LESSON LXXIX.

BOUN' TY, charity; favor.

FRU' GAL, prudent; economical.

FLOUR' ISH ED, thrived; prospered.

DIS CHARG' ED, performed.

BREED' ING, education.

EM BRAC' ED, accepted.

MAIN TAIN' ED, supported.

TRUDG' ED, traveled.

BE GUIL' ED, amused.

LE' GAL, lawful.

TWAIN, two.

BE WITCH' ING, charming.

YOUNK' ER, lad; youngster.

MED' I TA TIVE, thoughtful.

PRO VOK' ED, (PRO, forward, forth; VOKED, called;) called forth; excited.

IN CLUDE', (IN, in; CLUDE, shut;) shut in; inclose.

IN SERT', (IN, in; SERT, join, set;) join, or set in; put in.

THE DAPPLE MARE.

JOHN G. SAXE.

1. "Once on a time," as ancient tales declare,

There lived a farmer in a quiet dell

In Massachusetts, but exactly where,

Or when, is really more than I can tell,—

Except that quite above the public bounty,

He lived within his means and Bristol county.

2. By patient labor and unceasing care,

He earned, and so enjoyed, his daily bread;

Contented always with his frugal fare,

Ambition to be rich ne'er vexed his head;

And thus unknown to envy, want, or wealth,

He flourished long in comfort, peace, and health.

3. The gentle partner of his humble lot,

The joy and jewel of his wedded life,

Discharged the duties of his peaceful cot,

Like a true woman and a faithful wife;

Her mind improved by thought and useful reading,

Kind words and gentle manners showed her breeding.

4. Grown old, at last, the farmer called his son,

The youngest, (and the favorite I suppose,) And said,—

"I long have thought, my darling John,

'Tis time to bring my labors to a close;

So now to toil I mean to bid adieu,

And deed, my son, the homestead-farm to you."

5. The boy embraced the boon with vast delight,

And promised, while their precious lives remained,

He'd till and tend the farm from morn till night,

And see his parents handsomely maintained;

God help him, he would never fail to love, nor

Do aught to grieve his gen'rous old gov'nor.

6. The farmer said,—"Well, let us now proceed,

(You know there's always danger in delay,)

And get 'Squire Robinson to write the deed;

Come,—where's my staff?—we'll soon be on the way."

But John replied, with tender, filial care,

"You're old and weak—I'll catch the Dapple Mare."

7. The mare was saddled, and the old man got on,

The boy on foot trudged cheerfully along,

The while, to cheer his sire, the duteous son

Beguiled the weary way with talk and song.

Arrived, at length, they found the 'Squire at home,

And quickly told him wherefore they had come.

8. The deed was writ in proper form of law,

With many a "foresaid," "therefore," and "the same,"

And made throughout without mistake or flaw,

To show that John had now a legal claim

To all his father's land—conveyed, given, sold,

Quit-claimed, et cetera,[Footnote 1]—to have and hold.

9. Their business done, they left the lawyer's door,

Happier, perhaps, than when they entered there;

And started off as they had done before,—

The son on foot, the father on the mare.

But ere the twain a single mile had gone,

A brilliant thought occurred to Master John.

10. Alas for truth!—alas for filial duty!—

Alas that Satan in the shape of pride,

(His most bewitching form save that of beauty,)

Whispered the lad—"My boy, you ought to ride!"

"Get off!" exclaimed the younker—"'t isn't fair

That you should always ride the Dapple Mare!"

11. The son was lusty, and the sire was old,

And so, with many an oath and many a frown,

The hapless father did as he was told;

The man got off the steed, the boy got on,

And rode away as fast as she could trot,

And left his sire to trudge it home on foot!

12. That night, while seated round the kitchen fire

The household sat, cheerful as if no word

Or deed, provoked the injured father's ire,

Or aught to make him sad had e'er occurred,—

Thus spoke he to his son: "We quite forgot,

I think, t'include that little turnip lot!"

13. "I'm very sure, my son, it wouldn't hurt it,"

Calmly observed the meditative sire,

"To take the deed, my lad, and just insert it;"

Here the old man inserts it—in the fire!    Then cries aloud with most triumphant air,

"Who now, my son, shall ride the Dapple Mare?"

[Footnote 1: And so forth.]

QUESTIONS.—1. What proposition did the father make to his son? 2. What did the son promise to do? 3. How did the son treat his father after he got the deed? 4. What did the old gentleman do?