THE HOUSE BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

IN every age, men have sought to make the most

of themselves. We are interested to know how different men have tried to do this. Hermits have withdrawn from active life, and have stood on stumps with hands clenched in prayer until their nails grew into the flesh of their hands, in their efforts to seek salvation. Great poets, statesmen, and prophets have given the world sublime messages, in their efforts to do what they believed to be best. Investigators in library or in laboratory have revealed new truth. In this day of busy, complex life, it is a relief to find a type of man who lives in touch with the surging stream of life, who has a heart which beats in sympathy with all humanity, who "rejoices when travelers rejoice," and who "weeps with the stranger who moans." We are attracted to such a one, who thus dwells in peace and contentment "In the House by the Side of the Road," and spends his choicest energy in being a real "friend" to his fellow-man.

THE HOUSE BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD1

He was a friend to man, and lived in a house by the side of the road.-HOMER There are hermit souls that live withdrawn

In the peace of their self-content;

There are souls, like stars, that dwell apart,
In a fellowless firmament.

There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths
Where highways never ran;

But let me live by the side of the road

And be a friend to man.

Let me live in a house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by

The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.

I would not sit in the scorner's seat,

Or hurl the cynic's ban;

Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I see from my house by the side of the road,
By the side of the highway of life,

The men who press with the ardor of hope,
The men who are faint with the strife.

But I turn not away from their smiles nor their tears—
Both parts of an infinite plan;

Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

1 From Dreams in Homespun.

Copyrighted by Lothrop, Lee &

Shepard Co., and used by their courteous permission.

I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead, And mountains of wearisome height;

That the road passes on through the long afternoon,
And stretches away to the night.

But still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice,
And weep with the strangers that moan,
Nor live in my house by the side of the road
Like a man who dwells alone.

Let me live in my house by the side of the road
Where the race of men go by

They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,

Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat,
Or hurl the cynic's ban?

Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

Sam Walter Foss.

NOTES

1. Look up the term "hermit" and find all you can about the hermits of old.

2. Find out as many ways as you can by which men try to do their best in life. How many "callings" do men enter?

3. Be prepared to explain fully the meanings of the following words and expressions: hermit, self-content, fellowless firmament, pioneer souls, blaze, scorner's seat, cynic's ban, highway of life, ardor, infinite plan, brook-gladdened, wearisome height.

EXERCISES

1. What class of people is first mentioned in the poem?

2. Who are next mentioned?

3. Who constitute the third class?

4. In what class does the author desire to be?

5. Describe fully the life of the hermit.

6. Name some souls who "Dwell apart in a fellowless firmament."

7. Who are some of the world's "pioneer souls"?

9. Cite passages showing the extent to which the author regards himself as one of his fellow-men.

9. What class of men come by?

10. Explain how "smiles" and "tears" are both "parts of an infinite plan."

11. What are "brook-gladdened meadows"?

12. What are "mountains of wearisome height”?

13. Explain "sit in the scorner's seat."

14. Explain "hurl the cynic's ban."

15. Just what type of man does the poet desire to be?

16. Just what is here meant by the expression "be a friend to man"?

ADDITIONAL READINGS

LEIGH HUNT: Abou Ben Adhem.

WHITTIER: The Brother of Mercy.

B. E. KISER: I Will.

LOWELL: Vision of Sir Launfal.

KIPLING: The White Man's Burden, The Law of the Jungle.

POE: The Man of the Crowd.

LONGFELLOW: The Legend Beautiful.

THE EAGLE

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ring'd with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.

66

THE MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY

"THE Man without a Country" is one of the

best short stories in American literature. Edward Everett Hale has given us a real prosepoem of patriotism. No one can read this story without valuing more highly the country in which he lives. When a Greek of old had committed a crime against his country he was ostracized, or sent away from Greece. The Romans exiled their traitors as a worse punishment than that of death. In the play "Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare makes Romeo declare that banishment from his home and love is worse than death. Enoch Arden endured untold suffering in his long absence from home and country. Such punishments are extreme when inflicted by others, but they are doubly severe when in a moment of passion they are self-inflicted. Such was the case in the incident described in this story. The young traitor, Nolan, who cursed his country, and expressed the wish that he might never hear of the United States again, was given his wish. The story of how this wish was made a sentence of the court and carried out to the letter, is here given.