will never more break his faith with you." Then you shall be his surety," said Portia; "give him this ring, and bid him keep it better than the other." When Bassanio looked at this ring, he was strangely surprised to find it the same that he gave away. Then Portia told him how she was the young counsellor, and Nerissa was her clerk; and Bassanio found, to his unspeakable wonder and delight, that it was by the noble courage and wisdom of his wife that Antonio's life was saved. And Portia again welcomed Antonio, and gave him letters which by some chance had fallen into her hands. These contained an account of Antonio's ships, that were supposed lost, but which had safely arrived in the harbor. So these tragical beginnings of this rich merchant's story were all forgotten in the unexpected good fortune which ensued; and there was leisure to laugh at the comical adventure of the rings, and the husbands who did not know their own wives. u'su rer, a money lender who demands more interest than is right. a massed', collected, heaped up. duc'at, a coin either of gold or silver, common to several countries of Europe. The gold ducat is worth about two dollars. u'sance, interest money. | es'tim a ble, worthy of regard. tem'po ral, belonging to this world. gab er dine', a coarse, loose upper scru'ple, a weight of the twenty-fourth garment. part of an ounce. doit, a trifle; any small piece of money. af front'ed, offended. no'ta ry, a public officer. scrub'bed, dwarfed. THE RISING IN 1776 THOMAS BUCHANAN READ OUT of the North the wild news came, And there was tumult in the air, The fife's shrill note, the drum's loud beat, And through the wide land everywhere The answering tread of hurrying feet; While the first oath of Freedom's gun Came on the blast from Lexington; And Concord roused, no longer tame, Forgot her old baptismal name, Made bare her patriot arm of power, And swelled the discord of the hour. Within its shade of elm and oak The church of Berkeley Manor stood; There Sunday found the rural folk, And some esteemed of gentle blood. In vain their feet with loitering tread Passed 'mid the graves where rank is naught; All could not read the lesson taught In that republic of the dead. How sweet the hour of Sabbath talk, The vale with peace and sunshine full Where all the happy people walk, Decked in their homespun flax and wool! Where youth's gay hats with blossoms bloom; And every maid, with simple art, Wears on her breast, like her own heart, A bud whose depths are all perfume; The pastor came; his snowy locks Then soon he rose; the prayer was strong; He spoke of wrongs too long endured, Even as he spoke, his frame, renewed Rose, as it seemed, a shoulder higher; When suddenly his mantle wide A moment there was awful pause, When Berkeley cried, "Cease, traitor! cease! God's temple is the house of peace!" The other shouted, "Nay, not so, When God is with our righteous cause; His holiest places then are ours, His temples are our forts and towers, That frown upon the tyrant foe; In this, the dawn of Freedom's day, There is a time to fight and pray!" And now before the open door · The warrior priest had ordered so So loud and clear it seemed the ear The great bell swung as ne'er before: Was, "WAR! WAR! WAR!" "Who dares" - this was the patriot's cry, As striding from the desk he came 66 Come out with me, in Freedom's name, For her to live, for her to die?" A hundred hands flung up reply, A hundred voices answered, “I!” bo're al light, the light of the aurora | Forgot her old baptismal name. borealis, seen in the north on What does Concord mean? winter nights; bo're al, northern. re ver'ber ate, to reëcho. THOMAS BUCHANAN READ (1822-1872) was a portrait-painter by profession, but published several volumes of poems, among which are many of decided merit. THE AMERICAN FLAG HENRY WARD BEECHER THIS nation has a banner, and wherever it has streamed abroad, men have seen daybreak bursting on their eyes, for the American flag has been the symbol of liberty, and men have rejoiced in it. Not another flag on the globe had such an errand, or went forth upon the sea, carrying everywhere, the world around, such hope for the captive and such glorious tidings. The stars upon it were to the pining nations like the morning stars of God, and the stripes upon it were beams of morning light. As at early dawn the stars shine forth even while it grows light, and then as the sun advances that light breaks into banks and streaming lines of color, the glowing red and intense white striving |