3. What request did the Tree make? 4. Why should the Tree be so anxious for these buds to develop? 5. Why did the Tree "tremble from rootlet to crown"? 6. At what stage in the Tree's growth did the Wind come? 7. What question did the Wind ask? 8. What request did the Tree make of the Wind? 9. Explain why the leaflets hung quivering. 10. Why did not the Tree treat the girl as it had treated the Wind and the Frost? 11. What seemed to be the greatest anxiety of the Tree? 12. What shows the satisfaction the Tree got in letting the girl pick its ripe berries? 13. If this tree were a person what kind of person would it be? ADDITIONAL READINGS MORRIS: Woodman, Spare That Tree! CHORLEY: The Brave Old Oak. LARCOM: Plant a Tree. BRYANT: The Planting of the Apple Tree, Forest Hymn. ABBEY: What Do We Plant When We Plant the Tree? HILL: The Oak. BUNNER: The Heart of the Tree. HANS ANDERSEN: The Fir Tree. A SONG All service ranks the same with God: If now, as formerly He trod Paradise, His presence fills Our earth, each only as God wills Can work - God's puppets, best and worst, Are we there is no last nor first. Robert Browning. STUD THE HUMBUG TUDENTS in college always like to play clever tricks on their professors. Probably no kinder professor ever lived than Louis Agassiz, who occupied at the time of this incident the chair of natural history in the Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard University. His enthusiasm, eloquence, clearness, and sympathy made him a powerful teacher in the class-room. So skillful was he in the study of natural history that it was rumored among his younger students, that no one could bring him a single specimen that he could not at once name and classify. The following incident tells of the way in which some mischievous students attempted to test his skill. THE HUMBUG Lay aside all conceit. Learn to read the book of nature for yourself. — AGASSIZ. It is said that Professor Louis Agassiz, the great teacher of natural history, was so wise that if but one bone of a bird were given to him, he could at once name the kind to which it had belonged. It was the same with fishes; and he knew insects equally well. To test his skill, the young men of his classes used to search far and wide for curious specimens for him to name and classify. At last, the first day of April was near at hand. The young men thought they would play a huge joke upon their famous teacher, who was as sweet natured as he was wise. Accordingly, they worked long and faithfully to build up a large, strange insect. On the morning of April first it was finished, and they took it to the class-room. Placing it upon the desk of the great Agassiz, they asked him to classify it. "What kind of a bug is it, Professor?" asked the leader of the jokers. Their teacher gave one glance at the curious specimen, and a twinkle came into the kindly eyes. Looking smilingly into the faces of the group before him, replied: "It is nothing uncommon, gentlemen; nothing in the least strange. It is a humbug, only a humbug; common enough, and quite harmless, gentlemen." The tables were turned, and the jokers rushed out of the room to have a good laugh over Agassiz's quick wit. NOTES 1. Look up carefully the life work of Louis Agassiz. 2. Report on some of the cleverest tricks you have seen children play on April first. 3. Look up the following words and expressions: natural history, curious specimen, classify, tables were turned, quick witted. EXERCISES 1. What shows the ability of Agassiz as a teacher of natural history? 2. How did his students plan to test his skill? 3. Why should they select the first day of April for this special test? 4. What special test did they now make? 5. Why did not the professor become angry at the trick? 6. What was his final answer? 7. Would it not have been better for him to have scolded the students or to have expelled them from class? Explain. 8. From this incident what are we told concerning the greatness of Agassiz? ADDITIONAL READINGS TROWBRIDGE: The Little Master. EGGLESTON: The Hoosier Schoolmaster. HUGHES: Tom Brown's School Days. ARNOLD: The Jolly Old Pedagogue. HOLMES: The Boys. MORRIS: We were Boys Together. RALPH HOYT: Old. BONAR: The Master's Touch, Be True. SKY-BORN MUSIC Let me go where'er I will, Ralph Waldo Emerson. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY WHAT one of us has not read with delight the charming story of The Sleeping Beauty? This story is one of the general household tales collected by the Grimm brothers and first published a hundred years ago. It is one of many explanations of the unlucky number thirteen, and doubtless contributed much to emphasize our suspicious fear of inviting thirteen guests, or of being one of thirteen in any gathering. The revenge of the thirteenth guest and just how a brave young man awakened the sleeping princess are here told. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY In times past there lived a king and a queen who said every day of their lives, "Would that we had a child!" and yet they had none. But once when the queen was sitting in the garden, she fell asleep and had a strange dream. She dreamed that a beautiful fairy came to her and said, "Your wish shall be fulfilled; before a great while, a child will bless your home." It happened just as she had dreamed; for soon a baby girl was born who was so beautiful that the king could not contain his joy, and he ordained a |