ing
Sweeps up the burden of whole wintry plains
In one wide waft, and o'er the hapless flocks,
Hid in the hollow of two neighboring hills,
The billowy tempest 'whelms; till, upward urged,
The valley to a shining mountain swells,
Tipped with a wreath high-curling in the sky

DEFINITIONS.--1. Ma'zy, winding. 2. Hoar, white or grayish white. E-mits',
sends forth, throws out, 3. Win'now-ing, separat-ing chaff from grain by
means of wind. Boon, a gift. 4. Em--broil'ing, throwing into disorder or
contention. 5, A-skance', side-ways. 6. Wilds, woods, forests. Be-set',
hemmed in on all sides so that escape is difficult. 7. Dire, dreadful,
terrible. Waft, a current of wind. Whelms', covers completely.

NOTE.--4. Household gods. An allusion to the belief of the ancient Romans
in the Penates--certain gods who were supposed to protect the household
and all connected with it. The idea here expressed is, that the Redbreast
was secure from harm.

XLIX. BEHIND TIME.

1. A railroad train was rushing along at almost lightning speed. A curve
was just ahead, beyond which was a station where two trains usually met.
The conductor was late,--so late that the period during which the up train
was to wait had nearly elapsed; but he hoped yet to pass the curve safely.
Suddenly a locomotive dashed into sight right ahead. In an instant there
was a collision. A shriek, a shock, and fifty souls were in eternity; and
all because an engineer had been behind time.

2. A great battle was going on. Column after column had been precipitated
for eight hours on the enemy posted along the ridge of a hill. The summer
sun was sinking in the west; reenforcements for the obstinate defenders
were already in sight; it was necessary to carry the position with one
final charge, or everything would be lost.

3. A powerful corps had been summoned from across the country, and if it
came up in season all would yet be well. The great conqueror, confident in
its arrival, formed his reserve into an attacking column, and ordered them
to charge the enemy. The whole world knows the result. Grouchy failed to
appear; the imperial guard was beaten back; and Waterloo was lost.
Napoleon died a prisoner at St. Helena because one of his marshals was
behind time.

4. A leading firm in commercial circles had long struggled against
bankruptcy. As it had large sums of money in California, it expected
remittances by a certain day, and if they arrived, it