Sunburnt and bearded, charged away; And hailed him, from out their youthful lore, 6 While Burns, unmindful of jeer and scoff, With his long brown rifle, and bell-crown hat, 5. 'Twas but a moment, for that respect Which clothes all courage their voices checked; 8 9 Through the ranks in whispers, and some men saw, 6. So raged the battle. You know the rest: At which John Burns a practical 13 man That is the story of old John Burns; In fighting the battle, the question's whether 1 BRIEF. Short; lasting a short time. 3 VET'ER-AN. An old soldier; one 5 REPERTOIRE (rā-pêr-twär.) Reper tory; repository. 6 JEER. Railing language; sneer. 7 LURKING. Lying in wait. 8 AN-TIQUE' (an-tēk). Ancient; not modern. 9 VEST MENTS. Garments. 10 NA-VÄRRE'. Henry IV. of France was also king of Navarre. 11 ŎR'I-FLAMME (ŏr'j-flăm). A little banner of red silk with many points streaming like flames, borne on a gilt staff, the ancient royal standard of France. 12 CHARGE. The act of rushing on an 1. A RAILROAD train was rushing along at almost lightning speed. A curve was just ahead, beyond which was a station at which the cars usually passed each other. The conductor was late, so late that the period during which the down train was to wait had nearly elapsed; but he hoped yet to pass the curve safely. Suddenly a locomotive dashed into sight right ahead. In an instant there was a collision. A shriek, a shock, and fifty souls were in eternity; and all because an engineer had been behind time. 2. A great battle was going on. Column after column had been precipitated for eight mortal hours on the enemy posted along the ridge of a hill. The summer sun was sinking to the west; reënforcements 2 for the obstinate defenders were already in sight; it was necessary to carry the position with one final charge, or everything would be lost. 3. A powerful corps had been summoned from across the country, and if it came up in season all would yet be well. The great conqueror, confident in its arrival, formed his reserve 3 into an attacking column, and ordered them to charge the enemy. The whole world knows the result. Grouchy failed to appear; the imperial guard was beaten back; Waterloo was lost. Napoleon died a prisoner at St. Helena because one of his marshals was behind time. 4. A leading firm in commercial circles had long struggled against bankruptcy. As it had enormous assets in California, it expected remittances by a certain day, and if the sums promised arrived, its credit, its honor, and its future prosperity would be preserved. But week after week elapsed without bringing the gold. At last came the fatal day on which the firm had bills maturing 5 to enormous amounts. The steamer was telegraphed at daybreak; but it was found, on inquiry, that she brought no funds, and the house failed. The next arrival brought nearly half a million to the insolvents, but it was too late; they were ruined because their agent, in remitting, had been behind time. 5. A condemned man was led out for execution. He had taken human life, but under circumstances of the greatest provocation, and public sympathy was active in his behalf. Thousands had signed petitions for a reprieve, a favorable answer had been expected the night before, and though it had not come, even the sheriff felt confident that it would yet arrive in Thus the morning passed without the ap season. * Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of France, was defeated by the Allies under the Duke of Wellington, at Waterloo, June 18, 1815. Marshal Grouchy (pronounced Grô-she') was expected to aid the emperor with a body of troops, but failed to appear. pearance of the messenger. The last moment was up. The prisoner took his place on the drop, the cap was drawn over his eyes, the bolt was drawn, and a lifeless body swung revolving in the wind. Just at that moment a horseman came into sight, galloping down hill, his steed covered with foam. He carried a packet in his right hand, which he waved rapidly to the crowd. He was the express rider with the reprieve. But he had come too late. A comparatively innocent man had died an ignominious death, because a watch had been five minutes too slow, making its bearer arrive behind time. 6. It is continually so in life. The best laid plans, the most important affairs, the fortunes of individuals, the weal of nations, honor, happiness, life itself, are daily sacrificed because somebody is "behind time.” There are men who always fail in whatever they undertake, simply because they are "behind time." There are others who put off reformation year by year, till death seizes them, and they perish unrepentant, because forever "behind time." Five minutes in a crisis is worth years. It is but a little period, yet it has often saved a fortune or redeemed a people. If there is one virtue that should be cultivated more than another by him who would succeed in life, it is punctuality; if there is one error that should be avoided, it is being behind time. 1 CŎL'UMN. A body of troops in deep 15 MA-TUR'ING. Ripening; coming to a files, with narrow front. perfected state. Bills or notes mature when they become due. 6 IN-SŎL'VENT. One who cannot pay his debts. kept in the rear of an army in action, 7 RE-PRIĒVE'. A suspension of a sen to give support when required. tence of death. 4 AS'SETS. Property or effects XLV. JOYS AND SORROWS OF EGGS. BEECHER. 1. BORN in the country, our amusements were few and simple; but what they lacked in themselves we supplied from a buoyant 1 and overflowing spirit of enjoyment. A string and a stick went further with us, and afforded more hearty enjoyment, than forty dollars' worth of trinkets to our own children. Indeed, it would seem as if the enjoying part of our nature depended very much upon the necessity of providing its own pleasures. There are not many of our earlier experiences which we should particularly care to renew. We are content to renew our wading and grubbing after sweet flagroot only in memory. The nuttings were excellent in their way, the gathering of berries, the building of snow-houses, and the various games of summer and winter, on land, ice, or snow. We keep them as a pleasant background of recollection, without any special wish to advance them again into the foreground. 2. One thing we shall never get over. We shall never lose enthusiasm for hens' nests. The sudden cackling outcry of a faithful old hen, proclaiming the wonder of her eggs, we shall never hear without the old flush and wish to seek and bring in the vaunted trophy. The old barn was very large. It abounded in nooks, sheds, compartments, and what-nots, admirably suited to a hen's love of egg-secretiveness.3 And no lover ever sought the post-office for an expected letter with half the alacrity with which we used to search for eggs. 4 |