised to see the animal disappear
into a small opening in the side of a hill.

Upon examining the spot, Hutchins found that the opening led into a
cave. Following up the examination soon after, it was discovered that
the cave was immense in its proportions.

On account of its great size, it was named Mammoth Cave. It has an area
of several hundred square miles, and two hundred and twenty-three known
and numbered avenues, with a united length of from one hundred and
fifty to two hundred miles.

The interior of this cave is divided by huge columns and walls of stone
into chambers of various shapes and sizes. Some of these are large
enough to afford standing room for thousands of people.

One of the largest of these chambers is called Mammoth Dome. This room
is four hundred feet long, one hundred and fifty feet wide, and two
hundred and fifty feet in height.

The walls of this grand room are curtained by alabaster drapery in
vertical folds and present to the eye a scene of unexampled beauty and
grandeur.

A large gateway at one end of this room opens into another room, in
which the position of the huge stone pillars, reminds one of the ruins
of some ancient temple.

Six colossal columns, or pillars, eighty feet high and twenty-five feet
in diameter, standing in a half circle, are among the imposing
attractions of this wonderful room.

Another striking feature of Mammoth Cave is what is called the Dead Sea.
This body of water is four hundred feet long, forty feet wide, and very
deep.

A curious fish is found in this dark lake. It is without eyes, and, in
form and color, is different from any fish found outside the cave.

There are found also a blind grasshopper, without wings, and a blind
crayfish of a whitish color, both of which are very curious and
interesting.

The fact that these living creatures are blind would seem to indicate
that nature had produced them for the distinct purpose of inhabiting
this dark cave.

NIAGARA FALLS.

Of all the sights to be seen on this continent, there is none that
equals the great Falls of Niagara River, situated about twelve miles
north of Buffalo, in the State of New York.

On first beholding this most wonderful of all known cataracts, one is
overawed by its surpassing grandeur, "and stunned by the sound of the
falling waters as by a roar of thunder."

For quite a distance above the falls, the Niagara River is about one
mile wide, and flows with great swiftness.

Just at the edge of the cataract stands Goat Island, which divides the
waters of the river, and makes two distinct cataracts; one on the
Canadian side, and one on the American side of the river.

The one on the Canadian side, called from its shape the Horse-shoe Fall,
is eighteen hundred feet wide, and one hundred, and fifty-eight feet
high. The other, called the American Fall, is six hundred feet wide, and
one hundred and sixty-four feet high.

As the immense body of water leaps over this vast precipice, it breaks
into a soft spray, which waves like a plume in the wind. At times, when
the rays of the sun strike this spray, a rainbow is formed which
stretches itself across the deep chasm, and produces a beautiful effect.

During the winter, much of the water and spray freezes, and as each
moment adds to the frozen mass, some curious and wonderful ice
formations are produced.

Sometimes, during a very cold winter, the ice at the foot of the falls
forms a complete bridge from one shore to the other.

An interesting feature of a visit to these falls is a descent to the
level of the foot of the cataract behind the great sheet of water.

A long flight of steps leads down to a secure footing between the rocky
precipice and the falling torrent. By a narrow footpath, it is possible
for the visitor to pass between this column of water and the wall of
rock.

Once behind the sheet of water, the roar is deafening. One can only
cling to the narrow railing or his guide, as he picks his way for more
than a hundred feet behind the roaring torrent.

A single misstep, a slip, or a fall, and nothing remains but a horrible
death by being dashed to pieces upon the jagged rocks below.

* * * * *

Directions for Reading.--Point out four places in the lesson where
words would likely be run together by a careless reader.

The word _canon_ is pronounced _can'yon_.

* * * * *

Language Lesson.--Give rules for marks of punctuation and capital
letters used in the first paragraph of the account of Niagara Falls.

Let pupils make out an _analysis_ in five or six parts, treating some
well-known scene.

* * * * *

LESSON LXXIV.

vo ra'cious, _greedy; very hungry_.

o ver whelmed', _overcome by force of numbers_.

a bound'ing, _existing in large numbers_.

as cend'ing, _going up_.

her'ald ed, _gave notice of_.

im pet'u ous, _furious; without care for what happens_.

crim'i nals, _those who have broken the law_.

con'cen trate, _gather in a large mass_.

in tol'er a ble, _not to be borne_.

ir re sist'i ble, _can not be opposed_.

* * * * *

AFRICAN ANTS.

A strange kind of ant is very abundant in the whole region I have
traveled over in Africa, and is the most voracious creature I ever met.
It is the dread of all living animals, from the leopard to the smallest
insect.

I do not think that these ants build nests or homes of any kind. At any
rate they carry nothing away, but eat all their prey on the spot. It is
their habit to march through the forests in a long, regular line--a line
about two inches broad and often several miles in length. All along this
line are larger ants, who act as officers, stand outside the ranks, and
keep this singular army in order.

If they come to a place where there are no trees to shelter them from
the sun, whose heat they can not bear, they immediately build
underground tunnels, through which the whole army passes in columns to
the forest beyond. These tunnels are four or five feet underground, and
are used only in the heat of the day, or during a storm.

When, they grow hungry the long file spreads itself through the forest
in a front line, and attacks and devours all it overtakes with a fury
which is quite irresistible. The elephant and gorilla fly before this
attack. The black men run for their lives. Every animal that lives in
their line of march is chased.

They seem to understand and act upon the tactics of Napoleon, and
concentrate with great speed their heaviest forces upon the point of
attack. In an incredibly short space of time the mouse, or dog, or
leopard, or deer, is overwhelmed, killed, eaten, and the bare skeleton
only remains.

They seem to travel night and day. Many a time have I been awakened out
of a sleep, and obliged to rush from the hut and into the water to save
my life, and after all suffered intolerable agony from the bites of the
advance-guard, that had got into my clothes.

When they enter a house they clear it of all living things. Cockroaches
are devoured in an instant. Rats and mice spring round the room in vain.
An overwhelming force of ants kill a strong rat in less than a minute,
in spite of the most frantic struggles, and in less than another minute
its bones are stripped. Every living thing in the house is devoured.

They will not touch vegetable matter. Thus they are in reality very
useful, as well as dangerous, to the natives, who have their huts
cleaned of all the abounding vermin, such as immense cockroaches and
centipedes, at least several times a year.

When on their march the insect world flies before them, and I have often
had the approach of an ant-army heralded to me by this means. Wherever
they go they make a clean sweep, even ascending to the tops of the
highest trees in pursuit of their prey.

Their manner of attack is an impetuous leap. Instantly the strong
pincers are fastened, and they let go only when the piece gives way.

At such times this little animal seems animated by a kind of fury which
causes it to disregard entirely its own safety, and to seek only the
conquest of its prey. The bite of these ants is very painful.

The natives relate that in former times it was the custom to expose
criminals in the path of these ants, as the most cruel way that was
known of putting them to death.

* * * * *

Directions for Reading.--Name the _emphatic words_ in the last
paragraph of the lesson, and mark the _inflections_.

In determining upon the _emphasis_ to be given to the words of a
sentence, the only guide we have to follow is the _meaning_. We must
ask ourselves, "Which, words are of special importance to the meaning?"

* * * * *

Language Lesson.--Change each of the sentences given below to
_statements_, expressing as nearly as possible the same meaning.

"What troubles you to-day?"

"Tell me at once what the matter is!"

"Let us shout for Meccatina, and its mountains bare and brown!"

Model.--"What is your name?" changed to the form of a _statement_,
becomes--"I wish you to tell me your name."

Let pupils write four _questions_, and then change them to
_statements_, expressing as nearly as possible the same meaning.

* * * * *

LESSON LXXV.

plun'dered, _stripped of their goods by force_.

surge, _a rolling swell of water; billows_.

verge, _extreme side or edge_.

sheer, _straight up and down_.

frag'ments, _pieces; small portions_.

vis'ion _scene; imaginary picture_.

a byss', _chasm; deep space_.

phan'tom, _ghost; airy spirit_.

* * * * *

THE LEAP OF ROUSHAN BEG.

Mounted on Kyrat strong and fleet,
His chestnut steed with four white feet,
Roushan Beg, called Kurroglou,
Son of the road and bandit chief,
Seeking refuge and relief,
Up the mountain pathway flew.

Such was Kyrat's wondrous speed,
Never yet could any steed
Reach the dust-cloud in his course.
More than maiden, more than wife,
More than gold, and next to life,
Roushan the Robber loved his horse.

In the land that lies beyond
Erzeroum and Trebizond,
Garden-girt his fortress stood.
Plundered khan, or caravan
Journeying north from Koordistan,
Gave him wealth and wine and food.

Seven hundred and fourscore
Men at arms his livery wore,
Did his bidding night and day.
Now, through regions all unknown,
He was wandering, lost, alone,
Seeking without guide his way.

Suddenly the pathway ends,
Sheer the precipice descends,
Loud the torrent roars unseen;
Thirty feet from side to side
Yawns the chasm; on air must ride
He who crosses this ravine.

Following close in his pursuit,
At the precipice's foot,
Reyhan the Arab of Orfah
Halted with his hundred men,
Shouting upward from the glen,
"La Illah'illa Allah'!"

Gently Roushan Beg caressed
Kyrat's forehead, neck, and breast;
Kissed him upon both his eyes;
Sang to him in his wild way,
As upon the topmost spray
Sings a bird before it flies.

"O my Kyrat, O my steed,
Round and slender as a reed,
Carry me this peril through!
Satin housings shall be thine,
Shoes of gold, O Kyrat mine,
O thou soul of Kurroglou!

"Soft thy skin as silken skein,
Soft as woman's hair thy mane,
Tender are thine eyes and true;
All thy hoofs like ivory shine,
Polished bright; O, life of mine,
Leap and rescue Kurroglou!"

Kyrat, then, the strong and fleet,
Drew together his four white feet,
Paused a moment on the verge,
Measured with his eye the space,
And into the air's embrace
Leaped as leaps the ocean surge.

As the ocean surge o'er sand
Bears a swimmer safe to land,
Kyrat safe his rider bore;
Rattling down the deep abyss,
Fragments of the precipice
Rolled like pebbles on a shore.

Roushan's tassled cap of red
Trembled not upon his head,
Careless sat he and upright;
Neither hand nor bridle shook,
Nor his head he turned to look,
As he galloped out of sight.

Flash of harness in the air,
Seen a moment, like the glare
Of a sword drawn from its sheath;
Thus the phantom horseman passed,
And the shadow that he cast
Leaped the cataract underneath.

Reyhan the Arab held his breath
While this vision of life and death
Passed above him. "Allahu!"
Cried he. "In all Koordistan
Lives there not so brave a man
As this Robber Kurroglou!"

* * * * *

Directions for Reading.--Let pupils point out where changes in tone of
voice occur in reading this lesson.

What lines in the last two stanzas are to be joined in reading?

Keep the lungs sufficiently full of air to avoid stopping to breathe at
such places as would injure the sense.

* * * * *

Language Lesson.--Let pupils select a subject, and then make out an
_analysis_ to use in treating it.

* * * * *

LESSON LXXVI

mu se'um, _a place where curiosities are exhibited_.

ban'daged, _bound with strips of cloth_.

dy'nas ties, _governments; families of kings_.

ex plored', _searched; examined_.

pop'u lat ed, _peopled; filled with people_.

gen era' tions, _succession of families or peoples_.

e rect'ed, _raised; built_.

cal'cu lat ed, _estimated_.

flour'ished, _prospered; thrived_.

* * * * *

EGYPT AND ITS RUINS.

PART I.

Egypt embraces that part of Africa occupied by the valley of the River
Nile. For many centuries, it was a thickly populated country, and at one
time possessed great influence and wealth, and had reached an advanced
state of civilization.

The history of Egypt extends through a period of about six thousand
years. During this time great cities were built which flourished for
hundreds of years.

Owing to wars and changes of government many of these cities were
destroyed, and nothing of them now remains but massive and extensive
ruins.

Pyramids were built, obelisks erected, canals projected, and many other
vast enterprises were carried out.

Remains of these are to be seen to-day, some in ruins, some fairly
preserved, and, altogether, they give present generations an idea of the
wealth and power of the different dynasties under which they were built.

[Illustration]

Not far from Cairo, which is now the principal city of Egypt, are the
famous pyramids. These are of such immense proportions, that from a
distance their tops seem to reach the clouds.

They are constructed of blocks of stone. Some of these blocks are of
great size, and how the builders ever put them into their places, is a
question we can not answer.

It is supposed that the construction of one of these pyramids required
more than twenty years' labor from thousands of men.

The largest pyramid is four hundred and sixty-one feet high, seven
hundred and forty-six feet long at the base, and covers more than twelve
acres of ground. In all, sixty-seven of these pyramids have been
discovered and explored.

They are the tombs in which the ancient kings and their families were
buried. In the interior of these pyramids, many chambers were
constructed to contain their stone coffins.

It has been calculated that one of the principal pyramids could contain
three thousand seven hundred rooms of large size.

The bodies of those who were buried in the pyramids were preserved from
decay by a secret process, known only to the priests.

[Illustration]

After the bodies were prepared, they were wrapped in bands of fine
linen, and on the inside of these was spread a peculiar kind of gum.
There were sometimes a thousand yards of these bands on a single body.

After they were thus prepared, a soft substance was placed around the
bandaged body. This covering, when it hardened, kept the body in a
complete state of preservation.

[Illustration]

These coverings are now called mummy-cases, and the bodies they inclose,
mummies.

These bodies were finally placed, in huge stone coffins, many of which
were covered with curious carvings.

Some of these mummies have been found, that are said to be over three
thousand years old. However, when the wrappings are removed from them,
many of the bodies have been so well preserved, as to exhibit the
appearance of the features as in life.

Large numbers of these mummies have been carried to other countries and
placed on exhibition in museums.

Among the mummies brought to this country, are some of the best
specimens which have yet been discovered.

* * * * *

Directions for Reading.--Let pupils mark the _inflection_ and point out
_emphatic words_ in the first two paragraphs of the lesson.

Show positions of the _rhetorical pauses_ in the first paragraph on
page 363.[20]

* * * * *

Language Lesson.--Let pupils review, as a written exercise, the
spelling of the following words.

receding principal rubbish punctual
precipice council orphan microscope
justice civilized threshold muscles
precious merchandise especially traveler
physician recognize anecdote marvelous
sufficient apologize character benefited
vicious poisonous tremendous intelligent

Let pupils select a subject and make out an _analysis_ for its
treatment.

Each point in the _analysis_ will require a separate paragraph
for its treatment.

Be careful to use capital letters and marks of punctuation correctly.

[20] Paragraph beginning, "Remains of these are to be seen to-day...."

* * * * *

LESSON LXXVII.

de vic'es, _curious marks or shapes_.

in scrip'tion, _any thing cut or written on a solid substance_.

trans lat'ing, _expressing in another language_.

mem'o ra ble, _worthy of being remembered_.

spec'i mens, _small portions of things_.

in ge nu'i ty, _skill in inventing_.

tour'ists, _travelers; sight-seers_.

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