About the Plays.-Why did Teddy hate cows? Was he really lazy? How did his father try to cure him? Why can"t one please everybody? Whom should you try to please?
Lesson 26
CORNELIA"S JEWELS
Many hundreds of years ago, on a bright morning in spring, two boys were standing in a beautiful old garden. At a little distance their mother, attended by a dear friend, walked among her flowers. As they walked and talked, Cornelia often stopped to pluck away a dead leaf from a plant or gently stir up the soil about another, and her little sons watched her with love and admiration. "Oh," said the younger lad, "did you ever see so lovely a lady as our mother? She looks like a queen! "Just then Cornelia, the mother, went over to speak to the boys. She was indeed simply dressed, wearing a plain white robe, and on her hands and neck no jewel or golden chain was seen to shine- her crown was long fair braids coiled round and round her head, but her carriage was queenly, and a proud smile lighted her face as her eyes rested upon her sons.
"My dear boys, " she said, as they bowed politely to her, "you are to have a pleasant surprise. You will be allowed to dine in the garden with our dear friend, andlater she is going to show us her wonderful casket of jewels, of which you have heard so much. "The boys looked in surprise at their mother"s friend- jewels flashed from the rings on her fingers, shone about her neck, and two wonderful stones hung from her ears-was it possible she had still more jewels than those she wore?
But they enjoyed the merry meal out-of-doors, and when, at its conclusion, a servant brought a casket from the house, they gazed with delight at the milky pearls, the flame-like rubies, the sky-blue sapphires, and the diamonds that flashed all the wonderful colours of the rainbow in the sunlight.
"Oh ! oh ! " said the younger boy. "If our mother could but have such lovely things! "When the casket had been closed and carried away, the friend turned to Cornelia. "Is it true, as I have heard, dear Cornelia, that you are very poor and have no jewels? ""Poor! " said Cornelia proudly- "Indeed no! "-and she drew her boys to her as she spoke- "these are my jewels, and they are worth more than all your gems put together. "Do you suppose those lads ever forgot their dearmother"s pride in them even when, years later, they became great men in Rome? Ah, no! And all the world, to this day, loves still to hear the story of Cornelia and her jewels.
-GraCe EVelyn StarKe
About the Author.-GraCe EVelyn StarKe is a teacher who wrote the story for an American magazine, Primary Education.(It was told in Latin by a Roman writer long before.)About the Story.-Why was Cornelia queenly? In what way was her dress different from that of her friend? What colour has a pearl, a ruby, a sapphire, a diamond? Which of the two women had the more precious jewels? Cornelia"s father"s name was Scipio, her husband"s name was Gracchus, and her children were Tiberius and Caius. At this time in Rome the poor people, who were little better than slaves, were trying to win freedom from the nobles, who were rich and had all the power. Cornelia"s sons took the side of the people, and were both put to death. Then the Romans honoured them and put up a statue of Cornelia, with the inscription "The Mother of the Gracchi."Lesson 27
AN AuSTRALIAN CRADLE SONG
Over the hills and far away, Deep in a shady dell,The crystal fountains leap and play,
A dream of delight is the livelong day, Over the hills and far away,In the land where the fairies dwell.
Never a trouble or worldly care Into that dell may come;The sweetest flowers breathe perfume rare,
The wattle-tree loosens her golden hair,
And softly floats on the languid air
The wild bee"s drowsy hum.
The tall fern spreads a graceful wing To shut the light away;And ever the fountains laugh and sing,
The moss and the maidenhair climb and cling, And the bell-bird"s note doth sweetly ringTo the drip of the silver spray.
Here, where the moon and stars are bright, The fairies dance and sing,Down through the air, each tiny sprite
Floats in a robe of filmy white,
On the smooth greensward, the livelong night, To trip in a mystic ring--To the music made by the waving tree Stirred by the fresh night air,While the moon looks down and laughs with glee, And each little star winks merrily;And it"s oh, "twere good for an hour to be With the fairies dancing there.
So hush thee, hush, my baby boy; Let slumber weave her spell;And you shall roam till break of day
Where the laughing fountains leap and p]ay, Over the hills and far away,In the land where the fairies dwell.
- John Harrison WaGner
About the Author.-John Harrison WaGner was a journalist who lived for some time in Australia. He wrote few poems.
About the Poem.-Even if the poem were called "A Cradle Song," how would you know that it was an Australian cradle song? What sound should a cradle song have? Is it the sound of this poem? Make a drawing for the verse you like best.
Lesson 28
THE AuSTRALIAN BLACKS
At one time, there were many blacks in Victoria. They roamed about, and stayed only where there was plenty of food to be found. The men caught wild animals, or birds, or fish, and the women dug up roots and yams, and gathered berries.
When a tribe was on the march, the men always walked in front carrying their weapons, so as to be ready to fight an enemy or to kill any game they might find. Whatever articles a tribe owned were carried by the women, who also had their babies in a sort of hood on their backs. The little black things looked very happy, peeping over their mothers" shoulders.
Mary E.B.HoWitt.