to sail as fast as Skid-blad-nir, a magic boat made by the elves. This enchanted ship was so large that it could hold all the gods "with their war and household implements, but so skillfully was it wrought that when folded together it could be put into a side pocket.” What is the first incident that inclines us to take sides with Olaf against Harold? What added meaning do you see in the title after you have read the poem? What characteristics of the ballad mark this poem? Which interested you the more: the rapid, vivid progress of the story, or the concluding moral? How many verbs picturing vigorous motion do you here discover? THE ROMANCE OF A ROSE NORA PERRY (1841-1896) was born in Massachusetts, educated at Providence, Rhode Island, and later made her home in Boston. She is known chiefly as a writer of stories for girls. In 1780-1781 the French allies of the American revolutionists, under the command of the Count de Rochambeau (dễ rỗ-shän-bō'), were stationed at Newport, on the south end of Rhode Island, formerly called Aquidnec Island. At a short distance to the west lies Connecticut Island. "Hampton rocks," where the sloop was wrecked, are near the southern edge of the New Hampshire coast line. Do you here find many details suggestive of colonial life? What lines move rapidly and "trippingly on the tongue"? Which move less smoothly? Notice that frequently the close of the sentence and the close of the stanza do not coincide. Effect? THE AMERICAN MIRACLE MARY ANTIN was born in Polotzk (Pô'lotsk), an ancient Russian city about four hundred miles east of the German boundary. In 1894, when she was about twelve years of age, she came to Boston, where she made rapid progress in school and gained many warm friends. From time to time she has written of her own life and of that of other immigrants to America — “The Promised Land.” Which did you find the most interesting details of this narrative? How does the author make us feel that she is telling a true story? Is she ashamed of her history, or is she proud of it? What are the chief traits of her character here emphasized? At times, as in her description of a banana, she employs a quaint, clever way of putting her thought. Can you find other illustrations of this characteristic? HOW I KILLED A BEAR CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER (1829-1900) was a steady and tireless writer, who turned rapidly from one task to another — writing editorials for the Hartford "Courant," conducting a department in "Harper's Monthly," editing a "Library of the World's Best Literature,” and at frequent intervals publishing a book of travel, a novel, or a charming volume of essays. Much of what he produced is now passing into oblivion; but some of his writings, including this paper, "How I killed a Bear," which later appeared as the opening chapter of "In the Wilderness," seem destined to hold a modest but secure place in American literature. Where are the Adirondacks? Explain the allusion to Elijah and the bears. See II Kings, 11, 23. What is the story of the slave and the lion to which allusion is here made? Do you suppose that this encounter with the bear actually happened? How many of the longer paragraphs end with a touch of humor? Why are the beginning and the close of this selection especially effective? Where does the author employ a series of short sentences? What is the effect? HOW GLOOSKAP BROUGHT THE SUMMER FRANCES LAUGHTON MACE was born in 1836 near Bangor, Maine, and passed a large part of her life in the East, where she gained a modest reputation as a writer of hymns and other verses. Late in life she made her home in California, where she died in 1899. About seventy-five miles north of her girlhood home, near Bangor, lies Mt. Katahdin (Ka-tä'din), the scene of this legend. Explain the reference to the "aurora," line 51. On second reading did you find that any features of the story stand out whose significance had escaped you on the first reading? Which is the better told, the first or the second division of the legend? Which did you find the more interesting? How does the movement of the verse in the first part differ from that in the second; which is the more rapid; which is the lighter? Why is the last stanza of the first division an excellent one for closing that part of the poem? Point out some words which we usually associate with the Indian vocabulary. Compare this legend with Aldrich's "Miantowona." How do they differ in their pictures and suggestions of Indian life? Which do you consider the better poetically? An interesting comparison may also be made between this Indian legend and the Roman story of Proserpine, to be found in Gayley's "Classic Myths." THE BLUE-JAY OLIVE THORNE MILLER (born in New York in 1831), is noted principally for her intimate writings on birds. "The Blue-Jay" is one of the numerous articles about her feathered acquaintances which Olive Thorne Miller published in the "Atlantic Monthly," and which includes a previous study of this "small friend in blue." Look up her story, the "Study of a Cat Bird,” between which and the present selection some interesting comparisons may be made. What very human traits does the blue-jay exhibit? What incidents best illustrate his curiosity? his persistence? Which show the greatest intelligence? Of the various bird stories you have read, which have you found most interesting? Why? What indications do you find of the writer's cleverness in managing and caring for birds? With which has the author here been more successful, the opening or the close of her essay? What characteristics of style marking this essay can you definitely name? 66 A YOUNG DESPERADO "A Young Desperado" represents well one side of Aldrich's nature, and served, perhaps, as a small preparatory study for one of the most delightful books ever written by an American, his "Story of a Bad Boy." What different titles or epithets are here applied to Johnny? Show how his characteristics mentioned in the first sentence are illustrated later. What is the worst you can say about him? the best? What appeals to you as the most humorous of his escapades? Are his exploits such as commonly characterize six-year-old boys? From what details might you infer that this article was not written recently? Select three instances where the author has expressed his ideas cleverly. AT THE MANGER JOHN BANISTER TABB (1845–1900), commonly known as “Father Tabb," was born in Virginia, and when scarcely more than a boy served as a captain's mate on a Confederate blockade runner. Later he was ordained a Roman Catholic priest and became Professor of English at St. Charles College in Maryland. Many of his beautiful, exquisitely finished verses embody religious themes. What words and phrases here bring out the quiet peace of sleep? What is the source of the ". warmer glow," line 10? Suggest a sub-title that will make clear the chief thought of the poem. AT CHRYSTEMESSE-TYDE WILLIS BOYD ALLEN was born in Maine, educated at Harvard College and at Boston University, and practised law in Boston. He is a prolific author: scarcely a year passes without one or two books from his pen. He is best known as the writer of boys' books, which combine adventure with history and travel. Why does the author use this old-fashioned spelling and quaint diction? Why does he choose the nest, the lamb, and the leaf as emblems of "sorrie" and of "gladde thynges"? THE LITTLE CHRIST Comparatively few of her numerous readers know that LAURA SPENCER PORTOR is the pen-name of Mrs. Francis Pope. Though she is connected with the staff of a noted women's publication in New York City, she is also a frequent contributor to the "Atlantic Monthly." She is a charming story-teller, a writer of some excellent verse, and the author of many admirable essays. What thought is uppermost in all the mother's replies? Explain the thought of the last two lines. What characteristics of the ballad (p. 351) do you here discover? Which of this group is not strictly a Christmas poem? If you did not know the authors of these poems, which should you say was written by a woman? Why? Which is the most musical of these poems? A PARABLE IN MOTORS An interesting comparison may be made between this parable and Æsop's fable of the boys and the frogs. Show how the characteristics of the "elderly philanthropist" stated in the second sentence are illustrated later in the parable? Describe the attitude of the writer toward this woman. Express in a sentence the moral of this parable as Æsop's morals are expressed. Write a short parable or fable in which a change of circumstances induces someone to change his point of view. SCHOOL CHILDREN OF FRANCE OCTAVE FORSANT, Inspector of Schools in Rheims (rēmz), France, through the trying days of bombardment during the war, not only kept open his schools, but encouraged the children to attend. In spite of many bombardments during school-hours, no lives were lost and none of the children received injuries. These four compositions were written by French children of eleven and twelve in the examination for the diploma or certificate on com |