B0k MMW; 
 
 I I HM 
 
 THE 
 
 SOUTHERN READER; 
 
 ILD'S SE-COND READING BOOK, i 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 C 
 
 SIMPLE READING LESSENS, 
 
 PROGRESSIVELY ARRANGED. 
 
 STEREOTYPE EDITION. 
 WITH A D D ITIONS. 
 
 kND 
 
 CHARLESTON: 
 BY WM. R. BABCOCK, AND M'OARTBR k CO., 
 
 SOLD BY ALL THE PRINCIPAL jJOOKSELLERS W THE 
 SOUTHERN AND SOUTH-WESTERN STATES. 
 
\ 
 
 Cfce Hibtatp 
 (anitiet0itp of iQortft Carolina 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA 
 
 AT CHAPEL HILL 
 
 ENDOWED BY THE 
 DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC 
 LIBRAKYSOCIETIES 
 
 gCgOOfa 
 
 JH 372.1* 
 Southern 
 
jtfU^.cfy-l^ 
 
 This book is due at the LOUIS R. WILSON LIBRARY on the 
 last date stamped under "Date Due." If not on hold it may be 
 renewed by bringing it to the library. 
 
 DATE KirT 
 
 DATE 
 DUE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 V* - 
 
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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
 
 http://archive.org/details/southernreaderorOOchar 
 
" Let us give our children such books only, as cultivate the moral feelings, and 
 create a taste for knowledge, while they, at the same time, amuse and interest." 
 
BOOK FIRST. 
 
 ?3^-3®3^D)i3 
 
. ENTERED, 
 ACCORDING TO THE ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR 1839, 
 
 BY S. BABCOCK AND CO., 
 
 W THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THE DISTRICT COURT Of 
 SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION 
 
 The " First Lessons in Reading," which compose the 
 pages of this little work, are designed to form the first of a 
 series of small books for the instruction of children just be- 
 ginning to read. The whole series will be of a progressive 
 character, and each succeeding book will be a continuation 
 of similar lessons, as to plan and arrangement, but of a 
 higher order and more advanced stage of reading. 
 
 Book First is intended to follow the " Southern Prim- 
 er," a little book containing the alphabet and a great 
 variety of spelling lessons. Still, commencing, as Book 
 First does, with simple reading lessons in words of only 
 two letters, followed by those of three, four, Jive and six let- 
 ters, and words of one syllable, and extending only to words 
 of two syllables, it necessarily contains lessons suitable for 
 a child who has learned only the alphabet. It can, therefore, 
 be advantageously employed as a First Reading Book, dis- 
 tinct from the other books of the series. 
 
 It will be our endeavor to make the series complete, so 
 that the pupil will commence with the simplest form of mono- 
 syllables, and gradually rising, step by step, to the succeed- 
 ing books, will be able to master any reading lessons that 
 may be presented. Their connection, however, will not ren- 
 der any of them unsuitable for ordinary reading books. 
 
 557511 ' " 
 
6 
 
 All children are pleased with novelty and variety, and their 
 exertions are often stimulated by the prospect of a new book 
 and more advanced lessons. A succession of books is calcu- 
 lated to keep alive this spirit. As the pupil reaches each 
 succeeding one, he becomes aware of his progress, and. a 
 laudable pride is gratified. 
 
 No one can question the utility of this plan, or its advan- 
 tages over the old system of confining the ardent young pupil 
 to the same book, term after term, till it becomes a tiresome 
 humdrum study, — neither stimulating his exertions, interest- 
 ing his mind, or adding to his stock of information. 
 
 By giving the Lessons in a bold and clear type, we render 
 the little learner a service which is too often overlooked. 
 Much cause for complaint on this score, is found in too many 
 of our elementary books. They are not only in small type, 
 and poorly printed, but many of them are from stereotype 
 plates which have been worn and otherwise defaced, till a 
 large portion of the words can scarcely be decyphered. 
 Surely such books should not be placed in the hands of those 
 who are learning to read,. 
 
 The intelligent teacher will find a connected series of 
 reading books, better adapted to the arrangement of his school 
 into classes, than the old plan of one book for all the differ- 
 ent capacities and degrees of intelligence of his pupils. 
 While Book First may be suitable for the lower classes, Book 
 Second may be placed in the hands of those more advanced, 
 and Book Third will be adapted to the highest class of young 
 readers. 
 
 We have endeavored, also, to give our simple lessons in 
 such a simple style as will be familiar to the understandings 
 
of young children. It is not our design to overtask the tender 
 mind with subjects beyond its comprehension ; and we think 
 there is but little danger, in this portion of the series, of pre- 
 senting food too light and simple. We aim but at assisting to 
 prepare the ground on which the foundation of a noble edifice 
 may be placed ; consequently, we have endeavored to inter- 
 est and amuse, and thus render both teaching and learning 
 easy and pleasant. 
 
 It is believed that nothing has been admitted into these 
 pages, which the most careful parents would hesitate to place 
 in the hands of their children. A like scrupulous care will 
 govern the lessons of the succeeding books. It will be our 
 aim to have them not only of a cheerful, innocent, and inter- 
 esting character, but such as will expand and inform the 
 tender mind, and give food to that appetite for knowledge 
 which reading alone can satisfy. 
 
 We have selected freely from the works of others, and in 
 many instances have re-modeled our selections. This was 
 necessary in order to confine them to monosyllables. For 
 many of the lessons in words of three, four, and five letters, 
 we are indebted to the " Little Lessons" of Mrs. Barwell ; 
 and for much of the simple poetry, and other lessons, to the 
 charming little " Rose Bud ," of Mrs. Gilman. 
 
 In conclusion, we will not disguise our desire to give the 
 teachers of our primary schools some thing exclusively South- 
 ern for their little pupils. We have too long been inactive 
 on this subject ; too long been entirely dependent on our dis- 
 tant neighbors for even the first books that we place in the 
 hands of our children. It is full time that we have some- 
 
8 
 
 thing of a local nature, which will be better suited to the un- 
 derstandings of our little ones. It is to be regretted that the 
 task of supplying this deficiency has not fallen into more able 
 hands. 
 
 M. N. T. 
 Charleston, 1839. 
 
 STEREOTYPE EDITION. 
 
 In presenting another, and it is hoped an " improved edi- 
 tion" of this little work, to the public, the editor gladly 
 avails himself of the opportunity to renew his grateful ac- 
 knowledgements for the patronage it has met with. He 
 would also express the hope, that the introduction of many 
 new and beautiful engravings, (which has been effected by 
 somewhat enlarging the work, without material alteration 
 of the lessons,) will meet the approbation of all who may 
 make use of the " Southern Readers." 
 
 July, 1847. 
 
THE 
 
 SOUTHERN READER- 
 
 BOOK FIRST 
 
 a n 
 
 TWO LETTERS. 
 
 LESSON r. 
 
 ax 
 
 all aim 
 
 an 
 
 as 
 
 at 
 
 ax 
 
 be 
 
 by 
 
 do fy 
 
 go 
 
 he 
 
 ho 
 
 if 
 
 in 
 
 it 
 
 is lo 
 
 me 
 
 my 
 
 no 
 
 oh 
 
 of 
 
 or 
 
 ox so 
 
 to 
 
 up 
 
 us 
 
 we 
 
 wo 
 
 y e 
 
 
 LESSON II. 
 
 
 am I to 
 
 go in 
 
 
 I 
 
 am to 
 
 go in 
 
 
 is he to 
 
 go in 
 
 
 lie 
 
 is to 
 
 go in 
 
 
 is he up 
 
 on it 
 
 
 he 
 
 is up 
 
 on it 
 
 
 is he to 
 
 do so 
 
 
 he 
 
 is to 
 
 do so 
 
 
 we go up to il 
 
 
 y e 
 
 go up 
 
 to it 
 
 
 if it is my ox 
 
 
 is 
 
 it by 
 
 my ax 
 
 
10 
 
 SOUTHERN READER. 
 
 [book 
 
 an 
 
 Is it up or on 1 
 Is it on or in 1 
 I am to go in. 
 If ye go on so 
 Lo ! I do go on. 
 He is in by me. 
 Ye do go up on. 
 
 OX 
 
 Ah, if it is so. 
 Go ye up to it. 
 Am I in or on? 
 Do go up on it. 
 Oh, I am by it. 
 Be ye on or up 1 
 Oh, fy, to do so. 
 
 LESSON IV. 
 
 Lo! we do go up on or in it. 
 Is it by my ox, or by my ax 1 
 Ah ! it is in, or on, or at, or of " it. 
 Go ye up to it. Lo, I do go. 
 Be it so ; or be so. He is so. 
 I am on an ox. An ox is by me. 
 Oh, fy, is it so ? Ah, no, no. 
 Is it in, or on, or up, or by 1 
 He is to go in ; I am to go on. 
 I am to be up on it ; he is to go up 
 oy me. Ah, I am up. 
 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF THREE LETTERS 
 
 THREE LETTERS. 
 lesson r. 
 
 [live oak tree.] 
 
 11 
 
 iiiiiBi^^ | 
 
 ^^"s 
 
 
 f^SHS 
 
 ""' 3| ~**Ssk 
 
 
 
 ^ft" 
 
 
 
 
 
 -M^p^^^^B 
 
 
 
 
 ^^^^'.^^^^^H 
 
 WSjgBit&sfe ~ - 
 
 
 ^^^^W^^^^^ 
 
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^S 
 
 ^:J==3BB^t. - 
 
 v '-- 
 
 33HL*- 
 
 
 =^=§i==r=r|gp^^r^ 
 
 
 
 " . 1 I p ■ . :;'■"'-' ■ ^ Hip 
 
 
 - _ - - — _^ 
 
 
 "■■■.■ , .'" ..' 
 
 
 gg^S^ggiKg^-j^SKa^aig 
 
 
 
 
 S^^^^^s 
 
 s 
 
 
 v 5- -~ - , . _ ■ 
 
 
 
 
 The bi^ old Oak- 
 
 old oak. 
 
 n 
 
 Hi 1; 
 
 CI. 
 
 big dog. 
 his ear. 
 hot sun, 
 
 fat pig 
 new cap. 
 bad man. 
 her lip. 
 the hog. 
 
 red cow. 
 the cat. 
 bad boy. 
 see him. 
 wet day. 
 
 LESSON II. 
 
 Let us go out. It is a hot day. 
 
 The sun is hot. Do not run now. 
 
 The old hog is fat The cat can run. 
 
 The dog is by me. She fed the old hen 
 
12 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 May I go out? Put on my cap. 
 
 Is it not my hat I Ann can go too. 
 
 May I try to sew ? Hem my new cap. 
 
 LESSON III. 
 
 The Cow. 
 
 Now let us go out and see the cow; 
 Is it our dun cow, or the old red cow ? 
 It is the red cow, not the dun cow. 
 Let the cow eat the new hay. 
 May the dun cow eat the hay, too ? 
 No ; the dun cow may not eat it. 
 The dun ?ow is not by the red cow. 
 The dun cow is off in the lot. 
 Now let us all go in, for the sun is too 
 hot for us to be out. 
 
 LESSON IV. 
 
 The Bee. 
 
 Can you tell me why the Bee is on the bud? 
 
 The Bee is on the bud to sip off the dew 
 See him fly in the cup of the bud. Now he is on 
 the red pea ; and now he is off to fly in the sun. 
 
 A Bee can fly, but a Boy can not fly. A 
 Boy can run. 
 
 Has the Bee a leg? 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF THREE LETTERS. 13 
 
 Yes, he has six; but a Boy has but two 
 The Bee can fly to a bud, and he can sip the 
 dew out of it; and a boy can run and see 
 him do it. 
 
 LESSON V. 
 
 No man may put off the law of God. 
 A bad man is a foe to God. 
 The way of man is not the way of God. 
 Let me not go out of thy way, O God. 
 Let me not go in the way of bad men. 
 If I go out, or if I go in, God can see me. 
 In God do I put my joy ; let me not sin. 
 Try me, God, and let me not go out of 
 the way of thy law. 
 
 LESSON VI. 
 
 The Pig, the Hen, the Fox, and the Dog. 
 
 I am a Pig, and I eat all I can get. I am 
 too fat to run ; so I go and lie in the mud. 
 
 The Dog can get me by the ear or leg; but 
 if I am in my pen, the Dog may not go in it 
 to get me. I am of use, for men eat me. 
 Men let me eat all I can, so I may get fat. 
 
 2* 
 
14 
 
 SOUTHERN READER. 
 
 [book 
 
 I am a Hen. I fly, but not far ; nor can I 
 fly up in the air as the Tom Tit can. I lay 
 my egg, and I am of use to man ; but the Rat 
 an get my egg, and the Fox can get me. 
 
 [A FOX CHASE IN CAROLINA.] 
 
 I am a Fox, and a Fox is sly. I am so 
 sly I can get the Hen ; if I do get the Hen, 
 I eat her. But the Dog and the Men try to 
 get me. It is odd if the Dog, and the Men 
 too, can get one who is so sly, and who can 
 run as I can. See me go ! 
 
 I am a Dog. I am of use to Man. I can 
 run, and I can get the Fox, for all he is so 
 sly. I can get a Rat, too. I can run and get 
 a Pig by the ear. I am a tig Dog, and can 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF FOUR LETTERS. 15 
 
 let a Boy get on me. He may sit on me if he 
 is not a bad boy. 
 
 LESSON VII. 
 
 The Fly, the Bee, the Cat, and the Rat. 
 
 I am a Fly. I fly in the air if the sun be 
 hot. I sip out of the tea cup if I see a Boy 
 at tea. I sit on the rim of his cup and sip 
 his tea. If he see me he may try to hit me ; 
 but I can fly off and go up in the air, so he 
 can not get me at all. I am a gay Fly. 
 
 I am a Bee ; I fly too, if the sun be hot, 
 and it is not wet. I sip, too ; but I do not 
 get in the tea cup. 1 am of use. Do not try 
 to hit me, Boy, for I do not get in the way, 
 and you can see I am of use. 
 
 ] am a Cat. I do not sip, I lap. 1 can 
 get a Rat, and I can get you, Sir Fly, if you 
 do not go too far up in the air. I can mew 
 and I can run. I lie in the sun; but if the 
 sun be too hot, I lie on the rug, or go to my 
 bed of hay. 
 
 I am a Rat. I eat all I can get. The Cat 
 may try and see if she can get me ; but I can 
 run out of her way. I can run to my bed ; but 
 
16 
 
 SOUTHERN READER, 
 
 [BOOK 
 
 ge 
 my bed ; she is too big. I am a sly Rat. 
 
 the Cat can not run to it. She can not get to 
 
 FOUR LETTERS. 
 
 LESSON I. 
 
 [sugar plantation,] 
 
 mgmm «ws?gss 
 
 A Rail Road and Cars. 
 A good crop. A cane mill 
 
 A huge pile. 
 
 A ripe cane. 
 
 A high hill. 
 
 A rail road. 
 
 A rich soil. 
 
 A nice road. 
 
 A tall tree. 
 A long limb. 
 A good load. 
 A live oak. 
 A fine stem. 
 A wide leaf. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF FOUR LETTERS. 17 
 
 LESSON 11. 
 
 The New Book 
 
 John had a new book, one day, and his 
 aunt said to him, — 
 
 Come here, John, 
 
 Let me see your new book. 
 
 This is a fine new book. 
 
 Can John read a page of it to me? 
 
 Let me hear him try to do so. 
 
 Read slow, and look at each word till you 
 see what it is, and then take care to call it 
 right. 
 
 That will do ; you will soon read as well as 
 Ann or Jane. 
 
 Now take your book and sit down on this 
 seat by me. 
 
 So John sat down by his aunt, as she bade 
 him, and he did not fail to keep his book neat, 
 and free from dirt. 
 
 LESSON III. 
 
 The girl is fond of her new doll. 
 
 John may fly his new kite. 
 
 Jane can hem a cap for her aunt 
 
18 SOUTFIERiN READER. [BOOK 
 
 The good boy is kind to all. He will hurt 
 no one. 
 
 We do not love a bad boy or a bad girl. 
 
 A good boy or girl will be sure to gain the 
 /jve of all. 
 
 A bad life will make a bad end. 
 
 We must live well, that we may die well. 
 
 Be kind to all, and hurt no one. 
 
 Do no ill act; if you have done one, say 
 you will do it no more. 
 
 This life is not long; but the life to come 
 has no end. 
 
 LESSON IV. 
 
 We love just and wise men. 
 Bad boys love to rob the nest of a bird. 
 A bird sits on the limb of a tree to sing 
 A plum will hang by a stem. 
 Cats, kill and eat rats and mice. 
 Men keep pigs in a pen or sty. 
 A ship has a tall mast. 
 
 Good boys and girls will try to spell and 
 ead well. 
 A wise man will rise with the sun. 
 No man can make a good plea for a dram. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF FOUR LETTERS. 19 
 
 A toad will junip like a frog. 
 We do not like to see our own sins. 
 A good bo j will not tear his book. 
 The lark will soar up in the sky 10 100k 
 t the sun. 
 A dray is a kind of low cart. 
 The sun will rise ip the east an? ^sf in 
 the west. 
 
 lesson v. 
 Seek God. 
 
 Let each one of you bear ; n vn'y) r i that it 
 was God who made you, an & who gave you 
 all that you have. It was God who gave 
 you life, and food to eat, and a home to live 
 in. All who love you, and take care of you, 
 and help you, w r ere sent by Him. 
 
 Be sure that He sees you in the dark, as 
 well as in the day. He can tell all that 
 you do, all that you say, and all that is in 
 your mind. Do not hope to hide your sins 
 from God ; for He will see and know them all. 
 
 Oh, seek this good God. Pray to Him 
 when you rise, and when you lie down. 
 Keep His day, and hear and read His word, 
 
20 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 and do His will. Then this good God will 
 love you, and care for you, and He will be 
 your God. 
 
 LESSON VI. 
 
 The New Laid Egg. 
 
 Come, let us go to the barn and see if we 
 can find a new laid egg for your poor aunt 
 Jane. She is not well, and we hope an egg 
 will do her good. Ah, here is a nice one. 
 Feel how warm it is. The old hen must 
 have just left the nest. 
 
 Now we will go in and beat it up with 
 some wine, and then you may take it up to 
 aunt Jane. Ask her how she does, and beg 
 her to try to take the wine and egg, for we 
 are sure it will help to make her well. 
 
 When you come back we will get some 
 corn from the box, and go and feed the hens 
 that lay such nice eggs for us; then we will 
 stop up the hole in the wall, so that the rats 
 may not get in and take the eggs. Rats are 
 fond of eggs, and will suck them if they can 
 find a nest. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF FOUR LETTERS. 21 
 
 LESSON VII. 
 
 The Cat and her Kits. 
 
 Our old cat has two kits. May I go and 
 see the kits 1 Yes, you may go ; but do not 
 run in the wet, or in the mud. Put on your 
 hat, for the sun is hot. See how the pigs run 
 in the sty ! The kits do not run, for they can 
 not see ; so the old cat has put her two kits in 
 the hay for a bed. Get on the tub, and then 
 you can see the old cat, and her kits by her 
 side. Why, the old cat has no ears ! No : 
 a bad boy cut off her ears one day. Poor 
 puss ! that was too bad. What harm did 
 your ears do the boy 1 Did he call it fine fun 
 to hear you mew ? 
 
 The pigs are to be fed. Give them some 
 corn. Feed puss and the kits too. Yes; the 
 cat must have some meat, and her kits can 
 have some milk. Kits love milk, and can lap 
 it up fast. Put it in a cup, and set it down 
 by them. Now, puss, do not get all the milk 
 from your poor kits. When the kits grow up, 
 puss will show them how to get the rats and 
 mice. Cats eat rats and mice. What a nice bed 
 of hay our old puss has got for her two kits. 
 
 3 
 
22 SOUTHERN READER [ROOK 
 
 LESSON V1I1. 
 
 God is Lord of all. 
 
 None is God but the Lord. He is Lord of 
 all. He is wise, and just, and kind. He made 
 the sun and the moon, and each star that we 
 see in the blue sky. The sea is His, and He 
 made it, and He made the dry land too. He 
 made the east and the west, and the high 
 hill and the low vale. It was the good God 
 who made each tree and herb. The tall oak, 
 the huge elm, and the low bush, and all that 
 we see, or hear, or feel, or know, are the work 
 of His hand. 
 
 God doth send the rain and the dew to wel 
 the soil, and at His will it is made dry. The 
 I] eat and the cold, the snow and the ice, and 
 the hail, ail come from Him. He bids the 
 wind to blow, and it is He who bids it to be 
 calm. He bids the tide to rise, and He bids 
 it fall. He sets a door, as it were, to the sea, 
 and says to it, But thus far must thou come! 
 
 All that live get life from God. He made 
 the rich man and the poor man, the wise man 
 and the fool, the old man and the babe. AH 
 that move on the land, and all that fly in the 
 
FIRST.] 
 
 WORDS OF FIVE LETTERS. 
 
 23 
 
 air, and all that swim in the sea, are His. God 
 doth feed and take care of them ; in Him they 
 live and move, and when He says the word, 
 they die and turn to dust. 
 
 
 FIVE 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 
 LESSON I. 
 
 A 
 
 white horse. 
 
 A brick house. 
 
 A 
 
 dried peach. 
 
 A green shade. 
 
 A 
 
 plump goose. 
 
 A sweet grape. 
 
 A 
 
 loose dress. 
 
 A brass lamp. 
 
 A 
 
 black sheep. 
 
 A young child. 
 
 A 
 
 sharp knife. 
 
 A great whale. 
 
 A 
 
 small chair. 
 
 A large bench. 
 
 A 
 
 light cloud. 
 
 A wheat straw. 
 
 A 
 
 king's crown. 
 
 A grand coach. 
 
 LESSON II. 
 
 A duck is a plump fowl. 
 
 Fire will melt all kinds of ores. 
 
 A pin has a sharp point. 
 
 A bull has a stiff neck and short horns. 
 
 A pint cup, or bowl, holds four gills. 
 
24 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 We grind corn and sift out the meal. 
 Fire will burn wood and coals. 
 We burn oil in tin and glass lamps. 
 The lame man limps on his lame leg. 
 Moss grows on trees in the woods. 
 We make ropes of hemp and flax. 
 We think well of just and wise men. 
 
 The deer runs wild in the woods. 
 
 Good girls and boys will act well. 
 
 Bad boys love to rob the nests of birds. 
 
 To filch is to steal ; we must not filch. 
 
 The man cuts down trees with a sharp ax 
 
 The smell of the pink is sweet. 
 
 A. skiff is a small row boat. 
 
 A. cliff is a high and steep rock. 
 
FTRST.j WORDS OF FIVE LETTERS. 25 
 
 A ship has three tall masts. 
 
 Ducks and geese have wide, flat bills, and 
 broad feet 
 
 A small brook will turn a mill. 
 
 When you eat, hold the knife in your right 
 hand. 
 
 LESSON III. 
 
 I have seen the full moon. 
 
 The sun makes the earth warm. 
 
 The world turns round once in a day. 
 
 The sun seems to rise in the east and set 
 in the west each day. 
 
 The moon is not near as large as the sun. 
 
 The earth is not quite round : it is not so 
 long from north to south as it is from east to 
 west. 
 
 God makes the earth to bring forth fruit for 
 man and beast. 
 
 The dark cloud will shed its rain on the 
 earth, and make the grass grow. 
 
 Land that has a rich soil will bear large 
 crops of grass and grain. 
 
 The wind will drive the dust in our eyes, 
 
 Tin and brass will rust when the air is damp. 
 
26 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 We take up a brand of fire witl. die tongs. 
 The skull is the bone on the top of the head. 
 A gull is a large sea fowl that feeds on fish 
 The man put a curb round our deep well 
 Sharp tools are made of steel. 
 The ax has a sharp edge and cuts well. 
 Think twice ere you speak once. 
 
 LESSON IV. 
 
 The Plow. 
 
 With the plow we turn up the earth, and 
 make it fit for the seed which we wish to sow. 
 When the seed is sown, we let it lie in the 
 earth, and in due time it will spring up and 
 grow to a plant of the same kind as the seed 
 that was sown. 
 
 If we plant corn, the green blade will shoot 
 up and grow to a stalk, and that stalk, which 
 came from one corn, will bear four, or five, or 
 six large ears of the same kind of corn. 
 
 If it were not for the plow, how could we 
 make the earth in the field loose and soft, and 
 fit to plant and sow 1 The seed would not 
 shoot up a plant, nor could the plant grow in 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF FIVE LETTERS. 27 
 
 the hard earth. Of how much use, then, is the 
 plow, to those who have land on which they 
 wish to raise corn, cot-ton, or rice. 
 
 LESSON V. 
 
 The New Slate. 
 
 Pray give me my new slate, I wish to draw 
 on it. My slate has a fine red edge. I will 
 draw a boy. What a long nose he has, and 
 but one arm ! 
 
 Now I will draw a cow, and Moll with a pail 
 of milk on her head. Have a care, Moll ! do 
 
28 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 not drop the pail and lose all that nice warm 
 milk. 
 
 Here I will make a pig, and a hen, and a 
 duck. Why, the pig has but two legs, and the 
 duck has four. Well, I can rub out two of the 
 legs that tne duck has got, and give them to 
 the pig. Here I will have a man with a long 
 whip in his hand ; he has come to put the poor 
 pig in the sty. Why, the man is not as tall 
 as the pig, and he has one boot and one shoe 
 on ! I must rub them all out, for they are not 
 well done. 
 
 Now my slate is clean once more, and I will 
 draw a tree; then I will have a man with an 
 ax in his hand, to chop down the tree, for fire 
 wood. Next I will have a wind mill with the 
 sails, and a cart full of sacks of corn. Here is 
 a boy with a bird's nest full of eggs in his hat : 
 he is a bad boy to take the nest of a poor 
 bird. 
 
 Now I have done. Pray put my slate by 
 for me, that I may have it safe when I next 
 wish to draw. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF FIVE LETTERS 29 
 
 LESSON VI. 
 
 The Dead Bird. 
 
 My bird is dead, 
 
 Said poor Ann Ray; 
 My bird is dead, 
 
 T can not play. 
 
 He sang so sweet, 
 At break of day; 
 
 He sings no more, 
 I can not play. 
 
 Go put his cage 
 Far from my way; 
 
 I do not love 
 His cage to day. 
 
 She wipes her eyes, 
 Poor, poor Ann Ray, 
 
 And sits and sighs, 
 But can not play. 
 
30 SOUTHERN READER, TbOOK 
 
 LESSON VII. 
 
 How to Add. 
 
 Reach me that bag; see, it is full of beans, 
 turn some of them out. Now take pains, and 
 mind what I say to you, for I wish to have 
 you learn to add. 
 
 Well, here is one bean, and here are two 
 more ; now, how much do one and two make ? 
 Can you tell? Put them all in your left hand 
 and count them. 
 
 One, two, three ; there are three. 
 
 Yes ; then one and two are three. Now take 
 out three more beans, and pu. them in your left 
 hand ; count them all. 
 
 One, two, three, four, five six. 
 
 That is right: three and three make six. 
 Now take out of the bag four beans, and add 
 two of those you have in your hand to them. 
 
 I have six now. 
 
 Yes ; lour and two are six. Now take one 
 Dean and put five more to it. 
 
 That makes six. 
 
 Yes ; thus you see that three and three are 
 six : four and two are six ; and one and five are 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF FIVE LETTERS. 31 
 
 six. This is the way to add, and when you 
 can write you shall have a slate, and I will show 
 vou how to work out sums; but till then you 
 must keep these beans to count with. Now put 
 them by, in the bag, that they may not be lost, 
 and hang the bag up on that nail ; you will 
 then know where to find the beans when you 
 want them. 
 
 LESSON VIII. 
 
 Wild Goats. 
 
 In some parts of the world, goats live in a 
 wild state. They climb high hills and steep 
 rocks, and leap from cliff to cliff to seek their 
 food. We have but few of them in this part 
 of the world, as they are apt to gnaw the bark 
 of young trees and spoil them. Goats are much 
 like sheep, but they have long hair, while sheep 
 have wool; the male has long horns too, and a 
 beard. 
 
 The young goats we call kids; they are full 
 of life and play, and will jump and skip by the 
 side of their dams in a droll way. 
 
32 .SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 Goats have a strong smell, but their flesh is 
 good to eat, and their rich milk is nice to drink ; 
 it is good for those who are sick and weak. 
 
 Of the skin of the young goat, or kid, nice 
 soft gloves are made, and the horns of the old 
 ones make good knife and fork han-dles. Cloth, 
 too, is some times made from the hair of goats, 
 so that all parts of them seem to be of some 
 use to us. 
 
 LESSON IX. 
 
 The Girl who ate too much. 
 
 Jane was a fine girl, eight years old, and 
 could run, and jump, and hop, for hours, as well 
 as most girls. She was stout and well, and 
 might have been so for a long time, if she had 
 been good and done as she was bid. But she 
 was too fond of pies, and sweet cakes, and would 
 eat all that she could find, and she would eat 
 fruit that was not ripe. How can a child like 
 to eat hard green fruit ! 
 
 Jane's aunt bade her not eat so much, and 
 told her she would some day be made sick by the 
 trash she was so fond of. But Jane would not 
 heed what her good aunt said. So one day 
 
1 JUST.] WORDS OF FIVE LETTERS. 33 
 
 she felt quite sick, and was put to bed, and had 
 to take pills which she did not like. 
 
 Poor Jane was sick eight long days, and had 
 to lie in the bed all that time, in a dark room. 
 She had such a pain in her head, that she 
 could not bear to see the light, nor to hear the 
 birds sing. 
 
 When she got up, at last, she could not stand, 
 she was so weak. She could not run, or jump, 
 or play, for a long time ; nor could she walk in 
 the field and eat ripe fruit with the good boys 
 and girls. 
 
 But while Jane was sick, and could not sleep 
 at night, she had time to think a great deal, and 
 she found that those who told her not to eat too 
 much, knew best what was good for her, and 
 that not to mind them was quite wrong. 
 
 When Jane got well, she took great care 
 
 what she ate, and was quite sure to do all she 
 
 was bid to do ; and she soon grew strong, and 
 
 could walk and run as well as her play mates 
 
 once more. 
 
 4 
 
SOUTHERN READER. 
 LESSON X. 
 
 [book 
 
 Wheat, Rye, and Oats. 
 
 Wheat, Rye, and Oats are the names of the 
 three kinds of grain, which you here see. The 
 flour of which our fine white bread is made, 
 comes from wheat. The small grains which you 
 see on the top of the stalk, are ground in a flour 
 mill ; then they sift out the bran, that is, the skin 
 or shell of the grain, and the rest is flour. 
 
 Rye is a kind of grain which looks much like 
 wheat, and the flour is made in the same way ; 
 but it is not as white as wheat, and the bread 
 made from it is brown. Rye bread is quite 
 sweet and good, and at the North they use a 
 
FIRST.J WORDS OF FIVE LETTERS. 35 
 
 great deal of it. A large part of the folks there 
 make ail their bread of rye flour. On much of 
 their land they can raise a good crop of rye, 
 while wheat would yield but a small crop. At 
 the West, in some of the states, they raise a 
 great deal of wheat ; much more than of rye, or 
 oats, or corn. The land there is just the right 
 kind for the growth of wheat. 
 
 In some of our states, here at the South, we 
 raise good crops of corn and some oats. Oats 
 are the chief food of the horse. Rice grows 
 here too ; but rice does not grow at the North. 
 
 Our land yields us all that we need to eat and 
 to wear. How must we praise that good and 
 great God who makes all these things grow for 
 our use, — who gives us the wheat, the rye, the 
 corn, and the rice, for food, and the cot-ton to 
 wear, and who takes care of us at all times ! 
 
 LESSON XL 
 
 Poor Puss. 
 
 Some boys and girls went out one day to 
 walk in a wood. They had been at play some 
 time, when one said, Hark, hark! what is that? 
 Do you not hear a cat mew ? 
 
36 SOUTHERxN READER. " [BOOK 
 
 They stood quite still, and soon they all heard 
 the same noise ; and they were quite sure it was 
 a cat they heard. 
 
 Where can it be ? said one of the boys : let 
 us look till we find it ; for I can not guess what 
 a cat can be hid in this wood for, so far from a 
 house ; I have heard of wild cats ; but if this 
 were a wild cat, it would run from us, and not 
 mew as this does. I think it mews for help ; 
 that it has got in some hole, or trap, or tree, and 
 can not get out. Let us hunt for it, or else it 
 may stay here and die. 
 
 So they all went to work to hunt in all the 
 holes, and to look up in the trees ; and they 
 went round each bush, till at last, on a sort of 
 bank, or low hill, they saw a cat in the midst of 
 a bush. It was in a sad state, so lean and thin, 
 and with some of the fur torn from its skin. 
 One of the boys got up on the bank, and went 
 near it. He found a piece of cord which had 
 been tied at one end to the thick part of the 
 cat's tail, and the rest of the cord was made 
 fast to the bush, so that the poor cat was held 
 there, and could not get free. The cord had cut 
 the tail, so as to make a large sore place. The 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF FIVE LETTERS. 37 
 
 boy, with his knife, cut the cord that held the 
 cat, and then he put out his hand to take her 
 up in his arms ; but the poor thing had been 
 made half mad with pain and fear, so that she 
 would not let him touch her. 
 
 The girls said, Do not touch her, James ; she 
 will fly at you. Hark, what a noise she makes, as 
 if she were in a great rage ! She must be mad. 
 
 This was true ; for as I have said, she was 
 half wild, and did not know those who would be 
 kind to her, from her foes. 
 
 James left her and came down the bank ; 
 when all at once she ran off, and was soon out 
 of sight. 
 
 Then these boys and girls said, How glad we 
 are that w T e came this way to-day, for it is a lone 
 place, where few folks pass, and she must soon 
 have been quite mad or dead. Who can have 
 done this bad deed 1 Who could tie a poor cat 
 to a bush, and leave her there to die 1 
 
 One of the boys then said, I will tell you how 
 I think it was. I have no doubt this is the cat 
 I saw a few days since run past our house with 
 a tin pot tied to her tail, and a crowd of boys were 
 with her, and, I dare say, drove her from place 
 
 4* 
 
38 SOWTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 to place, till, in her fear, she ran here to hide, 
 and get from them. The tin pot would be torn 
 off by the trees and thick grass, and then the 
 piece of cord that was left on her tail would 
 wind round and round this bush so fast that she 
 could by no means get loose. She looks so thin, 
 that I dare say she has been here some days; and 
 it is three days since I saw the cat run past with 
 the tin pot at her tail 
 
 I once did the same thing ; that is to say, I 
 was with some boys who did an act like this 
 and I was so wrong as to think and call it fun 
 but I am sure it is the last time I shall be so bad 
 for who can see the sad state of this poor cat, 
 and then be so bad as to do the like I 
 
 SIX LETTERS. 
 LESSON I. 
 
 A bright scheme. A choice cheese. 
 
 A strong crutch. A swift stream. 
 
 A shrill sound. A brick church. 
 
 A fierce beast. A gold brooch. 
 
 A large squash. A star shines. 
 
 A good school. A strong string. 
 
FIRST.] 
 
 WORDS OF SIX LETTRS. 
 
 39 
 
 ' LESSON II. 
 
 [A SUNDAY SCHOOL.] 
 
 A- School room full of good Girls and Boys 
 
 He taught the whole school. 
 The clocks both strike twelve. 
 He drinks from the spring. 
 The prince made a speech. 
 She cleans the stone hearth. 
 George has a strong crutch. 
 I choose the large switch. 
 They hear the wretch scream. 
 The saints will praise God. 
 
40 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 He sought for a friend. 
 Do not grease your sleeve. 
 That branch has large leaves. 
 My friend gave me grapes. 
 The barque brings rich fruits. 
 He bought a choice cheese. 
 
 LESSON II. 
 
 The horse drinks at the trough. 
 
 Plants grow in the ground from seeds. 
 
 In the spring the grass looks green and fresh. 
 
 Kings and Queens wear crowns of gold. 
 
 We go to church on the first day of the 
 week. 
 
 The new broom sweeps clean. 
 
 When the cock crows, he makes a shrill and 
 loud noise. 
 
 The troops march to the sound of the drum. 
 
 I should like a bunch of sweet grapes. 
 
 Wolves howl in the woods at night. 
 
 Limes are sour fruit. 
 
 A phrase is a short form of speech. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF SIX LETTERS. 41 
 
 A shrine is a case, or box. 
 Pears are choice fruit. 
 Long rains will make the ground moist 
 We move our limbs at the joints. 
 A gourd grows on a vine like a squash. 
 The birds fly from branch to branch on the 
 trees, and hold fast to the limbs by their claws. 
 
 LESSON IV. 
 
 The Dog barks ; the Hog grunts ; Pigs squeal ; 
 the Horse neighs ; the Ass brays ; the Cock 
 crows; the Cat purrs; the Kit mews; the Cow 
 lows ; Calves bleat ; Wolves howl ; the Fox 
 barks ; Mice squeak ; the Sheep bleats ; Bees 
 hum; Birds chirp and sing; Rooks caw; the 
 Duck quacks ; the Owl hoots ; Boys and Girls 
 talk, and laugh, and cry. 
 
 LESSON V. 
 
 The Great God. 
 
 Come, let us praise God, for He is great ; let 
 us bless God, for He is good. 
 
 He made all things : the round world and all 
 the things that are in it ; the sun to rule the 
 
42 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 day, and the pale moon and the bright stars to 
 rule the night. 
 
 He made the great whale in tne sea, and the 
 small worm that crawls on the ground. 
 
 The birds sing in praise to God ; their notes 
 sound sweet in the green shade. 
 
 The brooks praise God as they run on the 
 smooth stones. 
 
 The wide seas praise God as their huge waves 
 dash on the sands of the shore. 
 
 I will praise God with my voice, for I may 
 praise Him, though I am but a child. 
 
 A few years since and I was but a babe, and 
 my tongue was dumb in my mouth. And I did 
 not know the great name of God, for my mind 
 was weak. 
 
 But now I can speak, and my tongue shall 
 praise Him; I can think how good he is, and 
 my heart shall love Him. 
 
 Let Him call me and I will come to Him; 
 as I grow in years I will praise him more. I 
 will think of the great and good God, as long 
 as my life shall last. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF SIX LETTERS. 43 
 
 LESSON VI. 
 
 The Old Sheep and her Lamh. 
 
 One day an old sheep, with her young lamb 
 was in a large field with the rest of the flock. 
 The sun was warm, and the lamb was quite gay 
 and full of life and play. It ran here and there, 
 up and down, and round and round ; but it ran 
 most by the hedge, as it was a warm spot, and 
 the high hedge kept off the wind. 
 
 At last, in its glee, the poor lamb ran in the 
 midst of a bush which was quite full of thorns, 
 and the thorns took hold of its wool and held it 
 fast, so that it could not get free. 
 
 The old sheep, w r ho was not far off, heard it 
 bleat, and she ran to it to help it ; but in vain did 
 the old sheep pull the bush: she could not set her 
 lamb free. At last the sheep left the bush, and ran 
 as fast as she could to the next field, where there 
 was an old ram. The ram had a pair of large 
 horns. The sheep told the ram, (that is, she told 
 him tn her way,) the sad case of her lamb. The 
 ram ran with her to the bush, and, with the help 
 of his horns, he and the old sheep set the poor 
 lamb free, with the loss of some of its wool. I 
 
44 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 dare say the poor lamb did not go near that bush 
 for a long time. 
 
 LESSON VII. 
 
 Make a Good Use of Time. 
 
 Strive, my dear young friend, to make the best 
 use of your time, and in the days of your youth 
 learn those things which will do you good, and be 
 of use to you when you are grown up. Now is 
 the time for you to fit your self for a man, and so 
 you must take pains to learn, for that will be for 
 your good all the days of your life. 
 
 If you let these days of youth and bloom slip 
 from you, you will see them no more ; they will 
 be past and gone, and lost to you. 
 
 It is wrong for you to waste too much of your 
 time in vain things, and I hope you will strive to 
 make the most of it, while youth lasts, so that you 
 may gain that which no one can take from you. 
 
 If you go to school, learn your tasks well, and 
 do not waste an hour in play, till you are quite 
 sure you shall not miss a word. Strive at all times 
 to be at the head of your class, and to learn as fasi 
 as the best boy in the school. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF SIX LETTERS 45 
 
 When you are grown up, you will find that 
 all you now learn will be of great use to you, 
 and you will feel that he was a true friend to 
 you who strove to teach you, in the days of 
 your youth, those things which would be of use 
 to you when you are a man. 
 
 LESSON VIII. 
 
 The Walk 
 
 What a fine rain we have had to-day. It 
 is gone now ; the sky is blue ; there is not a 
 cloud to be seen. How clear and bright the 
 sun shines. 
 
 Let us take a walk in the fields, to see the 
 lambs play on the hills ; to see the cows and 
 sheep eat grass; and to hear the birds sing 
 their sweet songs. 
 
 Look, how the lambs skip and play. Hark, 
 how the birds sing. Sweet birds ; if you would 
 all come to me, I would feed you. 
 
 I wish Jane had come with us. She likes 
 to take a walk on a fine day, like this, and 
 to see the lambs skip from hill to hill, and 
 
 5 
 
46 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 hear the birds sing in the green groves. Shall 
 I go for her now 1 
 
 No ; it is too late. It will soon be time for 
 us to go home. She shall walk with us the 
 next time we come this way. 
 
 I think our dogs, Pinch and Tray, should 
 have come with us, as they like so well to run 
 in the fields. If they were here, how they 
 would set up their tails, and run from field to 
 field. 
 
 If they were here, they might scare the sheep 
 and young lambs, and then we should wish 
 them at home. Dogs some times kill sheep 
 and lambs, and that makes them fear the dogs. 
 
 The sun is so hot, I wish to go home. Shall 
 we go the same way that we came? 
 
 No ; we will go by the side of the wood. 
 Then the trees will make us a good shade. 
 
 The sun is so hot, that I feel quite weak 
 and faint. 
 
 When we get to the spring by the wall, 
 we will stop and take a drink. That spring 
 is quite cold; and we must not drink much 
 of it when we are so warm. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF SIX LETTERS. 47 
 
 LESSON IX. 
 
 The Cow. 
 
 Do you know who makes it rain ? I will 
 ell you. God makes it rain. Do you see that 
 dark cloud 1 That cloud will bring rain. Rain 
 comes from the clouds. If it did not rain, grass 
 would not grow, and then the cow would give 
 us no milk. Cows eat grass, and that makes 
 them give milk. Nice, rich, sweet milk. Are 
 you fond of milk I Bread and milk is good food 
 for girls and boys. 
 
 The cow is kind to yield us her sweet milk. 
 She is a good friend to us and we should treat 
 her well. We should be kind to all dumb beasts. 
 
 The flesh of the cow is good food ; it is what 
 we call beef. Their young are calves ; and the 
 flesh of the calf is veal. The cow is found in 
 most parts of the world ; but she is wild and 
 fierce in some parts, though ours are quite tame. 
 
 Cups to drink out of, are some times made 
 from the horns of the cow, and so are combs 
 and horn spoons. Of the skins, or hides, of 
 both cows and calves, boots and shoes are made, 
 and the bones and hair are of much use too 
 
48 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 And now how should we love that great and 
 wise God who gave us the cow, and who taught 
 us what use to make of each part of her ! who 
 made all things for the use of man, and who 
 gives us all that we need, and all that is for 
 our good ! 
 
 LESSON X. 
 
 [WASHINGTON.] 
 
 A great, and good, and wise man. From his 
 youth the law of truth was in his mouth 
 
 Keep Your Word. 
 
 John went out to walk one day, with his 
 fath-er: the wind was high, and they had not 
 gone far when John's cap blew off. 
 
 John, why can not you keep your cap on 
 your head, and why do you hold it on thus? 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF SIX LETTERS. 49 
 
 Why, pa, said John, I have no strap to m) 
 cap. 
 
 But where is the strap 1 You nad one once 
 have you lost it since you came out ? 
 
 No, pa, I have not lost it ; I have left it at 
 home. It came off the last time I wore my 
 cap. I could not think to put it on, and I did 
 not bring it with me. 
 
 This is wrong, John, and shews great want 
 of care ; hut as it is the first time you have 
 done so, I will go in the next house we pass, 
 and ask for a piece of cord to tie your cap on 
 with : but the next time you come out with no 
 strap, I shall send you back. 
 
 John said, I will be sure to mind what you 
 say, pa, and you shall find that I will keep 
 my word. 
 
 His fath-er then went to a house they saw 
 next the road side, where a man was so kind 
 as to give him a piece of cord, with which he 
 made John's cap fast on his head, so that it 
 kept on firm all the time they were out, in spite 
 of the high wind. 
 
 The next few days were wet, so that John 
 could not go out ; but the first fine day, his farh- 
 
50 SOUTHERN READER. [iiOOK 
 
 er said to him, Come, John, you may now take 
 a short walk with me ; but be quick, as I am 
 in haste. 
 
 John ran up stairs to dress, in great haste, 
 and out they went. The wind was high on 
 this day too. He soon felt he could not long 
 keep his cap on his head, for he had come 
 out and left his strap at home : so he held it 
 on with his hand. 
 
 But he soon found his hand get cold ; so cold 
 that he could scarce feel the cap ; for in his haste 
 he had not had time to put on his gloves; so 
 he took his hand from his cap to put them on. 
 Just then came a great gust of wind ; off blew 
 the cap. He ran to pick it up, but still it blew 
 on, on, on; John ran on, on, too, to catch it; 
 but just as he got near it he made a trip, and 
 down he fell in the mud. 
 
 A good boy ran to stop the cap, which the 
 wind still blew on at a great rate ; and he soon 
 got it and came back with it to John, who was 
 all mud from head to foot. 
 
 His pa now said, John, go back; I told you 
 the next time you came out with no strap on 
 your cap, I should send you back ; and if I had 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF SIX LETTERS. 51 
 
 not said so, I could not take yon with me, for 
 you are all mud, and not fit to be seen. You 
 have lost a nice walk, and what is worse than 
 that, you have not kept your word. 
 
 LESSON XI. 
 
 The Boy with one great Fault. 
 
 I wish all my tales were of good girls and 
 boys ; but I fear there are but few girls and boys 
 who have not at least one bad fault, or trick. 
 
 I hope all who read these tales will try to 
 act like those who are good ; and if they too 
 have a bad fault or trick, I hope they will try 
 to get rid of it, that they may be good in all 
 things. 
 
 A boy whose name was George Hones, and 
 who was six years old, could read well, spell 
 well, and add up sums well on his slate. He 
 was good at his tasks and at his meals, and he 
 would give and lend his toys to those with 
 whom he was at play, and he did as his fath-er 
 and moth-er bade him. Now you will say, This 
 must have been quite a good boy, then. No, 
 
52 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 he was not quite a good boy, for he had one 
 great fault, and it was this : he would call his 
 nurse bad navies, and this, too, when he was not 
 seen or heard by his pa-pa and mam-ma. 
 
 This nurse had the care of him from the time 
 he was but a babe; and once, when he was quite 
 sick, and in a great pain, she had been so kind as 
 to sit up all night by his bed side, to watch and 
 nurse him ; and yet. he did not think of all this 
 kind care, as he should have done ; but if she 
 told him of a fault, or if she bid him do what 
 he did not wish to do, when, too, it was for his 
 own good, he would use bad words to her, and 
 call her names. 
 
 This made his poor nurse sad; and sb/. said 
 to him, George, I must tell your pa how rude 
 you are : for 1 fear you will grow T up to be a 
 bad man, if you go on in this way. 
 
 Then he said to her, Pray do not tell of me 
 this time ; I will be a good boy. But he did not 
 keep his word ; and he grew worse and worse, 
 so that at last Jane told his pa-pa and mam-ma 
 of his bad tricks. 
 
 They were both quite sad to think that George 
 should be such a rude boy, and this, too, when 
 
FIRST. J WORDS OF SIX LETTERS. 53 
 
 they did not know but tnat he was quite good. 
 And they said, We must cure him of his bad 
 ways. 
 
 So they shut him up in a room where he 
 could see no one, and kept him there for a 
 whole week, and did not let Jane go near him, 
 to wait on him, or dress him, or put him to 
 bed. 
 
 Oh ! then how he did wish for his kind 
 Jane ; and he felt what it was to lose a good 
 friend. He had no toys to play with, no books 
 to read, no slate, no one to talk with, and he 
 was so sad and dull, he could not but think the 
 day so long, and that there would be no end 
 to this sad, long dull week. 
 
 But he had time to think of what had made 
 him so sad; it did him good; he knew it wat 
 his own acts that had made him feel thus. And 
 at last he said, It is but right that I should be 
 sad and dull, and that I should not see Jane ; 
 for I did not treat her well when I was with 
 her. 
 
 At the end of the week George was let out, 
 and he was not heard to use bad words from 
 that time. 
 
54 
 
 SOUTHERN READER. 
 
 ONE SYLLABLE. 
 
 LESSON I. 
 
 [a wagon load op cotton.] 
 
 [book 
 
 A six horse team with a large load ; and a 
 man with his dog and gun. 
 
 Large bales. 
 Strong wheels. 
 Great strength. 
 Straight course. 
 Bright thought. 
 Stout teams. 
 Wide grooves. 
 Broad leaves. 
 
 White clouds. 
 Six horse team. 
 Rich freights. 
 Huge breadth. 
 Loud screams. 
 Great weight. 
 Strange speech. 
 Green fields. 
 
F/UST.j WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 0f> 
 
 LESSON II. 
 
 Out of School. 
 
 School is out, 
 But do not shout; 
 School is done, 
 But do not run. 
 Put up your slate, 
 Neat and straight- 
 Make your bow, 
 If you know how. 
 Take your " spell-nig" 
 To your dwell-ing ; 
 Your " read-ing" too 
 Keep clean and new ; 
 Now go home, 
 But do not r^am ; 
 From the way 
 You must not stray. 
 Learn your task, 
 Then mam-ma ask 
 For leave to play, 
 And so, " good day." 
 
flfj SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 LESSON III. 
 
 North, East, South, West. 
 
 What o'clock is it ? It is twelve o'clock 
 It is noon. Now where is the sun? Turn 
 your face to him. Look at the sun. The 
 sun shines bright. It blinds your eyes. If 
 you smoke a piece of glass, and look at the 
 sun through that, you can see it quite plain. 
 
 The sun is in the south. When it is twelve 
 o'clock, if you look at the sun your face is 
 to the south, your back is to the north, your 
 left hand is to the east, where the sun ri-ses, 
 and your right hand to the west, where the 
 sun sets. 
 
 Far in the north it is cold, quite cold ; 
 there they have a great deal of snow, and 
 hail, and ice, all the year. At the south it is 
 warm. East, west, north, and south. 
 
 The wind blows. Which way does the 
 wind blow 1 Throw up some grass, and that 
 will tell you. The wind blows from the north. 
 The north wind is cold ; the south wind is 
 warm ; the east wind brings a storm of rain ; 
 the west wind brings a storm of thun-der. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 57 
 
 LESSON IV. 
 
 Charles 
 
 Charles, what a fine thing it is that you can 
 read. A short time since, you know, you could 
 not read at all. You had to spell each word, — 
 c-a-t — cat ; d-o-g — dog. Now you can read quite 
 well, and you like fine tales in short words. 
 
 Do you know why puss is not as good as 
 Charles l Puss can play as well, and she can 
 eat, and drink, and sleep, and mew ; she can 
 hear, and see, and smell, and walk ; and she 
 has jour legs, while Charles has but two. 
 Puss can run as well as you ; she can beat 
 you in a race, for she runs quite fast ; and 
 she can climb trees, too, and catch rats and 
 mice, which you can not do. 
 
 But Puss can not talk, nor can she learn to 
 spell, or read, or write ; this is why she is not 
 as good as Charles. 
 
 Can your dog, Watch, read 1 No. Will you 
 teach him 1 Take a pin and point to the words. 
 No ; he can not learn ; but boys and girls can 
 learn. They must be taught to spell, and read, 
 and write. If they do not learn, they, will not 
 be good for half as much as the cat or dog. 
 
 6 
 
68 
 
 SOUTHERN READER. 
 
 [book 
 
 A good boy will do as he is bid ; he will 
 mind' what is said to him, and take much 
 pains to learn, when he knows that he will in 
 this way please those who have the care of him. 
 He will thank those who are so kind as to 
 teach him, and will think of all they say to him. 
 
 lesson v. 
 
 Leave to Play. 
 
 Now, boys, you may go and play. You 
 must not play with bad boys, for they will 
 cheat and be rude, and speak bad words. It 
 you do these things, good boys will not play 
 with you. 
 
FIRST. J WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 59 
 
 Do uot play too hard, else you will hurt 
 the sui ill boys. You should be brisk at play, 
 but nor rude. What will you play? Will 
 you pJay hide and seek, or blind hob, or ball? 
 Or will you jump the rope, or whip the top, 
 or fly your kites 1 
 
 Here is a top. Can you spin the top 1 
 You should not spin it on the side walk, for 
 you will be in the way of those who wish to 
 pass. Go in the yard and spin your top there. 
 
 Can you play ball! Here is one for you; 
 toss it up. This is a good ball; I bought it 
 for a good boy ; throw it on the ground ; how 
 well it bounds ! Can you catch the ball 1 
 
 Can you jump the rope \ Girls must play 
 some times as well as boys, so they must jump 
 the rope. It is good for their health, and will 
 make them strong. 
 
 LESSON VI. 
 
 The Sun and the Moon. 
 
 Come here, my young friends, and look at 
 the sun. The sun is in the west ; in a short 
 time it will set. When the sun is down, the 
 
60 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 birds will fly to their nests, the fowls will go 
 to their roosts, and boys and girls should go 
 to their beds. 
 
 We can look at the sun now ; he does not 
 shine so bright as he did at noon, when he 
 was high in the sky. See how fine those 
 clouds are ! Now the sun goes down quite 
 fast. We can see but half of him. Now he 
 is all gone. Good night sun. 
 
 Now turn your face to the east. What is 
 that which shines so bright there ? Is it fire ? 
 No ; it is the moon. How large and red it 
 is ! The moon is round now, for it is a full 
 moon ; but it will not be quite so round the 
 next time we see it ; this night it will lose a 
 small piece from one side ; and the next night 
 a piece more ; and the next night a piece 
 more, and so on, each night, till it is in 
 shape like a bow when it is bent. 
 
 It will not rise till late at night, when you 
 are all gone to bed ; and will grow less and 
 less till, in two weeks, there will be no moon 
 to be seen. 
 
 Then there will be a new moon, and you 
 will see it when it is near night ; it will be 
 
FIRST.] WORtm OF ONE SYLLABLE. 61 
 
 some what in the shape of half a hoop, and 
 
 sharp at hoth ends ; but it will grow more and 
 
 more, till at last, in two weeks time, it will 
 
 be a round, full moon, like this, and you will 
 
 then see it rise in the east once more, as this 
 does now. 
 
 LESSON VII. 
 
 The Wolf and the Lamb. — A Fable. 
 
 [A Fable is a tale which is told to instruct and please, 
 though it is often about things which never did and 
 never can happen.] 
 
 One hot day, a Wolf and a Lamb came 
 just at the same time to drink in the stream 
 of a clear brook ; the Wolf stood where the 
 ground was high, and the Lamb stood down 
 the stream not far from him. 
 
 But as the Wolf had a great mind to taste 
 his flesh, he would fain fall out with the Lamb. 
 
 Fool, says he, what is it you mean, that you 
 stir up the mud so, and spoil the stream where 
 I drink? 
 
 You must be quite wrong, to be sure, Sir, 
 said the poor Lamb; for the stream runs down 
 from you to me, and not up from me to you. 
 
 6* 
 
62 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 Be that as it may, said the Wolf, you are a 
 pert young rogue, and spoke a great deal of 
 ill of me, more than half a year since. 
 
 Sir, says the Lamb, that could not be, for I 
 was not born at the time you speak of. 
 
 No! said the Wolf; then I am sure it was 
 that vile old knave, your pa ; and it is no 
 more than just that his son should pay for it. 
 With that he flew on the poor Lamb, and 
 tore him limb from limb in a trice. 
 
 Moral. — The worst of men know so well 
 that they ought to be good, that when they 
 do wrong, they try, by some art, to make it 
 seem right. 
 
 LESSON VIII. 
 
 The Wolf and the Kid. — A Fable. 
 
 Once on a time, when an old Goat went 
 out to seek for some food, she shut up her 
 young Kid at home, bade him be sure to keep 
 the door fast, and not let any one in till she 
 came back, and then to look out and see who 
 was there ; For, Bill, said she, if you do not 
 mind what I say, there are some fierce rogues 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 63 
 
 in the fields, who will rush in and eat you up 
 at once. 
 
 Well, well, said Bill, and if you had not 
 told me, I think I should have had the sense 
 to take care what I did. 
 
 The good old Goat set out ; bat she had 
 not been gone a great while, when the same 
 rogue of a Wolf who eat up the poor Lamb 
 and had heard all that had been said, came 
 and gave a knock at the door. 
 
 Who is there ? cries Bill. My dear, says 
 the Wolf, who strove to talk like the old 
 Goat, it is I, your poor old ma. 
 
 On this the young Kid did not look out, as 
 he had been told to do, but drew up the latch, 
 and so in flew the Wolf, and made an end of 
 him in a short time. 
 
 Moral. — We should not fail to pay as much 
 heed as we can to what is said to us by 
 those who know more than we do what is 
 for our good ; for if we do not mind them, 
 but make light of what they say, we shall 
 be sure to smart for it. 
 
64 
 
 SOUTHERN READER. 
 LESSON IX. 
 
 [book 
 
 The Wild and the Tame Horse. 
 
 The horse is a fine beast, and of great use 
 to man. With us they are seen in a tame 
 state ; but in some parts of the world they 
 are wild, and live in large droves. When 
 they feed, there is one of them who keeps 
 watch, as a sort of guard. If a man comes 
 near them, the one who keeps watch walks 
 up to him, as bold as if he knew no fear, 
 and takes a good look at him ; but if the 
 man does not stop, nor turn back, then this 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 65 
 
 horse gives a loud snort, and the rest of the 
 drove then set off on a full run, as fast as 
 they can go, while the one that kept watch 
 brings up the rear. 
 
 They are some times caught by a kind ol 
 noose, which the men in those parts learn to 
 throw over them with great skill. They are 
 then held fast by the legs, and tied to a tree, 
 where they are left for two days. For these 
 two days, the men give them no food or 
 drink. By that time they are more mild, and 
 in a few weeks, with good care, they get to 
 be quite tame. 
 
 When the horse is dead, his skin is made 
 use of for trunks and har-ness; and seats for 
 chairs and stools are made from the hair of 
 his tail and mane. His flesh is cut up and 
 fed to dogs. 
 
 It is a sad thing to think how ill some bad 
 men treat a poor horse. The horse is a good 
 friend to us, and a good man will be kind 
 to the poor dumb beast, and use bin \\~c}\. 
 
66 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 LESSON X. 
 
 Poor Old Ruth. 
 
 Poor old Rath comes down the steep hill 
 with slow steps. She is weak with age, her 
 face is thin, and her hair is grown quite grey. 
 How cold she looks ! Her gown is thin and 
 old ; she has worn it a long time, and she has 
 not got a cloak to keep her warm. 
 
 Why does she shake so 1 She shakes with 
 cold ; for there was a frost last night ; and 
 with old age, for poor Ruth is quite old. Now 
 she stands still and holds by the rails, for she 
 feels w r eak, and she dare not go on. If she 
 falls down, she may break her leg or her arm. 
 
 But see, there is Miss Cross come from 
 her own house. She has got a warm cloak 
 on, her shoes have thick soles to keep her feet 
 from the damp ground, and she has a pair of 
 gloves to keep her hands from the cold air. 
 She is young and strong, and I hope she will 
 help poor Ruth down the hill. 
 
 No, she will not. She is a proud girl. She 
 has a hard heart, and does not feel for the 
 wants of the poor. See, she tries not to look 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 67 
 
 that way, and walks close to the fence. What 
 pains she takes to shun the spot where old 
 Ruth stands, and yet one may see by her 
 ace that she knows she does not do right ; 
 for she frowns, bites her lips, and looks cross. 
 *But who is it that jumps out of that neat 
 small white house, on the road side, and runs 
 up to Ruth to lead her down the hill? Ah! 
 it is Ann Love, that dear good child, who 
 helps all who want help. 
 
 What a sweet face she has ! it is bright with 
 smiles. Her short stuff gown, and worn out 
 shoes, will not screen her from the cold ; but her 
 heart is warm and kind ; and when the north 
 wind blows, and the air is cold, she does not 
 mind it, but smiles as if it was the clear sun 
 shine of a May day. 
 
 She leads Ruth safe to the foot of the hill, 
 and picks up all the sticks that lie in her way, 
 and puts them in Ruth's lap, to help her make 
 a fire. When she leaves her, Ruth says, 
 Thank you, dear Ann Love, I will pray to 
 God to bless you, and He will bless you my 
 dear child ; I know He will ; He loves all 
 those who are good to the poor. 
 
gs 
 
 SOUTHERN READER. 
 
 LESSON XI. 
 
 [book 
 
 The Black Bear. 
 
 There are three kinds of bears ; the black, 
 the white, and the brown bear. 
 
 The white bear lives far to the north, 
 where it is quite cold. He is strong and 
 fierce ; much more so than the brown or black 
 bear, and so large that they are some times 
 twelve feet in length. 
 
 The brown bear is quite fierce, too, and 
 eats flesh. He grows to near the size of a 
 large hog. 
 
 The black bear does not live on flesh; he 
 can not be brought to taste it ; his chief food 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 69 
 
 is roots, herbs, and fruits ; but he likes sweet 
 things, and is as fond of milk and hon-ey as 
 boys and girls are. The bear is a dull beast; he 
 eats as much as he can, and then goes to his den 
 in some rock, or thick wood, or trunk of an old 
 ttee, where he sleeps for two or three days. 
 
 His head is in shape some what like thai 
 of the fox dog. His nose is long, his eyes are 
 small, and his ears and tail short. His legs 
 are thick and strong, and the long and flat soles 
 of his paws help him to tread firm and sure. 
 His feet have long and sharp claws, with which 
 he can climb high trees with great ease. 
 
 With his fore paws he can strike a hard blow, 
 and such is their strength, that with them he 
 can squeeze a strong man to death. 
 
 The cub, or young bear, is slow in its 
 growth, and stays with the dam till it is at 
 least a year old, in all which time the dam takes 
 great care of it, and will go all lengths to 
 save her young from harm. 
 
 Men some times tame bears and teach them 
 to dance. They lead them through the streets 
 with their mouths tied, and held by cords, or 
 chains ; but they have clubs in their hands, 
 
 7 
 
70 
 
 SOUTHERN READER. 
 
 [book 
 
 with which they beat them and make them do 
 as they please ; for the bear does not like work, 
 and will growl at the stick or staff. 
 
 Of the skin of the bear, with the hair on 
 muffs and caps are made, which are worn at 
 the North, in those parts where they have quita 
 cold weath-er. The flesh of the bear is sweet 
 and good to eat, and the fat is of great use. 
 
 LESSON XII. 
 
 Plain Things. 
 
 * 
 
 A babe is a young child. When first born 
 a babe has no teeth to chew food, and must be 
 fed with milk. 
 
FIRST.] \\ OKDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 71 
 
 A babe sleeps most of the time. He can not 
 walk, nor speak ; but he can cry, and thus 
 make known his wants and his pains. 
 
 When a babe is a year or two old, we cease 
 to call it a babe ; we then call it a child ; it may 
 be a boy or girl. A child can walk, and run 
 and speak, and play. 
 
 A boy plays with a top, or hoop, or kite, or 
 jail. A girl plays with a doll. Both boys and 
 girls love to hop and jump and run and romp, 
 and in their sports they soil and tear their 
 clothes, and make a great deal of work for those 
 who are so kind as to take care of them, and 
 who strive to keep them neat and clean at all 
 times. 
 
 Girls and boys go to school and learn to spell 
 and read, and write. Some learn fast, and some 
 do not ; some are good, and some are not. We 
 all love those who are good. 
 
 lesson xm. 
 The Works of God. 
 
 You have told me that there is a God who 
 made all things, and who takes care of us by 
 night, when we sleep, and by day ; that He is 
 
72 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 a good God, and that I must love and fear Him 
 But T do not see God. I see you, and you are 
 good and take care of me ; but I do not see 
 God. Have you seen God? 
 
 No, my dear, I have not seen God, nor can 
 we see Him, as we see men ; but I will tell you 
 how we see Him. We see all that God has 
 made — the earth, the sea, the sky, the sun, the 
 moon, the stars, with all that lives, and moves, 
 and grows. All these things seem to be made 
 for us ; for all are of use to us, or serve to 
 make us glad. 
 
 In these things, then, we see how great, how 
 wise, how good God is. We do not need to 
 see His form, since we see God in His works. 
 If we are sad, it is that we are bad, and make 
 a bad use of the things God has made, and 
 which he made to bless us. If we do wrong, 
 we can not have a glad heart. Then it seems 
 to us, that God looks at us, through these, His 
 works, with a frown ; and then it is we dread 
 the wrath of God. We fear He will not love 
 us, and take care of us, and bless us. 
 
 But when we have done no wrong ; when 
 we have been good and kind to all, at all times, 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 73 
 
 how gay we feel as we look at the earth, the 
 sea, and the sky ; and the sight of them seems 
 to make us more glad; for we feel that we 
 have done no ill. 
 
 Then it seems to us that God looks at us 
 through these, His works, with a smile ; and 
 then it is we love God, and are sure that He 
 loves us; for we feel we are good, and may 
 hope for His love. It is true that we still fear 
 Him ; for we must think on His great name, 
 and view His great works with awe. But the 
 fear I now speak of is not like the dread we 
 feel of His wrath for our ill deeds ; it is a fear 
 which makes us shun what is wrong, and look 
 up to Him to shield us, and keep us in the 
 right way. Thus, then, though you do not see 
 the form of God, as you see me, you see as 
 much as is good for you to know ; and if you 
 think of this as you ought to think, and do 
 to all men as you would have all men do to 
 you, you need not fear but that God will love 
 and bless you, both in your youth and in your 
 old age. 
 
 7* 
 
74 
 
 SOUTHERN READER. 
 
 LESSON XIV. 
 
 [book 
 
 A Walk on the Beach. 
 
 May I go and walk by the sea side to day I 
 Yes, we will all go now, for I fear it will soon 
 rain. Call Jane, and tell her to put on her hat 
 and come with us. I hope it will not rain, 
 for I wish so much to walk on the sea shore. 
 
 There is a sail a great way off. We can 
 but just see it. Look at it through the spy- 
 glass. Ah, now I can see it quite plain. It 
 is a ship ; I can see the three masts. What 
 a hne thing a spy-glass is ! I am glad we 
 thought to bring ours with us. 
 
 Look at that fine wave ; I will run close to it. 
 O, dear, how wet it has made me ; I will not go 
 so near the next time, for I do not like to be wet. 
 
FIRST.J WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 75 
 
 Look, here is a boat. That man has been 
 out in his boat to catch fish. Look at his net. 
 What is that odd fish 1 Can that be a fish ? 
 Yes, it is a crab. See its claws. Take care 
 that it does not take hold of you with them 
 and nip you. 
 
 See, it makes a hole, and gets quite down 
 into the sand. It will soon be gone if the man 
 does not stop it. Now it runs. See ! it goes 
 side ways. Yes, that is the way all crabs walk. 
 
 And what is that fiat fish with five points 
 for legs ? That is a star fish. May I have 
 the crab l Yes, I will buy it of the man for 
 you. We will take it home and boil it, for it 
 is good to eat. And may I boil the star fish 
 too 1 No, you must not boil the star fish ; it 
 is not good to eat. 
 
 LESSON XV. 
 
 The Mean Boy. 
 
 John and Sam Brown went to stay w r ith 
 their aunt Jones for a month ; and one day a 
 friend gave them some cakes. John ate his 
 up, not as soon as he got them, but in a day 
 
76 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 or two, and he gave some of them to his friends. 
 Sam was seen to eat one or two when he first 
 had them, but no one saw them from that time ; 
 but five or six times in the day Sam was seen 
 to steal out of the room. His aunt could no 
 guess why he went out of the room in so sly 
 a way, and she told the maid to watch him ; 
 for, said she, I am sure he does not go out in 
 this sly way to do what is right. 
 
 The maid kept watch, and when he left the 
 room she saw him creep with slow and soft 
 steps up stairs to his bed room, and then, in a 
 short time, come out and creep down stairs. 
 She went to his room to try if she could find 
 out what he had been there for; and she saw 
 a box in which were some of his cakes. She 
 told his aunt what she had found, who said, 
 Well, this is a sad, mean trick, and I must try 
 to cure him of it, or he will grow up to be a 
 mean and sly man. So she told the maid to 
 take the cakes out of the box and bring them 
 to her, but to tell no one she had done so. 
 
 The maid did as she was bid, and took the 
 cakes when Sam was gone out for a walk. 
 As soon as he came back, he crept up stairs 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 77 
 
 to his box, but his cakes were gone. What 
 was he to do 1 He did not dare tell his aunt, 
 or John, or the maid ; for he knew it was a 
 mean trick to hide them, and he felt shame to 
 tell he had done a mean act ; but he said to 
 himself, I wish I had not hid my cakes — who 
 can have got them I Not John, I am sure, 
 for he would not take what was not his own. 
 The next time I get some, I will eat part 01 
 them at once, and share the rest with my friends, 
 and not hide them. But Sam had yet to feel 
 more grief than the first loss of his cakes gave 
 him. His aunt, the next day, gave John some 
 more cakes and plums ; but she said to Sam, 
 I do not give you a share of these nice things, 
 Sam, for there are still some left of those you 
 had last week. 
 
 Yes, aunt, 1 had some in a box ; but they are 
 gone ; I have none now. 
 
 Why, what have you done with them 1 I 
 have seen you steal out of the room, and I know 
 it was to go up stairs and eat them by your 
 self. 
 
 They are not there now, said Sam ; they are 
 gone ; I have lost them. I feel great shame 
 
78 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 to have been so mean as to hide them ; and 
 if you will give me some of these, you shall 
 see that I will do so no more. 
 
 No, Sam, I can not do this ; but there are 
 the cakes you have lost. I told the maid to 
 take them out of your box, that you might 
 learn not to be mean and sly ; they are your 
 own, and I give them back to you ; for I did 
 not mean to keep them ; I have no right to do 
 so, as they are yours, not mine. Had you not 
 been mean, you would have had your share oi 
 these. 
 
 Sam said he would do so no more; and he 
 has quite left off such sly, mean ways. 
 
 LESSON XVI. 
 
 God Knows all Things. 
 
 There is one God and there is no God but 
 Him : He is great, and wise, and good. He 
 made us, and all things which we see ; He 
 made the sun to give us light in the day time, 
 and the moon and stars to shine in the night. 
 He made this world in which we live; the land, 
 he sea, and the sky, and all the things which 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 79 
 
 are in them ; trees and plants to grow out of 
 the earth, men and beasts to live on the land, 
 birds to fly through the air, worms to crawl on 
 the ground, and fish to swim in the sea. 
 
 God is good and does good at all times ; He 
 takes care of all things which He has made 
 When men do what is" right, He gives them all 
 things, and makes them feel glad that they have 
 done right. 
 
 O then let me love God ; for He has made 
 me, and He is good to me at all times : He gives 
 me bread to eat, and clothes to keep me from 
 the cold ; He guards me from harm all the day 
 long, and keeps me safe while I sleep in the 
 night. God makes me glad, for He is good to 
 all ; I will then do good to all, for that will 
 please God. 
 
 God sees and knows all things which He has 
 made. He sees me when I rise from my bed ; 
 when I go out to work or play, He is with me 
 at the same time ; and when I lie down to sleep 
 at night, He is still with me. Though I see 
 not the wind, yet it blows round me on all sides : 
 so God is with me at all times, and yet I see 
 Him not 
 
80 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 If God is with me, and knows all that I do 
 He must hear, too, what I say. O let me not 
 then speak bad words, for if I do, God will not 
 love me ; but let me be just, and kind, and pure 
 and then God will be kind to me and will do 
 me good. 
 
 LESSON XVII. 
 
 Bad Tricks. 
 
 When Charles Bruce was at home from school 
 for a short time, he went to see his aunt. This 
 aunt had no boys or girls of her own to play 
 with him, so she told him she would take him 
 to play with the son of one of her friends. 
 
 Charles Bruce was a good boy, and his aunt 
 thought that George Smith, the boy to whose 
 house she took him, was the same ; she had not 
 yet heard of his bad tricks. 
 
 George Smith had carts, and whips, and bats, 
 and balls, and kites, and tops. He had more 
 toys and play things than he could use, and so 
 he did not care for them at all. 
 
 He took Charles out to see a nice swing he 
 had. George was but a rude boy ; he did not 
 love to go to school, nor to read his books 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 81 
 
 Charles Brnce knew much more than he did, 
 though he was not so old by two years. George 
 would throw stones at the dogs and pigs, and 
 call it good fun when he made them howl and 
 cry. If he was at play at trap ball, he would, 
 if he lost the game, say bad words, so that few 
 boys would play with him. 
 
 Charles did not know all this, but he soon 
 found some of it out ; for the cat was laid on the 
 mat by the door, and George gave her a kick 
 as he went by ; he next met the dog, and cut 
 him with a whip he had in his hand ; then he 
 threw stones at a poor ass, and hit it so hard 
 on the leg that it was lame. 
 
 Oh fie, fie ! said Charles to him, how can 
 you do such things as these 1 
 
 Why, do you not like to throw stones 1 said 
 George. 
 
 No, said Charles, I do not ; and pray what 
 harm had that poor ass done, that you should 
 choose to make him lame i -when did your dog 
 try to hurt you 1 and what good could it do you 
 to make his back smart with the lash of your 
 
 lip, or to give puss such a great bruise on the 
 
 w 
 
 %rVt\ 
 
 side with the toe of your shoe ? 
 
 8 
 
82 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 Why, it does me no good that I know of, 
 said George Smith ; but I like to do it. It 
 makes them run as if they would break their 
 necks with haste, when they see me, and that 
 makes me laugh. I love to laugh, and your 
 dogs, and cats, and such things, do not feel 
 much, and they are of no use but to make fun 
 with. 
 
 Well ! said Charles, you may do as you 
 please, but I can not laugh ; but at the pain of 
 such things as dogs and cats, I would choose 
 to cry all the days of my life ; and give me 
 leave to tell you, that you are quite in the wrong, 
 both when you say they do not feel, and that 
 they are of no use but to make fun with. Dogs 
 guard the house at night from thieves, while 
 you sleep safe in your warm bed. 
 
 Dogs can save the lives of men, and we ought 
 not to treat them ill. 
 
 Cats are not of quite so much use, for they 
 do not guard us from thieves ; but they keep 
 mice and rats from the house, who would gnaw 
 and spoil the meat, the bread, and the cheese. 
 
 My aunt has a cat who comes to the door 
 to meet her, when she has been out : and when 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE 83 
 
 my aunt sits down to work, puss sits down too, 
 and purrs to show how glad she is to be near 
 some one who is good to her. 
 
 How can you think they do not feel pain ? 
 They have flesh and bones, as well as we have ; 
 if you pinch or kick them, they cry out and run 
 to hide in some place, where they think they 
 shall not be found by those who use them ill. 
 If they did not feel pain, they would not cry 
 out, but lie still like logs of wood. 
 
 I have been told by my friends, and have read 
 it in books, that a worm, a fly, or a mite, and 
 all things that have life, can feel pain ; and that 
 if we learn to be hard of heart while boys, we 
 shall not grow up to be good men. 
 
 LESSON XVIII. 
 
 Proverbs. 
 
 A small leak will sink a great ship 
 
 A stitch in time saves nine. 
 
 As the old cock crows the young one learns 
 
 All the wit in the world is not in the head. 
 
 A friend is not so soon found as lost. 
 
 A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 
 
84 sou'i'i^:;.N ::!'ADER. [BOOK 
 
 Bought wit is best, if not bought too dear 
 
 Cheer up, man, God is still where he was. 
 
 Drive thy work ; let not that drive thee. 
 
 Do no ill and fear no harm. 
 
 Do all that you can to be good and you will 
 be so. 
 
 Fools make feasts and wise men eat them. 
 
 Friends do not grow on every bough. 
 
 Hear with both ears and then judge. 
 
 He that will not work should not eat. 
 
 It is hard to teach an old dog new tricks. 
 
 If once a man fall, all will tread on him. 
 
 Jack at all trades and good at none. 
 
 Keep thy shop and that will keep thee. 
 
 Look not a gift horse in the mouth. 
 
 Make hay while the sun shines. 
 
 Old birds, boy, are not to be caught with chaff. 
 
 Pride must fall. 
 
 Quick to hear, slow to speak. 
 
 There are more ways to the wood than one. 
 
 True friends are rare ; change not an old 
 friend for a new one. 
 
 Time and tide wait for no man. 
 
 When the sky falls we shall catch larks. 
 
 Wit once bought is worth twice taught. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 85 
 
 You have hit the nail on the head. 
 You can have no more of a cat than her skin 
 Youth, like the spring, will soon be gone. 
 Young men's knocks old men feel. 
 You have two ears and but one tongue, so 
 pou should hear twice and speak once. 
 
 LESSON XIX. 
 
 The New Kile. 
 
 A few days since, as James Pratt was on 
 the road to a field near home, he met his friend 
 and play mate, John Reed, with a new kite in 
 his hand. 
 
 8* 
 
86 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 You have a nice kite there, said James ; pray 
 what did you give for it ? 
 
 I gave just ten cents for it, said John. Do 
 you think it cheap or dear? 
 
 I think, said James, it was cheap at that 
 price ; I wish I could get one as good for the 
 same. But were is your cord ? 
 
 John said he had it in his hand ; and he 
 held it up, and told James that it was long 
 and quite strong. 
 
 Now, said James, let us go down to the green 
 banks of the bay, where the wind is strong, 
 and make it fly. John was glad to do this, 
 for he did not like to play by him-self, and 
 they both set off in high glee. 
 
 When they got to the spot, they saw a boy 
 off on the bay, in a boat, with a large kite 
 high up in the air. They soon set up John's 
 kite, and it rose well at first ; but the wind was 
 too strong, and in a short time it fell down to 
 the ground. In its way down it got caught 
 on the branch of a tree, which tore a large hole 
 in it. This made the boys feel quite sad at 
 first ; but it did not last long, for John said he 
 thought he knew how to mend it when he got 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. 87 
 
 home ; so they wound up the cord and the tail 
 and he bade James good day, and took the kite 
 home with him. 
 
 The next day they went to the same spot, 
 with the kite as good as new, and with a hope 
 to have some good sport, as the wind was not 
 too high. 
 
 When they set it up, it rose well, and with 
 a fine grace. It soon was so high as to take the 
 whole length of the cord. 
 
 James had hold of the string, and he gave it 
 a kind of jerk, which broke it. So the kite went 
 down, down, down, and flew a long ways off, 
 like a great bird. 
 
 O, what have you done 1 said John. James 
 told the truth, and said he felt bad to think he 
 had lost John his kite. He said he did not know 
 a jerk like that could break the cord. 
 
 Well, said John, we may as well go home 
 now. If we run to catch the kite we shall run 
 in vain ; if we sit down and cry, that will not 
 bring it back. If I were to beat you, it would 
 be wrong, and would do me no good. 
 
 What a good boy John Reed is ! We hope 
 he will soon have a new kite, and that all the 
 
88 
 
 SOUT HE R N R E A D E R . 
 
 [book 
 
 boys who know him will be as kind to him as 
 he was to James Reed. 
 
 WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 
 LESSON I. 
 
 [OSCEOLA.] 
 
 [POCAHONTAS.] 
 
 Fear-less warrior. 
 Gold-en nied-al. 
 War-like sol-dier. 
 Wam-pum gir-dle. 
 Splen-did blanket. 
 In-dian hero. 
 Gal-lant sav-age. 
 Fear-fbl war-cry. 
 No-ble chief-tain. 
 
 In-dian prin-cess. 
 Youth-fill maid-en. 
 Gen-tle fe-male. 
 Truth-ful por-trait. 
 Pret-ty pro-file. 
 Friend-ly wo-man. 
 Ten-der moth-er. 
 Show-y trin-kets. 
 Lov-ing daugh-ter. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 89 
 
 LESSON II. 
 
 A pleas-ant and sha-dy re-treat. 
 A gar-den of fra-grant iiow-ers. 
 Hen-ry is al-ways cheer-ful. 
 The wo-man was ver-y an-gry. 
 A thou-sand war-like sol-diers. 
 An-na is nev-er care-less. 
 The child-ren are ver-y qui-et. 
 The car-nage was dread-ful. 
 We will re-turn next sum-mer. 
 Ap-ples are made in-to ci-der. 
 Hap-py is he that find-eth wis-dom. 
 Wis-dom is bet-ter than rich-es. 
 Ed-win re-cites his les-sons well. 
 Charles ob-tains ma-ny pri-zes. 
 He is a thor-ough schol-ar. 
 Live-oak is good tira-ber for ships. 
 Squir-rels are nim-ble lit-tle crea-tures. 
 Rich-es take to them-selves wings. 
 Learn-insr is of great val-ue. 
 Knowl-edge is pow-er. 
 
90 
 
 SOUTHERN READER. 
 
 LESSON III. 
 [a plantation, and palmetto trees.] 
 
 [book 
 
 The planter tills the soil. 
 
 Large crops of cotton and sugar will repay 
 the labors of the planter. 
 
 The pal-met-to is a tall tree. It has a 
 high trunk crowned with large leaves. 
 
 Fort Moultrie, which made such a gallant 
 defence against nine or ten British ships, was 
 built of logs cut from the pal-met-to tree. 
 
 Bees live in hives and collect honey. 
 
 Vain children are fond of gay clothes. 
 
 Merchants often put their money in a bank 
 for safe keeping. 
 
 We punish bad men to prevent crimes. 
 
first] words of two syllables. 91 
 
 Medals are given as rewards at schoo.. 
 Our bodies are mortal ; they will soon die. 
 The mocking bird is a sweet singer. 
 Squirrels leap from tree to tree. 
 A napkin is a kind of towel. 
 Firemen have ladders to climb upon houses 
 The sailor steers a vessel with a rudder. 
 Rabbits hide themselves in secret places. 
 
 LESSON IV. 
 
 A Ride on the Pony. 
 
 Bring the pony, Jim, for the little boy to 
 ride. Pretty pony, how he shines, and how 
 his long tail hangs to the ground ! Now, Jim, 
 fix the saddle strong, that the little boy may 
 be quite safe. 
 
 Put the little boy on the pony ; give him 
 the reins and a little switch. What a brave 
 boy ! Now, Jim, walk by the side of the little 
 boy, that he may not fall. Sit up straight, 
 little boy, and do not whip the pony, until you 
 are bigger. 
 
92 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 LESSON V. 
 
 Five Years Old. 
 
 Try me, father, try me 
 And mark me on the wall; 
 
 Let little sis stand by me, 
 And see if I'm not tall! 
 
 Hear me, mother, hear me, 
 How very well I read; 
 
 Oh, now you need not fear me, 
 I know I can, indeed. 
 
 Come meet me, brother, meet me 
 And let us run a race; 
 
 Last year you used to beat me 
 In every little chase. 
 
 Maumer* you need not mind me, 
 
 I'm not so very small, 
 That you must walk behind me, 
 
 To catch me if I fall. 
 
 * Name for negro nurses. 
 
WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 
 
 FIRST.J 
 
 Why, what can make me grow so, 
 And talk in such a way ? 
 
 I'm a man, and you must know so, 
 I'm five years old to-day. 
 
 93 
 
 LESSON VI. 
 [a wagon encampment.] 
 
 The Stars. 
 
 It is night. The teamsters have taken the 
 tired horses from their huge wagons, which you 
 see loaded with heavy bales of cotton, and are 
 now feeding them. Some of the men are seated 
 around a fire, which one of the drivers is making 
 with a few dry sticks. They all look weary. 
 
( J4 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 Soon the j will eat their supper, and then each 
 one will seek out some good place to sleep till 
 morning. They are not afraid to sleep by the 
 road-side, under the clear blue sky. They do 
 not fear to have the bright stars shine upon them, 
 as the timid little girl did, of whom I am about 
 to tell you. 
 
 Ann Jones was afraid of the stars ! She did 
 not like to have their far-off eyes look down 
 upon her all night. So when the sun had set 
 and day began to draw to a close, she loved 
 to have the blinds closed on the bright stars. 
 She was told that she was a dunce to fear the 
 stars that God made. 
 
 One night Ann went to bed, and the blind 
 was left open, and she saw a bright star peeping 
 down upon her, as she lay on her soft bed. 
 I can look at the star now, said she, and I am 
 not afraid. She soon fell asleep under its soft, 
 mild beam. 
 
 LESSON VII. 
 
 Colors. 
 
 Ink is black, and your shoes are black. 
 Snow is white, and my frock is whita 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 95 
 
 Grass is green, and the blades of corn and 
 the fresh leaves of the trees are green. 
 
 The sky is blue. 
 
 The babe's shoes are red, and the sweet 
 moss rose is red. 
 
 The cowslip is yellow. 
 
 The table is brown. 
 
 Black, white, green, blue, red, yellow, and 
 brown. 
 
 LESSON VIII. 
 
 George. 
 
 Pray give me a nut. Here is one. I want 
 one more. Well, here is one more. 
 
 I want more yet. I want ten. 
 
 Then count ten. 
 
 One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, 
 nine, ten. 
 
 Now what will you do with these nuts ? 
 
 Give John some, and Grace some, and then 
 I will eat the rest. 
 
 That is a good boy. 
 
 Here is a pin. Pick it up. O, do not put 
 it in your mouth ; that is a bad trick. Give 
 
 to me. 
 
96 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 Fetch me my work box. Do not sit on it ; 
 you will break it. Sit on your own stool. 
 
 Lay by your work now, mamma, and play 
 with George. It is wet. I can not go out, 
 so do play with me. 
 
 LESSON IX. 
 
 A Good Little Boy, 
 
 I will write a little story 
 
 About a little boy ; 
 He is his father's comfort — 
 
 He is his mother's joy. 
 
 When they give a little errand, 
 He thinks of what is said, 
 
 Pulls , down his little jacket, 
 And holds up his little head. 
 
 He holds his knife and fork 
 By their handles, as he should, 
 
 And never spills his coffee, 
 Nor drops about his food. 
 
 His face is very pleasant, 
 
 What he says is always true; 
 
FIRST. J WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 
 
 Now tell me, my young reader, 
 If this little boy is you. 
 
 97 
 
 LESSON X, 
 
 Little Lucius. 
 
 Little Lucius is putting on his jacket and 
 trowsers. What a smart little fellow ! Is his 
 face clean, and his flaxen hair combed 1 Oh, 
 yes. If his face and hands were dirty, he 
 would not look pretty. See how he marches 
 about the room, and how his blue eyes shine. 
 Do his eyes ever look red with crying 1 \ 
 hope not. When will Lucius take a walk in 
 the City Square, and on our new and pleasant 
 Battery, and visit the Island, and Fort, and 
 
98 BOUT HE UN READER. [BOOK 
 
 Castle Pinckney, and see all the ships and 
 steam boats ? 
 
 Do not fall in the dirt, little fellow. If you 
 do fall, do not cry. Jump up and say hurrah, 
 boys! That is a brave child. Where is the 
 apron to keep your jacket clean 1 Lucius must 
 not eat his dinner without an apron, or he will 
 spoil his new clothes. Who gave him his nice 
 clothes I His papa. Who gave his papa every 
 thing to make his little boy happy 1 God. 
 Must Lucius thank God 1 Yes, every night 
 and every morning ; for God is his best friend. 
 
 LESSON XL 
 
 Fingers and Toes. 
 
 How many fingers have you got ? Here are 
 four fingers on this hand. 
 
 And what is this 'I 
 
 A thumb. 
 
 Four fingers and a thumb ; that makes five. 
 And how many on this hand? 
 
 Here are five, too. 
 
 Well, five and five are ten. What is this 1 
 
 This is the right hand. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES 99 
 
 And what is this I 
 
 This is the left hand. 
 
 How many toes have you got \ Let us 
 count them. Five on this foot, and five on 
 this foot. Five and five make ten. 
 
 How many legs have you 1 
 
 Here is one, and here is one. I have two 
 legs. How many legs has a horse 1 
 
 A horse has four legs ; a dog has four legs, 
 and a cow, and a hog, and a sheep have each 
 four legs ; puss has four legs, too. 
 
 And how many legs have the fowls 1 
 
 The fowls have but two legs. The birds 
 have but two legs. But I will tell you what 
 they have got. They have got wings to fly 
 with, and they fly high up in the air. 
 
 I have no wings. 
 
 No, you are not a bird ; but you have 
 hands. Cows have no hands, and birds have 
 no hands. 
 
 Have birds teeth ? 
 
 No, birds have no teeth. 
 
 How do they eat their food, then 1 
 
 Birds have got a bill. Look at the fowls; 
 they pick up the corn with their bills. How 
 fest they pick it up. 
 
100 SOUTHERN READER. I BOOK 
 
 lesson xii. 
 The Smith, 
 
 Come, let us go to the smith's shop arid 
 see him work. He has a forge, and coal, and 
 a large pair of bellows, and a pair of tongs, 
 and a large sledge hammer, and an anvil. 
 He blows the fire in his forge to make it 
 burn, and then puts in the iron to make it 
 hot. When it is red hot it will bend, and 
 can be made to any shape ; so he takes it 
 out with his tongs, and holds it on the anvil, 
 and then with his hammer he beats it to the 
 shape he wants it. He makes nails, and shoes 
 for the horse, and chains, and a great many 
 things. How hard he works, and how the 
 bright sparks fly. 
 
 Iron is got out of the earth, at a great depth. 
 The place where men dig it out, we call a mine. 
 There are iron mines near James River, in 
 Virginia. 
 
 Steel is made of iron. Steel is very bright 
 and hard ; sharp knives and forks, and tools 
 that we cut with, are made of stee) 
 
 Iron will melt in a very hoi lira When it 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 101 
 
 is melted it is run in molds, and made into 
 pots, and grates, and stoves, and a great many 
 things that are of much use to us. 
 
 LESSON XIII. 
 
 i 
 
 A Visit to the Island. 
 
 I will tell you a story of two good little 
 boys, called William and Sidney. One day 
 their father and mother took them to the 
 Island , they had a pleasant sail in a pretty 
 boat called the Clara Fisher : the wind blew 
 the water up very high, but it did not come 
 over the sides of the boat. They saw a great 
 many vessels ; some were sailing about and 
 some were quite still. Sidney asked his father, 
 What is the name of this vessel I and, Father 
 what is the name of that vessel 1 for he was a 
 very little boy, and could not read the names, 
 which were painted on the stern of the vessels ; 
 but William could read the names himself. 
 
 When they reached the Island, they ran 
 about on the beach, and picked up a great 
 many pretty shells; then they went into the 
 boat, and sailed back again very fast. When 
 
102 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 they got to the wharf in town, William said, 
 Father, I do not see the Island ; it has sailed 
 away ; and Sidney asked, Will it ever come 
 back again 1 Their father said, It is too dark 
 for you to see it now, but if you are good boys, 
 r will bring you soon to sail again in this 
 pretty boat ; and then we shall find the Island 
 in the same place, for it can not move awaj r 
 
 LESSON XIV. 
 
 Robert's Ride. 
 
 Mamma, may I go into the yard and play 
 horse 1 Papa has lent me his cane, and here 
 is a nice willow switch. 
 
 No, Robert ; you have a sore throat, and 
 you must stay in the house. 
 
 But mamma, my top is broken, and my 
 wheel barrow is dirty, and my books are old. 
 
 Poor Robert ! What can you do 1 Do not 
 fret^ and you will soon think of some thing. 
 
 Oh, yes, mamma ; now I have thought of 
 some thing funny ! My horse, (papa's cane, you 
 know,) shall be very quiet, like your carriage 
 horses, and I will play that you are my stable. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 103 
 
 and sister Mary shall be the country. Come 
 up sir ; wo a, sir, woa. Mamma you must not 
 talk, because you are the stable, you know. 
 Sister Mary will make a nice country because 
 she is so quiet. Softly, Dick ; come on, sir. 
 Now we are riding up the avenue. How d'ye 
 do, Maum Molly ! How d'ye do, Daddy Cyrus? 
 Thank you for the groundnuts and sweet po- 
 tatoes. Happy new year to you. Here is 
 fourpence to buy to-bac-co. Good bye. 
 
 The Little Girl to a Bird. 
 
 Little bird, roam 
 Quick to my home. 
 I'll give you to eat 
 Ev'ry thing sweet; 
 
104 SQUYHBAN READER. [BOOK 
 
 Sugar and cake 
 
 I'll save for your sake ; 
 
 Melon and plum, 
 
 You shall have some; 
 
 A peach and a pear, 
 
 And every thing rare ; 
 
 Some hay for your nest, 
 
 And what you like best, 
 
 A nice little house, 
 
 As snug as a mouse. 
 
 I will give you a brush 
 
 To smooth down each feather^ 
 
 And brother shall hush, 
 
 While we sing together. 
 
 So come from the tree, 
 
 And live here with me. 
 
 LESSON XVI. 
 
 The Bird's Ansiver. 
 
 I thank you, my dear, 
 I had rather live here ; 
 The skies they are fair, 
 And I love the fresh air; 
 The trees they are green, 
 And I sit like a queen, 
 
FIRST.] WOKUS OF TWO SYLLABLES, 105 
 
 On a bianch as it goes, 
 
 While the pleasant wind blows, 
 
 I have more on my table 
 
 To eat than I'm able, 
 
 For the very large field 
 
 My dessert does yield ; 
 
 But come from your book, 
 
 With a good humor'd look, 
 
 When with care you have read, 
 
 And your lesson is said; 
 
 Sit under the tree 
 
 With your sewing by me, 
 
 And this afternoon 
 
 I will sing you a tune. 
 
 LESSON XVII. 
 
 Mary and Papa. 
 
 Papa, will you take Mary in your lap 1 
 Yes, my darling. But let me look at your 
 hands ; are they clean? and those little lips, 
 too ! Oh, you must ask Doiiy to wash your 
 face. Now I can kiss you. Sit still, and tell 
 me whom you love. 
 
 Why, papa, I love you, and mamma, and 
 pussy. 
 
 10 
 
106 
 
 S O U T J I E R N 11 E A D K R . 
 
 [rook 
 
 Mary, what if mamma, and pussy, and I, 
 should fall into a tub of water ! which would 
 you take out first ? 
 
 Why, papa, I would take out pussy, anf 1 
 you and mamma should take out yourselves. 
 
 What are eyes made for? To see with. 
 
 What are ears made for? To hear with. 
 
 Can men make eyes? 
 
 They can only make glass eyes, and those son 
 of eyes do not look as if they said I love you. 
 
 I will love God for giving me eyes, that I 
 can see my dear papa with. 
 
 LESSON XVIII. 
 
 Bloicing Soap Bubbles. 
 
 This is a very pretty play for young children; 
 but they should be careful not to wet theit 
 clothes, nor swallow any of the soap suds. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 107 
 
 These two little boys were one day playing, 
 as you see them in the picture. The sun 
 shone bright, and made each bubble show all 
 the colors of the rainbow. 
 
 James blew up a great one, which rose very 
 high in the air, and as the sun shone on it, 
 looked very gay. Look ! look ! said he to 
 Charles; who ever saw a finer sight? there is 
 red, orange, yellow, green, and purple. This is 
 the best one I ever made. 
 
 These little fellows were so eager in the 
 sport, that they quite forgot to learn their les- 
 sons, till a late hour. But they were good 
 boys, and each took his book and began to 
 study, when their sister Jane came and told 
 them how late it was. 
 
 LESSON XIX. 
 
 The Roguish Boy. 
 
 Johnny was five years old. He was a 
 roguish little boy. He loved to pull the work 
 out of his mamma's hand. Once he threw her 
 thread in the fire. When his mamma scolded 
 him, he laughed in her face. One day John- 
 
108 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 ay's mamma went to pour out coffee, and the 
 milk looked of a dirty color. She stirred it 
 with a spoon, and found six groundnuts which 
 Johnny had put in it. Johnny's mamma was 
 not well, and it grieved her that her little boy 
 should behave so. Then his father walked up 
 to Johnny, looked very sternly at him, and he 
 said, Master John, this will not do; and he 
 took a piece of ribbon, and tied Johnny's hands, 
 and made him sit on the cellaret five minutes. 
 His brothers and sisters did not know whether 
 to laugh or to cry, Johnny looked so funny 
 and so ashamed. 
 
 LESSON XX. 
 
 The Clown and the Sun Dial. — A Fable. 
 
 A clown who did not much like work, once 
 went to a dial, to see if the hour had come 
 when he might leave his work and go to play. 
 When he found it was not yet quite time, he 
 felt sad and did not much like it ; and he 
 spoke out his thoughts. 
 
 Cease your foolish complaints, said the dial, 
 and think how this same hour which I point 
 
FIRST*] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES- 109 
 
 out, and which you look at with so much 
 scorn, is to a vast number of jour kind, the 
 last hour of their lives. 
 
 Moral. — This is plain ; but we may add that 
 some spend their time as if it was of no use 
 or would not end, and do not think that each 
 day, or hour, may be the last one of their 
 lives. 
 
 The deaths that each day take place near 
 us, should show us that we ought to have all 
 our thoughts, both or this world and the next, 
 in such a state, that we may quit life when 
 God wills it, with joy and hope, and not with 
 fear. He who lives well, will not fail to die 
 well. 
 
 LESSON xxi. 
 The Hen, Chickens, and Young Duck. 
 
 My aunt once had a fine old hen. She 
 had six eggs put in her nest. When the hen 
 had set on the eggs three weeks, there came 
 out of them five young chickens and one duck. 
 The hen said cluck, cluck, ani iben her jcung 
 
 10* 
 
110 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 ones ran to her, and she had a nice crumb 
 for them to eat. By and by, the little duck 
 began to wish for something to drink, for he 
 was dry. But the chickens did not much 
 care for water ; a very few drops would do 
 for them. So the little duck went waddling 
 about the yard, with his flat feet, to look for 
 water. But he could find none, and he said 
 quack, quack, quack. At length he found a 
 small pond, and he went to the edge of it. 
 First he put one foot iu, and then both, and 
 off he sailed like a small boat. Then the 
 old hen began to scream, for she thought her 
 young one would be lost. God did not make 
 hens to swim ; they fear the water. This 
 hen stuck out her wings, and ran on each side 
 of the pond, and she cried, cluck, cluck; but 
 the duck would not come back, for he felt 
 that God had made him with large flat feet 
 to swim with. So he swam round and round, 
 and then he would dip his head in the water, 
 and throw it on his back and wings. When 
 he had been there as long as he wished, he 
 came out to the hen and chickens, and glad 
 were they to see him back safe and sound. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. Ill 
 
 LESSON XXII. 
 
 Oh, look at the Moon! 
 
 Oh, look at the moon ! 
 
 She is shining up there ; 
 Oh, mother, she looks 
 
 Like a lamp in the air. 
 
 Last week she was smaller, 
 
 And shaped like a bow, 
 But now she's grown bigger, 
 
 And round as an O. 
 
 Pretty moon, pretty moon, 
 How you shine on the door, 
 
 And make it all bright 
 On my nursery floor. 
 
 You shine on my play-things, 
 And show me their place, 
 
 And I love to look up 
 
 At your pretty bright face. 
 
 And there is a star 
 
 Close by you, and may be 
 
 That small twinkling star 
 Is your little baby. 
 
IL2 
 
 SOUTHERN READER, 
 
 LESSON XXIII. 
 
 BOOK 
 
 The Vain Jackdaw. — A Fable. 
 
 A certain jackdaw was so vain and full of 
 pride, that, not content with his own state, 
 he picked up the feathers which fell from the 
 peacocks, stuck them among his own, and 
 began to strut about by the side of those 
 gaudy birds. They soon found him out, strip- 
 ped him of his false plumes, and falling upon 
 him with their sharp bills, pecked him with- 
 out mercy, for his conceit and daring. Full 
 of sorrow and pain, he now gladly tried to 
 rejoin his old friends ; but they, knowing his 
 recent conduct, would not again admit him 
 among their flock. Ah, my friend, said an 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 113 
 
 old jackdaw, you now find, when it is too late, 
 that if you had been content with the plu- 
 mage which you were born to, and had not 
 been so foolish as to disdain the state of life 
 in which nature placed you, you would not 
 have been so sadly treated by those above 
 you, with whom you have tried to consort, 
 nor so harshly by us, who are your equals, 
 and of your own kind. 
 
 Moral. — We may learn from this fable, to 
 be content with the rank which we are born 
 to fill ; or, at least, not to attempt, by false 
 show, or the dress and manners of others, to 
 pass for greater than we are. 
 
 LESSON XXIV. 
 
 The Comma. 
 
 What is this little dot, with a tail to it, 
 (,) and what is it for ? I see it in all my 
 books. 
 
 It is put there to make you read slow 7 , 
 John. It is a comma. When you see a 
 comma, you must make a pause as long as it 
 will take you to count one. You can not read 
 
1 [4 SOUTHERN READER. [bOOa 
 
 well, if you do not mind these points. Those 
 who read well, always stop at a comma as 
 long as it takes to count one. 
 
 How many commas are there in this les- 
 son ? Count them. Now bring your slate and 
 make commas on it, till you learn their shape 
 so well that you may know one when you see it 
 
 lesson xxv. 
 The Full Point. 
 
 Now, if you please, I wish you would tell 
 me what that other little dot is. I mean the 
 one (.) without a tail. 
 
 This is what we call a period, or full point 
 If you do not stop and breathe when you see 
 one of these, you will not make sense of what 
 you read. 
 
 When you see one, you must stop as long 
 as it will take you to count six. All who 
 w T ish to read well, always make a full stop 
 when they see one of these little round dots 
 Now tell me, what does a period look like ! 
 
 Why, it looks like a black pin's head bro- 
 ken off 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES, 115 
 
 Well, now each of you take your slates and 
 pencils, and see which can make the neatest 
 periods. 
 
 LESSON XXVI 
 
 The Semi-colon and Colon. 
 
 Come here, George, and read these names. 
 
 Semi-colon ; Colon. 
 
 What does a semi-colon (;) look like? 
 
 A semi-colon looks like a period and a 
 i omnia. 
 
 Yes, it does. You must pause at a semi- 
 colon twice as long as you would at a com- 
 ma ; that is, as long as it will take you to 
 count two. What does a colon (:) look like 1 
 
 It looks like two periods. 
 
 Very well. Mind that you do not pass by 
 a colon when you read, without stopping long 
 enough to count four, or twice as long as at 
 a semi-colon. Semi means half; so the pause 
 at a semi-colon is half as long as at a colon. 
 You will not often find the colon in your 
 way, for they are not used a great deal ; but 
 the semi-colon you will often meet with. 
 
116 BODTfHSftN REAI.EK. [llOOK 
 
 But do not forget that von must panse at 
 .a comma long enough to count one ; at a 
 semi-colon long enough to count two ; at a 
 colon long enough to count four ; and at a 
 period long enough to count six. This is the 
 rule, and you cannot read well unless you 
 make these pauses. 
 
 LESSON XXVII. 
 
 The Boys and the Frogs. — A Fable. 
 
 Once on a time, as some hoys were at play, 
 they saw some young frogs in a pond ; and 
 one of the boys said, let us throw stones at 
 the young frogs : and they all did stone the 
 poor frogs. And thus said one of the frogs to 
 the boys : Boys ! why do you pelt us with 
 stones I We do no harm to you, and you 
 should do as you would be done by. Should 
 you like to have stones thrown at you 1 It 
 men, or boys who are bigger tbau you, should 
 pelt you with stones, you would not like it : 
 then you should think how you hurt us ! 
 
 Moral. — This is a fable to teach you that 
 you should be kind to all things, and do to 
 others as you expect them to do to you. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 117 
 
 LESSON XXVIII. 
 
 The Five Senses. 
 
 All human beings must, with birds and beasts, 
 To be complete, five senses have, at least; 
 The sense of hearing, to the ear confined : 
 The eye for seeing was and is designed : 
 The nose to smell an odor sweet or ill ; 
 The tongue to taste what will the stomach fill 
 The sense of feeling is in every# part, 
 While life gives motion to a beating heart. 
 
 The Lion. 
 The Lion is called the king of beasts, be- 
 cause he is so strong, and active, and fierce, 
 that all other beasts fear him. He is from three 
 
 11 
 
118 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 to four feet high, and has a large head, much 
 like that of a great dog, and thick, long hair 
 around his neck, which is called his mane. 
 His claws are strong and sharp, and with thern 
 he can tear men and beasts in pieces. 
 
 His color is a kind of light brown ; but near 
 the breast it is white. He often roars so loud 
 that his voice sounds like thunder, and all the 
 beasts of the* forest run and hide when they 
 hear him. 
 
 Lions live in Asia and Africa, very far from 
 where we live. The weather in those parts is 
 very hot, and the sun with its great heat burns 
 the skin, as it does here on a very hot day. 
 
 The lion is a noble beast, and has often been 
 known to spare the lives of small animals, that 
 have been thrown into his cage for him to eat. 
 One which was kept for a show in the city 
 of London, became so fond of a little black dog 
 which was thrown into his cage, that when 
 the dog died, about a year after he was put 
 in the cage, the Lion would not eat, but mourn- 
 ed for his little friend, and pined away day 
 after day, until he died of grief and hunger. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 119 
 
 Lt^SOS XXX. 
 
 Tlie Little Boys Complaint about Butter 
 
 Oh, Mother, won't you speak to Kate 1 
 
 I have not had enough to eat ; 
 And when she spreads a little bread, 
 
 She thinks she gives me such a treat. 
 
 I only wish I was a man, 
 
 To have my butter an inch thick, 
 
 And not be talking all the time, 
 
 How this and that will make me sick. 
 
 Poor little boys are sadiy used, 
 
 They can not have the thing they wish ; 
 While grown up people help themselves 
 
 To what they like from ev'ry dish. 
 
 As soon as I become a man, 
 
 I'll have a pie as tall as you, 
 With doors and windows like a house, 
 
 And lined with plums all through and through. 
 
 And I'll go in when e'er I choose, 
 And sit as snug as Jackey Horner, 
 
 And even Katy, though she's cross, 
 Sb&il some times come and eat a corner. 
 
120 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 My windows ail with jelly made, 
 
 Like Boston glass shall glisten bright. 
 
 And sugar candy for the frames, 
 At every turn shall greet my sight. 
 
 My floor shall be of ginger bread, 
 Because that's pretty hard you know, 
 
 Sanded all o'er with sugar plums, 
 Rolling about where e'er I go. 
 
 And Mother, Kate, my cellaret 
 
 Shall be all butter shap'd with ice, 
 
 And then w^eTi see it" I must fret 
 Because I want a little slice. 
 
 And Mother — Oh, she's gone away ! 
 
 And Katy — What, you've left me too ! 
 I won't stand talking to the walls, 
 
 But go and find some work to do. 
 
 LESSON XXXI. 
 
 Pluffers. 
 
 Piuffers are made in the same way as pop- 
 guns at the North, and form a noisy little toy 
 lor boys at the South, from the latter part of 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 121 
 
 May until the middle of June. In Savannah 
 and Charleston, the streets are shaded by the 
 Pride of India, or Poison Berry Tree. This 
 tree blooms in April. The blossom, in color, 
 form, and perfume, is some what like the lilac. 
 Little girls amuse themselves by stringing the 
 flowers on a thread for a necklace. The seed 
 of the flower is a round, green berry. They 
 grow as large as marbles. 
 
 Boys gather these berries for their pluffers, 
 and in every street in Charleston and Savan- 
 nah, at this season, you may hear the negro 
 boys popping off their pluffers, while in the 
 school recess, the mimic gun is very active in 
 the play ground. 
 
 In the autumn, the berry falls, and is eaten 
 by cattle. The root of the tree is a cure for 
 worms. 
 
 Northern boys employ flax or cotton for 
 their pop-guns, wetting it and forming it into 
 balls. Our poison berries, as they are called, 
 are neater, and louder in their report. 
 
 Pop-guns, as well as pluffers, are used in 
 the spring of the year. 
 
 11 
 
122 
 
 UTliERN READER. 
 LESSOR XXXII. 
 
 [book 
 
 '""Vf/mininMm*' 
 
 The Tiger. 
 
 The Tiger is a handsome beast, but the most 
 cruel and blood thirsty of them all. He is from 
 three to four feet high, and from seven to nine 
 feet long. His shape is like that of a cat ; but 
 his legs are very large and strong. His mouth 
 is wide, and his teeth and claws are long and 
 sharp. His strength is so great, that when he 
 kills an ox, he can throw it across his back, 
 and holding it with his teeth, run off, just as a 
 fox runs away with a goose. 
 
 His color is a deep yellow, with rich dark 
 stripes all around his body, which give his 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 123 
 
 skin such great beauty that it sells at a very 
 high price ; no other part of him is of any use. 
 
 The tiger is so bold and fierce, that he does 
 not fear any beast, not even the lion ; and he 
 so much delights in blood, that he will kill all 
 that come in his way, even when he is not in 
 want of food. 
 
 The tiger is a native of Asia, in the eastern 
 part of the world. 
 
 He has never been so far tamed as to make 
 it safe for a stranger to go near him. Neither 
 the kindest nor the most severe treatment can 
 tame him. He will bite the hand that feeds 
 him when he is near starving, just as soon as 
 he will one that strikes him. 
 
 LESSON XXXIII. 
 
 Sixty Seconds make a Minute. 
 
 Sixty seconds make a minute, 
 Sixty minutes make an hour — 
 
 I wish I were a little linnet, 
 Hopping in her leafy bower, 
 
 And then I should not have to sing it, 
 Sixty minutes make an hour. 
 
124 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 Twenty-four hours make a day, 
 Seven days are in a week — 
 
 I had rather with my marbles play, 
 Or run at cunning ' hide and seek/ 
 
 Or in the garden gather flowers, 
 
 Than tell the days that make a week. 
 
 In a month the weeks are four, 
 
 And twelve months will make a year, 
 
 I must say it o'er and o'er, 
 Or it never will be clear ; 
 
 So my heart shall still be in it — 
 
 Sixty seconds make a minute. 
 
 LESSON xxxiv. 
 Salt. 
 
 The salt which we eat with our meat, and 
 which we could not well do without, is found 
 in all parts of the world. You would not 
 much like the taste of meat, if you had no salt 
 to eat with it. The water of the sea has salt 
 in it. Men take a great deal of water, and 
 place it so that the sun dries up the water 
 and leaves the salt. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 125 
 
 A child could make salt in this way. Take 
 some salt water and put it in a pan, and 
 then place it where the sun can shine on 
 it. The sun will dry up the water in time, 
 and then small bits of salt will be found in 
 the pan. 
 
 Salt is of great use to keep meat from spoil- 
 ing. But some men live far from the sea, 
 where they cannot make salt in this way. 
 In such parts of the world there are mines 
 of salt ; that is, large holes are dug in the 
 earth, and salt is found in great heaps, fit for 
 use. Some of these mines have been worked 
 a great many years, and there still seems to 
 be almost as much as when they first found it 
 
 God knew that salt would keep many things 
 which we should wish to preserve, and that 
 it would serve to make our food taste good ; 
 so He has put it in all parts of the world, 
 that all men may have it. 
 
126 
 
 SOUTHERN READER. 
 LESSON XXXV. 
 
 [book 
 
 The Stag, his Horns and Legs. — A Fable. 
 
 A stag, while drinking at a clear spring, 
 saw the image of himself in the water; and, 
 pleased with the sight, he stood still for some 
 time, to admire his fine shape and handsome 
 features. 
 
 Ah, said he, these are indeed a noble pair 
 of horns ! How graceful they look, and what 
 a charm they give to my whole face ! If the 
 rest of my body were but equal to them in 
 grace and beauty, I would not yield the palm 
 to any one ; but I see with regret and pain 
 that my legs are such sorry shanks, I shall 
 feel great shame in showing them. Folks may 
 
first] words of two syllables. 127 
 
 talk as they please of their speed, and of how 
 much service they may be to me ; but, for my 
 part, I would sooner have none at all, than 
 such slender ugly things. 
 
 While the foolish stag was giving himself 
 these airs, he was startled by the cry of 
 hounds, who came on the scent, in fall chase 
 towards him. Away he flew, in great fear ; 
 and bounding nimbly over the plain with his 
 long and swift legs, he soon left men and 
 dogs at a great distance behind him ; but, in 
 the attempt to dash through a thicket, his 
 horns were caught fast in a tree, where he 
 was held till the hounds came up and killed 
 him. His fate being thus sealed, he cried 
 out, while in the pangs of death : 
 
 " Wretched creature that I am ! I now find, 
 when it is too late, that what I so prided my- 
 self on, has been the cause of my ruin : and 
 .hat what I held in so much contempt, was 
 the only thing that could have saved me.'' 
 
 Moral. — Thus it may be with too many, who 
 set a high value upon beauty, and despise or 
 neglect what is useful. 
 
128 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 LESSON XXXVI. 
 
 Mother who made the Flower? 
 
 A little child who loves to see 
 
 The bright sun shining clear, 
 Is often asking, " Where is He 
 
 Who placed the bright sun here 1" 
 
 She sees the moonlight's silver gleam, 
 
 And stars with twinkling ray, 
 And says, " Who made that gentle beam, 
 
 Almost more fair than day V 
 
 She gathers for her mother dear, 
 
 A blossom rich and fair, 
 And asks, " Who placed those colors here, 
 
 And mix'd them with such care 1 
 
 'Tis God, my child, who will impart 
 
 More glorious objects still, — 
 A temper mild, a feeling heart, 
 
 And strength to do His will. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 
 
 129 
 
 LESSON XXXVII. 
 
 Duties of Children. 
 
 Love your father and mother. They love 
 you very dearly, and they have taken care ot 
 you ever since you were born. They loved 
 you even when you were poor, little, helpless 
 babes, that could not talk nor walk about, nor 
 do scarcely any thing but cry and give a great 
 deal of trouble. 
 
 Who is so kind to you as your parents are 1 
 Who takes so much pains to instruct you 1 
 Who taught you almost every thing you know 1 
 
 12 
 
130 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOR 
 
 Who provides food for you, and clothes, and 
 soft beds to sleep on at night I Who is so 
 glad when you are pleased, and so sorry when 
 you are troubled 1 When you are sick and in 
 pain, who is it that pities you and cares for 
 you, and nurses you ? Who prays to God to 
 give you health, and strength, and all good 
 things ? 
 
 Obey your parents. They know better what 
 is proper for you than you do ; and they wish 
 you to be good, and wise, and happy. 
 
 If your parents are sick, or in trouble, do 
 all you can to comfort them. If they are poor, 
 work very hard, that you may be able to assist 
 them. 
 
 Love your brothers and sisters. Do not tease 
 nor vex them, nor call them names ; and never 
 let your little hands be raised to strike them. 
 If they have any thing which you would like 
 to have, do not be angry with them, nor wish 
 to get it from them. If you have any thing 
 they like, share it with them. 
 
 Your parents grieve when they see you 
 quarrel ; they love you all with dear love ; and 
 they wish you to love each other, and to live 
 in peace. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 
 
 131 
 
 People will not speak or think well of you, 
 if you do not behave kindly to your parents, 
 and to your brothers and sisters. Whom, say 
 they, will these persons love, or be kind to, 
 if they do not love their own father and 
 mother, who have done so much for them ; 
 and their own brothers and sisters, who have 
 the same parents, and the same home as they 
 have, and who are brought up with them 1 
 
 LESSON XXXVIII. 
 
 The Whale. 
 
 Here is a picture of a whale. The whale 
 is a large fish; larger than any other animal 
 in the known world. He is said to be from 
 
132 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 sixty to eighty feet long, and twenty feet 
 broad. 
 
 The head of the whale is about one third 
 the length of his body, and his mouth is 
 quite large, though his throat is small. Wi'h 
 his tail, when he is in pain or rage, he lashes 
 the sea into a white foam for some distance 
 around him. 
 
 The oil which we burn in our lamps, comes 
 from the fat of the whale. Whale ships are 
 sent out into the South Seas, where these 
 whales are found, and each ship has six or 
 seven boats on board. Each of these boats 
 has a harpoon, which is a kind of spear, and 
 a very long line. 
 
 When the whale is seen, six or seven of the 
 seamen jump into a boat and row towards 
 him. When they get near the whale, a har- 
 poon is darted into him ; as soon as he feels 
 the iron, he darts down into the sea, and goes 
 to a great depth ; but he soon has to come up 
 again to breathe. The men in the boat are 
 on the watch for him, and when he rises, they 
 plunge more harpoons and lances into him 
 and kill him. 
 
FIRST.J WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 133 
 
 When the whale is dead, they tie a rope to 
 his tail and fasten him to the ship. They 
 then cut off those parts which yield the fat, 
 and take out the whale-hone. When this is 
 done, they let the rest of the carcase float 
 away. The fat, or blubber, is put into casks, 
 and kept till they have time to get the oil 
 out of it. 
 
 LESSON XXXIX. 
 
 Useful Things. 
 
 The cow has a horn and the fish has a gill ; 
 The horse has a hoof, and the duck has a 
 
 bill; 
 The bird has a wing that on high he may 
 
 sail ; 
 And the lion a mane, and the monkey a tail ; 
 And they swim, or they fly, or they walk, or 
 
 they eat, 
 With fin, or with wing, or with bill, or with feet. 
 
 And you have two hands, with five fingers 
 
 to each, 
 On purpose to work with, to hold, and to 
 
 reach. 
 
134 
 
 SOUTHERN READER. 
 
 [book 
 
 No birds, beasts, or fishes, for work or for play, 
 Have any thing nearly as useful as they ; 
 But if you don't use them as well as you 
 
 can, 
 You will never become a good and wise man 
 
 LESSON XL. 
 
 The Storm. 
 
 Come, my children, let us draw our chairs 
 near the fire, this dark stormy night. The 
 wind whistles without, and the rain pours 
 down in torrents, while the loud thunder and 
 vivid lightning add horror to the darkness of 
 the night. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 135 
 
 Open the door, grand-father, and look oat 
 upon the water. 'Tis a dreadful night for the 
 poor sailors who are out to sea. How the 
 white waves tumble about ! We can just see 
 them by the flash of lightning, and then all 
 is dark again. 
 
 Yes, my dear, it is a dreadful night for all 
 who are out in this storm; and the poor 
 sailors must indeed have an anxious night. 
 How grateful should we be, who can sit here 
 at the fireside, secure from the storm, while 
 many a poor fellow is exposed to its fury on 
 the broad ocean, and perhaps at this moment 
 sinking beneath the waters. 
 
 As the old man spoke the last word, a 
 flash of lightning poured its blaze through 
 every window, and the peal of thunder which 
 was heard the next moment, shook the whole 
 house. Ann clung to her mother in fear and 
 trembling; but William was a bold lad, and 
 knew no fear. 
 
 Do not tremble, Ann, said the mother, as her 
 daughter threw herself into her lap in great 
 alarm. It is indeed a dreadful night, and dread- 
 ful to me as well as to you, is this war of 
 
136 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 nature ; but I have learned to look upon these 
 
 works of God without fear, for I know that 
 
 His goodness and mercy are fully equal to His 
 power. 
 
 LESSON XLI. 
 
 Humming Birds. 
 
 Let us talk about Humming Birds. Little 
 children in Europe, across the great ocean, 
 do not see Humming Birds. They live in 
 America, where my youngest readers were 
 born. 
 
 They are as big as large butter-flies, and as 
 bright as butter-flies. Pretty things. How they 
 love to dip their long sharp tongues in a flow- 
 er ! How neat they are ! They do not ruffle 
 a leaf! If you could look at them near, you 
 would see their little black eyes. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 137 
 
 They make their uests on small twigs oi 
 trees. The female builds, and the male flies 
 about, and gets the down of mullen or cotton, 
 or moss, or other soft things, to line them. 
 
 The nests are an inch wide, and an inch 
 deep. They lay two little white eggs. 
 
 If you go near their nests, they will dart at 
 you, and hum with their wings, and try to 
 frighten you, and chirp like a cricket. 
 
 Humming birds get angry, like little boys 
 and girls. When a flower has no honey in 
 it, they sometimes tear it to pieces iu quite a 
 rage. 
 
 Fie, little birds ! You sit there on that dried 
 twig, and fix your pretty green and gold feath- 
 ers, and clean your soft plumes, your eyes shin- 
 ing like beads ; and then you fly with such a 
 light grace to a flower, and if there is no 
 honey in it, you get into a passion ! Oh, fie f 
 'ittle birds ; be patient and go to the next 
 flower. 
 
138 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOK 
 
 LESSON XLli. 
 
 What our Clothes are made, of. 
 
 Come, Thomas, tell me what clothes jou 
 wear, and' what they are made of. 
 
 I wear a cap on my head ; it is made of 
 woolen cloth. In the summer I some times wear 
 a palm leaf hat ; and that is made of the leaf 
 of the little palm tree. Papa's hat is made of 
 fur. Fur is the fine hair which grows on the 
 otter, beaver, muskrat, mink, rabbit, and other 
 small animals. 
 
 On my body I wear a shirt and a jacket. 
 Father wears a shirt, a vest, and a coat. On 
 my legs I wear trowsers. 
 
 On my feet I wear stockings and shoes. 
 Some persons wear boots instead of shoes. 
 
 My shirt is made of either cotton or linen. 
 My jacket and trowsers, and stockings, which 
 I wear in the winter, are made of wool ; and 
 those I wear in the summer are made of linen. 
 Boots and shoes are made of leather. 
 
 Linen cloth is made of the fine bark of a 
 plant called flax. Leather is made of the skins 
 of calves, cows, oxen, horses, sheep and goats. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 139 
 
 The skins of the ox, cow, and horse, are called 
 hides. The soles of boots and shoes are made 
 of thick ox or cow-hide. 
 
 Woolen clothes are warm. Wool grows on 
 sheep. Once a year the wool is cut off from 
 the sheep when the weather is warm, and then 
 new wool grows on them again. 
 
 Cotton grows in pods, on a large plant. This 
 plant often grows as tall as a man, and branches 
 out wide. Its flowers are of all colors, and a 
 large cotton field in blossom is a splendid sight. 
 More cloth is made of cotton and wool, than 
 of any thing else. 
 
 Some coarse cloth is made of hemp. This 
 is the skin, or bark, of a plant that grows much 
 larger than flax. 
 
 Many garments are made of silk. There is 
 a kind of small worm, called a silk worm, which 
 makes silk in fine threads, much like those of 
 a spider's web. These threads, the worm winds 
 round itself, in a ball shaped like an egg. These 
 balls are unwound, and the silk twisted into 
 larger threads, to sew with, or to weave into 
 cloth 
 
140 
 
 SOUTHERN READER. 
 
 LESSON XLIII. 
 
 [book 
 
 The Camel. 
 
 The camel is from six to seven feet high, 
 and carries his head eight or nine feet from the 
 ground. His bodj is large ; his legs slender ; 
 and his feet round m shape, but flat at the bot- 
 tom, and soft and spongy, so that they may not 
 crack in the hot sands of the deserts. He has 
 two large humps on his back, which gives him 
 an odd shape. Some camels have but one hump. 
 
 The camel is much used by the Arabs; with- 
 out him they could not travel on their deserts 
 of sand. He gives them milk, carries their loads, 
 and their clothes are made of his hair. He is 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 141 
 
 of as much use to them as the horse, the cow, 
 and the sheep are to us. They employ him 
 to carry great loads across the deserts, where 
 there are no springs of water, and no shady 
 trees. Horses and mules could not do without 
 water as long as the camel does. He has a 
 safe place in his stomach, where he can keep 
 water for a long time, and when he is thirsty 
 he makes it come up into his mouth. 
 
 The camel kneels down to take a load, and 
 rises up when it is put on. If more is put on 
 his back than he can well carry, he will cry 
 loudly till some of it is taken off. When loaded, 
 he will trot about twenty-five miles in a day ; 
 but when he carries only a man on his back, 
 he can travel more than a hundred miles in a 
 day. 
 
 LESSON XLIV. 
 
 To a Fly. 
 
 My merry little Fly, play here, 
 
 And let me look at you; 
 I will not touch you, though you're near, 
 
 As naughty children do. 
 13 
 
142 SOUTHERN READER. [BOOR 
 
 I see you spread your little wings, 
 
 That sparkle in the sun, 
 I see your legs, what tiny things ! 
 
 And yet how fast they run. 
 
 You walk along the ceiling now, 
 
 And down the upright wall 
 I'll ask Mamma to tell me how 
 
 You walk and do not fall. 
 
 'Twas God who taught you, little Fly, 
 
 To walk along the ground, 
 And mount above my head so high 
 
 And frolic round and round. 
 
 I'll near you stand to see you play, 
 
 But do not be afraid; 
 I would not lift my little hand 
 
 To hurt the thing He made. 
 
FIRST.] WORDS OF TWO SYLLABLES. 
 
 LESSON XLV. 
 
 143 
 
 Patrick Henry. 
 
 Patrick Henry, one of the noble sons of Vir- 
 ginia, was a public speaker of great power and 
 beauty. It lias been said, that " he was the 
 greatest or-a-tor that ever lived." Some of his 
 speeches, it would seem, charmed his hearers to 
 such a degree, that they were seen weeping and 
 laughing by turns. He was the idol of the 
 people, and they heaped honors upon him as 
 long as he lived. 
 
 In his last will, (which is a writing in which 
 a man directs to whom his estate shall be given 
 when he is dead,) after giving all his worldly 
 goods to his friends, he said, " There is one 
 thing more I wish I could give them, and that 
 is, the Christian religion. If they have that, and 
 
144 SOUTHERN READER. 
 
 I had not given them one shilling, they would 
 be rich; and if they have not that, and I had 
 given them the whole world, they would be 
 poor ! 
 
 This is indeed true. Without this pearl o) 
 great price, riches and honors cannot make us 
 happy ; but with it, whether we are poor or 
 rich, we can never be wretched. If we have 
 nothing else, we shall at least enjoy that peace 
 which is known only to those who love God 
 and strive to do His holy will, — that peace 
 which outlives all the pleasures of rank, and 
 wealth, and honor, and all that this world can. 
 give. 
 
 Seek, then, my dear little friends, first of all 
 to fulfil your duty to your Father in Heaven, 
 and you will have His never failing promise that 
 you shall be happy in this world and in the 
 world to come. He will then never leave you 
 nor forsake you. though you may be poor and 
 needy and obscure in this world, you will have 
 a crown of glory in heaven, which shall not fade 
 away ; but which will grow brighter and brighter 
 for ever and ever. 
 
 END. 
 


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