"Arthur, did you, or did you not tell me," Henry continued, 66 that you have an old friend who is soon to go to sea, and that he has promised to bring you a male and female monkey, a male and female bird-of-paradise, a barrel of pine-apples, and a Shetland pony?"

"It doesn't seem as if I told you exactly that," I replied. "Did you, or did you not tell him so?" said the officer, severely.

66

Perhaps I did," I responded.

"Did said friend, who is soon to go to sea, really promise to bring you said monkeys, said birds-of-paradise, said pine-apples, and said pony?"

"No," I replied, "but I really have an old friend who is going to sea, and he'll bring me anything I wish."

Oh! Oh! Oh!" swept around the room again, "he really has an old friend who is going to sea, and he'll bring him anything he wishes."

"Did you, or did you not," said Henry, turning to me again, "tell me one day, when dining at your Aunt's, you saw a magic portrait of a boy, upon the wall, that came and went, and came and went, like a shadow or a ghost?"

"Yes," I responded, "and it looked just like you. Oh! it did, it did, it did! There-turn your head a little more that way-so! It was a perfect picture of you, Henry. You never could imagine such a likeness."

66

6

You are a little blower," " volunteered Jack Linton, from

a corner.

"Order! Order! Order!" swept around the room.

All

At this moment a strange silence seized the assembly. eyes were directed toward the door, upon which my back was turned. I wheeled around to find the cause of the interruption.

There, in the door-way, towering above us all, and looking questioningly down upon the little assembly, stood Mr. Bird.

"What does this mean?" inquired the master.

I flew to his side and took his hand. The officer who had presided, being the largest boy, explained that they had been trying to break Arthur Bonnicastle of lying, and that they were about to order him to report to the master for confession and correction.

Then Mr. Bird took a chair, and patiently heard the whole story. Without a reproach, further than saying that he thought me much too young for experiments of the kind they had instituted in the case, he explained to them and to me the nature of my misdemeanors.

"The boy has a great deal of imagination," he said, “and a strong love of approbation. Somebody has probably flattered his power of invention, and, to secure admiration, he has exercised it, until he has acquired the habit of exaggeration. I am glad if he has learned, even by the severe means used, that, if he wishes to be loved and admired, he must always tell the exact truth, neither more nor less. If had come to me, I could have told you all about the lad, and instituted a better mode of dealing with him. But I venture to say that he is cured. Aren't you, Arthur?" And he stooped and lifted me to his face and looked into my eyes.

you

"I don't think I shall do it any more," I said.

Bidding the boys disperse, he carried me down stairs into his own room, and charged me with kind counsel. I went out from the interview, humbled, and without a revengeful thought in my heart toward the boys who had brought me to my trial. I saw that they were my friends, and I was determined to prove myself worthy of their friendship.

Jack Linton was waiting for me on the piazza, and wished to explain to me that he hadn't anything against me. "I went

in with the rest of 'em, because they wanted me to," said Jack, and because I wanted to see what it would be like; but, really, now, I don't object so much to blowing' myself."

I told him that I wasn't going to

I had arranged it all with Mr. Bird.

blow' any more, and that

He shook hands with me, and then stooped down and whispered, "You don't catch me trying any High old Society of Inquiries on a chap of your size, again."

JOSIAH GILBERT HOLLAND (1819–81), almost always spoken of as J. G. Holland, was an American poet and author. He was born in a little town in Massachusetts. He began his literary career by starting a small weekly newspaper, and was for many years a noted journalist. His popular "Timothy Titcomb's Letters to the Young" were first published in the Springfield Republican, of which newspaper Mr. Holland was at that time editor. He helped to found and afterward became the editor-in-chief of Scribner's Magazine, now called The Century magazine. It was in this magazine that many of his novels first appeared-among them, "Arthur Bonnicastle," from which this story is taken by permission of the publishers, Messrs. Charles Scribner's Sons.

A noun is a word used as the name of a person, place, or thing. A proper noun is a name used to denote a particular person, place, or thing. Examples: Josiah, Massachusetts, Century.

A common noun is a name used to denote one of a class of persons or things. Examples: son, river.

In "Horatius at the Bridge" find and make a list of ten proper nouns; of ten common nouns.

POCAHONTAS

At last I was ushered into the presence of Powhatan, and found him seated before a fire, on a seat somewhat resembling a bedstead, covered with a great robe made of raccoon-skins, with all the tails hanging thereto.

On either hand did sit a young wench of sixteen or eighteen years, and along each side of the house were two rows of men, and behind them as many women, all with their heads and shoulders painted red; many of their heads were bedecked with the white down of birds, but every one wore something in the hair, and great chains of white beads about their necks.

When I made my entrance before the king, all the people gave a great shout, and, to do me honor, the Queen of Appamatuck was appointed to bring me water wherewith I might wash my hands, and another brought me a bunch of feathers wherewith to dry them, instead of a towel; and then they feasted me in the best manner they could; which, after all, was but barbarous.

Then they held a great consultation about me, which I could not altogether understand, but the conclusion was that I was to die; a fate which, in truth, was near coming to pass, but for God's goodness, as you shall hear. And, indeed, it did seem as if my last hour was at hand, for as many of the savages as could laid hold of me, and, having brought two great stones, which they placed before Powhatan, they dragged me to them, and laid my head thereon, making ready with their clubs to beat out my

brains.

But now, mark the mercy of God towards me when in this Their clubs were evil case, for surely it was his handiwork.

raised, and in another moment I should have been dead, when Pocahontas, the king's dearest daughter, finding no entreaties

could prevail to save me, darted forward, and, taking my head in her arms, laid her own upon it, and thus prevented my death. She thus claimed me as her own, and for her sake Powhatan was contented that I should live, and that I should henceforth spend my time in making him hatchets and bells and beads and copper ornaments for Pocahontas. They made no manner of doubt but that I could make all these things, for in that country the men are of all handicrafts; nay, even the king himself will make his own robes, shoes, bows and arrows, or pots; plant, hunt, and do the same as his subjects.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH.

wench, woman.

ap-point'ed, selected; chosen.

hand'i-crafts, trades requiring skilful use of the hands.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH

(1579-1631), is a familiar name to all

American school boys and girls. Almost all that is known of his life has