+watchman cried, and told the king. alone, there is tidings in his mouth. drew near.

And the king said, If he be
And he came apace, and

12. And the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold, another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. And the watchman said, Methinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.

13. And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. And the king said unto him, Turn aside and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.

14. And behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings my lord the king; for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

15. And the king was much moved', and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept'; and as he went', thus he said', O my son Absalom'! my son,' my son Absalom! would to God I had died for thee', O Absalom', my son, my son'!

BIBLE.

QUESTIONS. -What three officers did David appoint over the host? Why did not David himself go forth to the battle? What charge did David give to the three officers respecting Absalom? What was the result of the battle? What was the fate of Absalom? What motives probably influenced Joab to such a course of cruelty? effect of the news of Absalom's death upon king David? Explain the inflections in the last two lines. (Persons addressed and emphatic repetition. Rules IV and II, 4§.)

What was the

LESSON XXXII.

REMARK. In reading, be careful not to join the final consonant of one word to the vowel of the next word, something in the following way, viz: They gathered roun dim on the fresh green bank,

And spoke their kindly words; an das the sun

Rose upineaven, &c.

Be careful to avoid this fault, by articulating distinctly such words in the above, as "round him," ," "and as," and "up in heaven," and the following and similar words in the lesson, viz: bared his, not bare dis: bow'd his, not bow dis: words of, not wor dsof: and his voice went up, not an dis voi swen tup: garb of, not gar bef.

15. Court'-e-sy, n. (pro. kurt'-e-sy) civ- ¡ 35. Sway'-ed, v. leaned, moved back and ilty, politeness.

forth.

40. Trail'-ing,n. dragging on the ground. 41. Re-vers'-ed, p. turned side for side, or end for end.

55. Sack'-cloth, n, a coarse cloth worn by mourners.

3. Mant'-ling, a. covering with crimson.

1.

ABSALOM.

He had fled

KING DAVID's limbs were weary.
From far Jerusalem; and now he stood,
With his faint people, for a little rest
Upon the shore of Jordan. The light wind
5. Of morn was stirring, and he bared his brow
To its refreshing breath; for he had worn.

+

The mourner's covering, and he had not felt
That he could see his people until now.

They gathered round him on the fresh green bank
10. And spoke their kindly words; and, as the sun
Rose up in heaven, he knelt among them there,
And bowed his head upon his hands to pray.
Oh! when the heart is full, when bitter thoughts
Come crowding thickly up for utterance,
15. And the poor common words of courtesy
Are such a very mockery', how much
The bursting heart may pour itself in prayer'!
He prayed for Israel'; and his voice went up'
Strongly and fervently'. He prayed for those

+

20. Whose love had been his shield'; and his deep tones
Grew tremulous'. But, oh! for Absalom,
For his estranged, misguided Absalom,

The proud, bright being, who had burst away,
In all his princely beauty, to defy

25. The heart that cherished him, for him he poured,
In agony that would not be controlled,
Strong supplication, and forgave him there,
Before his God, for his deep sinfulness.

30. The pall was settled. He who slept beneath
Was straightened for the grave; and, as the folds
Sunk to the still proportions, they betrayed
The matchless symmetry of Absalom.
His hair was yet unshorn, and silken curls

35. Were floating round the tassals as they swayed
To the admitted air, as glossy now,

As when, in hours of gentle dalliance, bathing
The snowy fingers of Judea's girls.

His helm was at his feet: his banner', soiled
40. With trailing through Jerusalem', was laid,
Reversed', beside' him: and the jeweled hilt',
Whose diamonds lit the passage of his blade',
Rested, like mockery', on his covered brow'.
The soldiers of the king trod to and fro,
45. Clad in the garb of battle; and their chief,
The mighty Joab, stood beside the bier,
And gazed upon the dark pall steadfastly,
As if he feared the slumberer might stir.
A slow step startled him. He grasped his blade
50. As if a trumpet rang; but the bent form
Of David entered, and he gave command,

In a low tone, to his few followers,

Who left him with his dead. The king stood still
Till the last echo died: then, throwing off
55. The sackcloth from his brow, and laying back
The pall from the still features of his child,
He bowed his head upon him, and broke forth
In the resistless eloquence of woe:

1. "Alas! my noble boy, that thou shouldst die!
Thou, who wert made so beautifully fair!
That death should settle in thy glorious eye,
And leave his stillness in this clustering hair!
How could he mark thee for the silent tomb,
My proud boy, Absalom!

2. "Cold is thy brow, my son, and I am chill,
As to my bosom I have tried to press thee.
How was I wont to feel my pulses thrill,

+

Like a rich harpstring, yearning to caress thee,
And hear thy sweet " my father" from these dumb
And cold lips, Absalom!

3. "The grave hath won thee. I shall hear the gush
Of music, and the voices of the young:

And life will pass me in the mantling blush,
And the dark tresses to the soft winds flung,
But thou no more, with thy sweet voice, shalt come
To meet me, Absalom!

4. "And, oh! when I am stricken, and my heart,
Like a bruised reed, is waiting to be broken,
How will its love for thee, as I depart,

+ Yearn for thine ear to drink its last deep token!
It were so sweet, amid death's gathering gloom,
To see thee, Absalom!

5. "And now, farewell! 'T is hard to give thee up,
With death, so like a gentle slumber, on thee:
And thy dark sin! Oh! I could drink the cup,

If from this woe its bitterness had won thee.
May God have called thee, like a wanderer, home,
My erring Absalom!"

He covered up his face, and bowed himself
A moment on his child: then, giving him
A look of melting tenderness, he clasped
His hand convulsively, as if in prayer,
And, as a strength were given him of God,
He rose up calmly, and composed the pall
Firmly and decently, and left him there,
As if his rest had been a breathing sleep.

WILLIS.

QUESTIONS. -What had Absalom done to wring the heart of his father? What was the manner of his death? Specify some of the poetic beauties of this piece.

LESSON XXXIII.

REMARK.-Let every pupil notice, as each one reads, when the final consonant of any word is joined to the vowel of the next word.

ARTICULATE distinctly.- Whole of, not who lof: and indeed, not an dindeed: eminent orators, not eminen torators: talents in, not talen tsin: celebrated in peace and war, not celebraty din pea san dwar.

2. Ad-vent'-ur-ers, n. those who attempt | 3. Sig'-nal-i-zed, v. made remarkable. difficult enterprises. De-tach'-ment, n. a party sent off from the main body.

Sum'-ma-ry, a. short, brief.

SPEECH OF LOGAN, CHIEF OF THE MINGOES.

1. I MAY challenge the whole of the orations of Demosthenes and Cicero, and, indeed, of any more eminent orators, if Europe, or the world, has furnished more eminent, to produce a single passage superior to the speech of Logan, a Mingo chief, delivered to Lord Dunmore, when governor of Virginia. As a testimony of Indian talents in this line, I beg leave to introduce it, by first stating the incidents necessary for understanding it.

+

+

2. In the spring of the year 1774, a robbery was committed, by some Indians, upon certain land adventurers on the Ohio river. The whites in that quarter, according to their custom, undertook to punish this outrage in a summary way. Captain Michael Cresap, and one Daniel Greathouse, leading on these parties, surprised, at different times, traveling and hunting parties of the Indians, who had their women and children with them, and murdered many. Among these, were unfortunately the family of Logan, a chief celebrated in peace and war, and long distinguished as the friend of the whites.

+

3. This unworthy return provoked his vengeance. He accordingly signalized himself in the war which ensued. In the autumn of the same year a + decisive battle was fought at the mouth of the Great Kanhawa, between the collected forces of the Shawnees, the Mingoes, and the Delawares, and a detachment of the Virginia militia. The Indians were defeated, and sued for peace.