When when he felt death approaching, he sent for his son. the son appeared by the bedside of his father, the latter said to him: "Fear not, my son, that I shall reproach thee with thy way of life. Behold, I shall die, and thou shalt be heir to my possessions. But fulfil the last wish which I shall address to thee. It is easy to accomplish it; therefore I trust thou wilt promise to fulfil it, and wilt keep thy word." 3. The son answered that he would do so, if it lay in his power. Then the dying father said, "Promise me, my son, that, for the space of two months, thou wilt come every night into this chamber, and devote one half-hour to solitude and reflection." 4. The son promised faithfully to do so, and gave his father his hand upon it; his father blessed him and died, and his mortal body was buried. The son returned to his companions, and lived merrily and thoughtlessly as before. 5. But when the night came he remembered his vow, and the image of his dying father admonished him to keep it. At first it was very troublesome to him to be alone; it seemed so dreary and silent, and fear fell upon him. But he overcame this feeling on account of his pledged word, thinking, "Two months will pass quickly." 6. But, behold, now his eyes were opened concerning his life; his heart accused him, and the fear of the Lord entered into his soul; he com'muned with himself, and wept, and became henceforth another man. FROM THE GERMAN OF KRUMMACHER. LXXIX. MACGREGOR AND LAMONT― A TRUE NARRATIVE. 1. To be able to subdue one's feelings of anger and revenge in moments of great temptation, is one of the noblest triumphs of the human being in this dis'ciplinary world. The power was well exercised by a chief of one of the Highland clans in Scotland, about the year 1625. His example is worthy of being remembered. 2. His name was Macgregor. One day his son went, with a party of associates, on a shooting excursion. In their wanderings they met with an acquaintance of the name of Lamont'; whereupon all the young men repaired to a kind of inn on the road to take some refreshment. 11123 3. Here was the beginning of mischief. "Refreshment ! The word is a harmless one in itself, but how often is it perverted and misused as a cover for tippling, dram-drinking, and the most degrading excesses! 51 4. When, after wholesome exercise and labor, we swallow a draught of pure water, or partake in moderation of needful food, we may say, with truth, that we have had refreshment. But when, from vile habit or degenerate appetite, we resort to intoxicating liquors, it is not refreshment, but abasement of body and soul that we undergo. 5. How many murderous brawls, how much domestic misery, how many wrecks of mind and fortune, may date their origin from what is falsely called "taking refreshment in a bar-room or tavern! "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath wounds without cause? They that tarry long at the wine!" 6. In the case of young Macgregor and Lamont, they met as friends; but it was not long after they had "touched glasses" and taken wine together, before some trifling dispute broke out, and, the fumes of the wine having mounted into their brains, and made them foolish and quarrelsome, they became as foes towards each other. 7. It is not recorded how the quarrel began. Perhaps one knocked the other's cap off in jest, and the other took it as an insult meant in earnest. Perhaps one trod on the other's toes, and the other threw a glass of wine in his face. A drunken man needs but a straw to make a quarrel about. 8. High words arose; and after words came blows; and then dirks were drawn, and the scuffle ended in Lamont's For a stabbing young Macgregor mortally to the heart. moment Lamont stood paralyzed with horror. In his sober moments he was a mild and honorable youth; and here he was, suddenly transformed into a homicide !EI 9. He fled from the tavern during the confusion caused by the event; but he was soon hotly pursued by Macgregor's friends. He managed to conceal himself all night in the bushes; and early in the morning he made his way towards the nearest house he could see. 10. The occupant of the house opened the door, and beheld before him a stranger, pale and haggard. "Save my life," said the stranger, "for men are in pursuit of me to take it away."—" Whoever you are," replied the man of the house, "here you are safe." 11. Lamont was conducted to an inner apartment, and had just been introduced to the family, when a loud inquiry was made at the door, if a stranger had entered the house. "He has," said the occupant, "and what is your business with him?" 12. "In a scuffle," cried the pursuers, "he has killed your son; deliver him up, that we may instantly revenge the deed." And so it was! Lamont had taken refuge in the house of the father of the young man whom he had slain. 13. The wife and the two daughters of Macgregor, when they heard the intelligence, gave utterance to the most heart-rending cries. Lamont, now for the first time aware in whose house he was, came forward and said, "Give me up, sir; I have no longer any claim upon your hospitality." -"Ay! give him up! He shall not live!" cried the young men at the door, brandishing their swords. 14. "Silence!" said the chief, while the tears streamed down his cheeks; "would you bereave me of my honor as well as of my son? Let no man presume to touch this youth; for he has Macgregor's word for his safety; and, as the Lord liveth, he shall be safe and secure while in my house!" 15. Thereupon Macgregor dismissed the young men, and, after treating Lamont in the most kind and hospitable manner, the chieftain accompanied him with twelve men under arms to Inverary, and placed him in safety among his kindred. He then said, "Lamont, now you are safe; no longer can I protect you; keep out of the way of my clan. May God forgive and bless you! Macgregor then took his departure. 16. Lamont was much affected by this noble treatment, and prayed that he might have an opportunity of requiting it. Years passed by; and, as he grew to manhood, he was noted for his sincere contrition for the crime of his youth. He became kind and gentle in his manners; but the thought of the past always threw a shade of melancholy on his mind. 17. It happened that in the year 1633 there was an unjust act passed by the government, under which Macgregor lost his property, and was hunted for his life. And now Lamont had the opportunity for which he had longed. Macgregor took shelter in his house. Lamont received him with tears of welcome, provided liberally both for him and his family, and died thanking Heaven that he had been able to make some slight atonement for the rash deed which had robbed a father of his child. Osborne. LXXX. THE SERVIANEI YOUTH TO A TRAVELLER. 1. O, LEAVE me! O, leave me! My wants are supplied, and my steed is the fleetest You do not, you cannot deceive me! 2. You say there are brighter And richer domains than the land of our tillage, Will your lands and your cities delight her? 3. O, no! she will tell thee That the place of our birth of all places is dearest, That the heart curls its tendrils round that which is nearest; 4. Then go, thou false rover! We will cling to the scenes which our infancy clung to, Till its green sod our ashes shall cover. LXXXI. THE NINE PARTS OF SPEECH. 1. THREE little words you often see -- 5. Verbs tell of something being done, 7. Conjunctions join the words together; 8. The Preposition stands before A noun, as in or through a door. 9. The Interjection shows surprise; 10. The whole are called Nine Parts of Speech, |