"My wife should not need to ask such a question," said Rabbi Meir.
"Would you hesitate to give anyone back his own?"
"Oh, no," replied she, "but I did not like to give them back without your knowing beforehand." Then she led him to the upper chamber, stepped in, and took the covering off the bodies.
"Oh, my sons," sobbed the father, "my sons, my sons!" The mother turned herself away and wept.
Soon, however, his wife took him by the hand and said: "Rabbi, have you not taught me that we must not refuse to give back what was intrusted to us to keep? See, the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: the name of the Lord be blessed."
And Rabbi Meir repeated the words, and said from the depths of his heart, "Amen."
LESSON VII
STATUE OF LIBERTY IN NEW YORK HARBOR
"Liberty," or Bartholdi"s statue, was presented to the United States by the French people in 1885. It is the largest statue ever built. The great French sculptor Bartholdi made it after the likeness of his mother. Eight years were consumed in the construction of this gigantic image. Its size is really enormous. The height of the figure alone is fully one hundred and fifty feet. Forty persons can find standing room within the mighty head, which is fifteen feet in diameter. A six-foot man, standing upon the lower lip, can hardly reach the eyes of the colossal head. The index finger is eight feet long, and the nose is over three feet long. Yet the proportion of all the parts of the figure is so well preserved that the whole statue is in perfect harmony.
The materials of which the statue is composed are copper and steel.
The immense torch which is held in the hand of the giantess is three hundred feet above tidewater.
The Colossus of Rhodes was a pigmy compared with this huge wonder.
LESSON VIII
INDEPENDENCE
Scholars, who are enjoying the priceless blessings of that liberty which cost our forefathers so much treasure and so much blood,--have you read the Declaration of Independence? If you have not, read it; if you have, read it again; study it; make its n.o.ble sentiments your own, and do not fail to grave deep in your memories these immortal lines:--
"We hold these truths to be self-evident; That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that, to secure these rights, governments are inst.i.tuted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to inst.i.tute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such forms, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness."
SELECTION III
BE TRUE
Thou must be true thyself, If thou the truth wouldst teach; Thy soul must overflow, if thou Another"s soul would"st reach; It needs the overflow of hearts To give the lips full speech.
Think truly, and thy thoughts Shall the world"s famine feed; Speak truly, and each word of thine Shall be a fruitful seed; Live truly, and thy life shall be A great and n.o.ble creed.
_Anonymous_.
LESSON IX
NEWFOUNDLAND
Newfoundland is an island about the size of New York State. It belongs to England. The cod fisheries there are very extensive.
The people of Newfoundland are strong, healthy and industrious. They are law-abiding, and serious; crime is very rare among them. Their kindness and hospitality to strangers who visit the country are proverbial. Kindness to the poor and unfortunate is a marked feature in the character of the people. When business is poor they are ready to share their last morsel with those in distress.
The fishermen are the working cla.s.ses of the country. During the height of the fishery season, and when fish are abundant, their labors are severe; but during winter they are for the most part in a condition of enforced idleness. Much of the work of curing the fish is done by women and girls, and their labors are often very heavy. When the fisheries are over, there are boats, nets, etc., to repair, stages to look after, and fuel to be cut in the woods and hauled over the snow.
If the fishery has been successful, then the fisherman has a balance coming to him after paying for his summer supplies, and is enabled to lay in a stock of provisions for the winter.
Winter is the season for enjoyment among the fishermen. This season for fireside enjoyments, home-born pleasures, is welcome. They have their simple social enjoyments of various kinds. Dancing is a favorite winter amus.e.m.e.nt among the fishermen and their families. Weddings are celebrated with great festivity.
Newfoundland is often regarded as the very paradise of sportsmen. Its countless lakes and ponds abound with trout of the finest description, and these bodies of water are the abodes of the wild goose, the wild duck, and other fresh-water fowl.
The pine forests are the home of numerous wild animals. The fox, the bear and the caribou furnish the highest prizes for the hunter.
SELECTION IV
BRING BACK MY FLOWERS
A child sat by a limpid stream, And gazed upon the tide beneath; Upon her cheek was joy"s bright beam, And on her brow a blooming wreath.
Her lap was filled with fragrant flowers, And, as the clear brook babbled by, She scattered down the rosy showers, With many a wild and joyous cry, And laughed to see the mingling tide Upon its onward progress glide.
And time flew on, and flower by flower Was cast upon the sunny stream; But when the shades of eve did lower, She woke up from her blissful dream.
"Bring back my flowers!" she wildly cried; "Bring back the flowers I flung to thee!"
But echo"s voice alone replied, As danced the streamlet down the lea; And still, amid night"s gloomy hours, In vain she cried, "Bring back my flowers!"
O maiden, who on time"s swift stream Dost gayly see the moments flee, In this poor child"s delusive dream An emblem may be found of thee.
Each moment is a perfumed rose, Into thy hand by mercy given, That thou its fragrance might dispose And let its incense rise to heaven; Else when death"s shadow o"er thee lowers, Thy heart will wail, "Bring back my flowers!"
_Lucy Larcom_.
LESSON X
THE USE OF TRIFLES
A certain painter once said he had become great in his art by never neglecting trifles. It would be well for all of us to follow that simple and easy rule. No man"s house but would be more comfortable, and no family but would be more cheerful, if the value of trifles and the art of using them were better understood. Attention to trifles is the true art of economy.
We must, however, take care not to confound economy with parsimony.