And WILL, a brother twin; Shoulder to shoulder, ever ready, I CAN climbs to the mountain top, Then say "I can!" Yes, let it ring; There is a volume 2 there: There's meaning in the eagle's wing: Then soar, and do, and DARE. Oh, banish from you every "Can't," And nothing will your purpose daunt, 1 main, ocean or main sea. 2 volume, power. * 10 * CASABIANCA.1 A TRUE STORY. THE boy stood on the burning deck, A proud, though childlike form! The flames rolled on - he would not go He knew not that the chieftain lay "Speak, father!" once again he cried, 2 And but the booming 3 shots replied, And fast the flames rolled on. 1 Casabianca was son to a French Admiral commanding the flag-ship L'Orient at the battle of the Nile, 1798. 2 but, only. 3 booming, deep sounding. Upon his brow he felt their breath, And looked from that lone post of death And shouted but once more aloud, "My father! must I stay?" While o'er him fast, through sail and shroud, The wreathing fires made way. They wrapt the ship in splendor wild, They caught the flag on high, And streamed above the gallant child, There came a burst of thunder-sound- With fragments strewed the sea, — But the noblest thing which perished there Was that young faithful heart! MRS. FELICIA HEMANS. * 11-* ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY. THE boy who does a stroke, and stops, 'Tis the aggregate 2 of single drops 1 pennon, small flag. 2 aggregate, whole amount, mass. The mountain was not at its birth The little atoms of sand and earth Not all at once the morning streams,1 Not from the snow-drift, May awakes, Upon the orchard, rain must fall, The farmer needs must sow and till, Swift heels may get the early shout, It is the patient holding out That makes the winner win. 1 streams, emits streams of light. 2 retinue, train of followers. Make this your motto, then, at start, And steady up both hand and heart, — ALICE CARY. * 12 * LITTLE BY LITTLE. ONE step, and then another, And the largest rent is mended; And the highest wall is made; And the deepest snow is laid. So the little coral-workers,1 By their slow but constant motion, Have been patiently achieved.3 1 coral, a hard limy substance of various colors. It is really the skeletons of a kind of animal resembling plants or flowers. In some warm latitudes of the ocean they have formed coral-reefs or coral islands. 2 conceived, planned. 3 achieved, done. |