"Give me," she said, "the silver candlesticks God well may spare them on his errands sped,1 Then spake Tritemius: "Even as thy word, But his hand trembled as the holy alms 2 So the day passed; and when the twilight came 4. ABRAHAM DAVENPORT. In the old days (a custom laid aside 1 sped, sent quickly forth. 2 holy alms. Explain. 3 the linden shade: that is, the walk shaded by linden trees. 4 breeches: that is, kneebreeches. 5 In the old days... laws. Explain this quiet piece of satire. And so, from a brown homestead, where the Sound1 Waved over by the woods of Rippowams, 'Twas on a May-day of the far old year 1 Sound: that is, Long Island | changed, rejoiced in the sunshine, Sound. and looked calmly over the night. But at last, during one sunrise, a wolf came, and began to howl at the sun. The sun did not seem to 2 'Twas... eighty. The exact date was the 12th of May, 1780. “On that day," say the historians, “a remarkable darkness overspread | heed him, but walked majestically all New England. In some sec- up the sky to her midday point; tions persons could not read com- then the wolf began to run after mon printed matter in the open her, and chased her down the sky air; barn-yard fowls went to roost, again to the low west. There the and cattle sought their accustomed sun opened her bright eye wide evening resorts; houses were lighted and turned round at bay; but the with candles, and nearly all out-of-wolf came close up to her, and doors work was suspended. The opened his mouth, and swallowed cause of the darkness has never her up. The earth shuddered, and been ascertained." the moon rose. Another wolf was 3 Norland sagas . . Gods. By waiting for the moon, with wide Northern sagas are meant the prose jaws open; and while yet pale and poetic lore of the Northmen and young he too was devoured. (Norsemen), and in one of these The earth shuddered again; it occurs the following legend re- was covered with cold and darkspecting the Twilight of the Gods: ness. Confusion rioted in the "Odin watched the seasons as they darkness.” Was black with ominous clouds, save where its rim Birds ceased to sing, and all the barn-yard fowls Lowed, and looked homeward; bats on leathern wings Men prayed, and women wept; all ears grew sharp As Justice and inexorable Law. Meanwhile in the old State House,2 dim as ghosts, Sat the lawgivers of Connecticut, Trembling beneath their legislative robes. My present duty, and my Lord's command To occupy till he come. So at the post "4 1 guest at Bethany. What is jour, day), to postpone till another the reference? 2 State House. At Hartford. 3 Lord's Great Day. Explain the expression. day. 4 adjourn (ad, to, and French I come"? Where he hath sent me in his providence, Then by the flaring lights the Speaker read, To hear the thunder of the wrath of God And there he stands in memory to this day, 1 alewive (a corruption of the Indian name aloof), a species of herring, 2 the ten Arab signs. Give the what is Abraham Davenport signification. 3 And there he stands, etc. A very striking picture. What is the moral that the poet draws? Of witness"? ་་ a 5.- MAUD MULLER. MAUD MULLER, on a summer's day, Beneath her torn hat glowed the wealth Singing she wrought, and her merry glee But when she glanced to the far-off town, The sweet song died, and a vague unrest The Judge rode slowly down the lane, He drew his bridle in the shade And ask a draught from the spring that flowed She stooped where the cool spring bubbled up, And blushed as she gave it, looking down |