duke himself; and he at once thanked him for the favour and kindness with which he had been treated. The duke was so much pleased with the worth and honesty of the boy, that he ordered him to be sent to school, and gave him a thorough education. Richard in time became a distinguished man; but he never forgot the duke's kindness, nor the means by which it had been obtained.

THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH.

UNDER a spreading chestnut tree
The village 'smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and "sinewy hands:
And the muscles of his 'brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,

His face is like the "tan;

His brow is wet with honest sweat,

He earns whate'er he can,

And looks the whole world in the face,

For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn till night,

You can hear his bellows blow;

8

You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat, and slow,

Like a 'sexton ringing the village bell
When the evening sun is low.

And children coming home from school

Look in at the open door;

They love to see the flaming "forge,
And hear the bellows roar,

And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like "chaff from a 12threshing-floor.
He goes on Sunday to the church,
And sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach ;
He hears his daughter's voice
Singing in the village 13 choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.

"AND CHILDREN COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL LOOK IN AT THE OPEN DOOR" (p. 132).

It sounds to him like her mother's voice, Singing in Paradise!

He needs must think of her once more, How in the grave she lies;

And with his hard rough hand he wipes A tear out of his eyes.

3

"Toiling, rejoicing,-sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes:
Each morning sees some task begun,
Each evening sees its 15 close;
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's "repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught !
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be 18 wrought,

Thus on its sounding "anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought.

4

9

Longfellow.

'smithy, blacksmith's shop. 2mighty, full of strength; powerful. sinewy, very strong. muscles, fleshy parts by means of which the arms perform their movements. brawny, strong.. crisp, curly. tan, the brown inner bark of the oak tree, used in tanning. 8 sledge, heavy hammer. sexton, grave-digger, and sometimes bell-ringer. 10 forge, blacksmith's fire. "chaff, the husks of corn. 12 threshing-floor or thrashing-floor, the barn floor on which grain is threshed out with the flail. 13 choir, a band of singers. 14 toiling, working very hard. 15 close, the finish or completion of the task or work. attempted, tried; taken up to work upon. repose, rest. 18 wrought, made. 19 anvil, the iron block on which the smith hammers his work into shape.

17

16

BIANCA and Beppo were two little 1Italian children.

Their father was a duke, and they lived years and

years ago, when a clever and cruel woman named 2 Catharine de Medici was living her wicked life. Through her wickedness a terrible trouble came to the home where these children lived.

3

It was a beautiful castle, adorned with fine pictures, lovely statues, and flowers that bloomed at nearly every window. There were singing birds too, that sang just as our birds sing to-day. But pictures, or flowers, or birds were not half so bright, blooming, and merry as Beppo and Bianca. Their father used to say that the very armour hanging in his halls rang with their childish laughter.

4

One night, when their mother was away on a visit, the children, lying in their little carved and gilded beds, side by side, were awakened by a sudden noise, as if men were scuffling below; and after that they could not go to sleep again. For a long time they lay trembling and silent; at last Beppo said,

"Bianca, wait thou here while I go down and speak to our father. Perhaps he is still asleep. There has been evil work done, and I should have roused him long ago."

"Nay, Beppo," said Bianca, shuddering, “our men have been fighting, and it may be their swords are yet drawn. Do not go among them."

"Our people love us well," said Beppo, and he added proudly, "I could handle a sword myself, if need be."

"Take me with thee," said Bianca.

So the two children rose softly, and hastily

putting on their clothes, stole down the dark stone stairway together. Once a ray of moonlight, coming through a high narrow window overhead, made them start; but when they reached their father's chamber, and found the door wide open, the bed empty, disordered, and signs of violence in the room, they clung to each other in dread and terror.

Bianca, hardly knowing what she did, ran screaming from the chamber, out into the long dark hall, and on through the great oaken door that, standing open, led to a marble terrace.

Beppo followed her. On his way he saw one of the duke's people lying very still. "Fesco! Fesco! are you hurt?" called Beppo, again and again.

But Fesco did not answer; and, with a shudder, the boy bounded past him, and joined Bianca on the terrace.

Down the long walk, past the beautiful garden, and out through the open gateway, they flew together, two little half-clad children, chilly with fear on that warm, bright night, and trembling at every sound. Oh, if their father would but return!

'Italian, belonging to Italy, a country in South Europe. 2 Catharine de Medici, queen of Henry II. of France. For nearly thirty years the government of France was entirely in her hands. She sacrificed everything to her ambition. She caused the fearful massacre of the Protestants on St. Bartholomew's Day, and even had her own friends and relations assassinated when they did anything to oppose her. She died, forsaken and abhorred by all, in the year 1589. statues, carved images. 4 armour, covering worn for protection in battle; war weapons. terrace, a level space or platform of earth raised above the surrounding land. This terrace was paved with marble.