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the field. But as they went, she prayed to God and said, "Lord, thou knowest my innocency. Show it, oh, show it before the face of men." Meanwhile they led her on to the field.

Then they bound the maiden to a stake in the midst of the thorn bushes. One of the men lighted them with fire. The thorns crackled in the flames. Men and women mocked the girl as the hungry flames rose higher. The fire reached the bottom of her fair white robe; suddenly it went out, and there was not even smoke. Instantly the dry thorn bushes became living plants, and upon them roses bloomed. Every bush that the fire had touched bore red roses, and every unburnt bush bore white roses. So it was that the maiden stood no longer in the flames, but in a garden of the fairest flowers that man shall ever see. Thus was the maiden proved innocent, and thus grew the first roses that were ever in the world. Nelson Antrim Crawford.

NOTES

1. Sir John Mandeville, or Maundevile. Formerly supposed to have been a knight who in the fourteenth century actually visited the many foreign countries about which "The Voiage and Travaile" tells. This book, which was very popular in its day, is full of strange stories and stranger descriptions. It is now thought to have been written, not by a knight named Mandeville, but by Jean de Bourgogne, 1 a French physician.

1

2. Palestine. Well known as the Holy Land of the Hebrews.

3. Bethlehem. The birthplace of the Christ-near Jerusalem.

4. Look up the meanings of the following expressions: age-old story, wrongfully, condemned, innocency, crackled, mocked, instantly, touched, unburnt bush.

1Pronounced zhände bür-gòn.

EXERCISES

1. Just what interesting point is explained in the story?

2. Where is the scene of this story laid?

3. What had this beautiful girl done to merit death?

4. What prayer did she utter? What does this tell of her?

5. How was she treated?

6. What strange thing happened? Explain "There was not even smoke."

7. What happened to the dry thorn bushes?

8. Explain the origin of red roses? Of white roses?

9. What did the blooming of the roses prove to the people?

ADDITIONAL READINGS

HOLMES: Chambered Nautilus.

ROCHE: The Water Lily.

BUTTS: Water Lilies.

WORDSWORTH: Daffodils, To the Daisy.

LONGFELLOw: Flowers.

FRENEAU: The Wild Honeysuckle, The Fading Rose.

HERRICK: To Daffodils.

CHENEY: Weeds and Flowers.

SYDNEY DOBELL: The Procession of the Flowers.

BURNS: To a Mountain Daisy.

SAVAGE: Beauty in Common Things.

HIGGINSON: Four-Leaf Clover.

HANS ANDERSEN: The Rose Elf, A Rose from Homer's Grave.
MADGE A. BIGHAM: Fanciful Flower Tales.

HELEN HUNT JACKSON: The Heart of a Rose.

I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true; I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right; stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.— Abraham Lincoln.

IT

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

T is a hard matter to pick the best boy from a number who apply for a position. Business men, and others who have had experience with people, soon learn the marks of a successful boy. They soon learn that almost any boy can bring strong letters of recommendation from friends, but that too few boys carry with them the unmistakable marks of success. following story is valuable in showing just what kind of boy is most in demand. This incident actually happened in the experience of a merchant who had to know just how to get the best boy out of fifty who applied for a position.

The

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

A gentleman once advertised for a boy to assist him in his office, and nearly fifty applied for the place. Out of the whole number, he in a short time chose one and sent all the others away.

"I should like to know," said a friend, "on what ground you chose that boy. He had not a single recommendation with him.”

"You are mistaken," said the gentleman,

had a great number.

"he

"He wiped his feet when he came in and closed

the door after him, showing that he was orderly and tidy. He gave up his seat instantly to that lame old man, showing that he was kind and thoughtful. He took off his cap when he came in and answered my questions promptly and respectfully, showing that he was polite.

"He lifted up the book which I had purposely laid on the floor, and placed it on the table, while all the others stepped over it, or shoved it aside; showing that he was careful. And he waited quietly for his turn, instead of pushing the others aside; showing that he was modest.

"When I talked with him, I noticed that his hair was in nice order, his clothes were carefully brushed, and his teeth were white as milk. When he wrote his name, I observed that his finger nails were clean, instead of being tipped with jet, like those of the handsome little fellow in the blue jacket.

"Don't you call these letters of recommendation? I do; and what I can tell you about a boy by using my eyes for ten minutes is worth more than all the fine letters he can bring me."

NOTES

1. Bring in some want ads in which boys, girls, men, or women are wanted to fill responsible positions. Write a letter answering one of the advertisements.

2. Be prepared to pronounce and define correctly the following words: advertised, recommendation, instantly, respectfully, purposely, modest, noticed, observed, jet, handsome, shoved.

EXERCISES

1. How successful was this gentleman in advertising for a boy?

2. How long did it take him to select the boy he wanted?

3. Why did he risk choosing a boy without a letter of recommendation? 4. How many points really recommended the boy?

5. What other points can you tell about a boy by using your eyes for ten minutes?

6. Write out a brief advertisement for a boy or girl you would wish to employ in any line of work.

ADDITIONAL READINGS

SMILES: Character, Duty.

LORIMER: Letters of a Self-Made Merchant to His Son.

LADY CAREW: True Greatness.

MACKAY: The Miller of the Dee.

A SONG FOR FLAG DAY

Out on the breeze,

O'er land and seas,

A beautiful banner is streaming.

Shining its stars,

Splendid its bars,

Under the sunshine 'tis gleaming.

Over the brave

Long may it wave,

Peace to the world ever bringing.

While to the stars,

Linked with the bars,

Hearts will forever be singing.

Lydia Coonley Ward.

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