tanza until you understand it
thoroughly. Practice reading the following passages, giving the
proper emphasis and inflections.

_You know, we French stormed Ratisbon.
With neck outthrust you fancy how.
"We've got you Ratisbon!"
"You're wounded!" "Nay, I'm killed, Sire!"_

WORD STUDY: _Napoleon_, _Ratisbon_, _Bavaria_, _Lannes_; _anon_,
_vans_, _sheathes_, _eaglet_, _Sire_.

Explain: "_To see your flag bird flap his vans._" "_His plans
soared up again like fire._"

[Illustration]

II. DOG TRAY[5]

A beggar child
Sat on a quay's edge: like a bird
Sang to herself at careless play,
And fell into the stream. "Dismay!
Help, you standers-by!" None stirred.

Bystanders reason, think of wives
And children ere they risk their lives.
Over the balustrade has bounced
A mere instinctive dog, and pounced
Plumb on the prize. "How well he dives!"

"Up he comes with the child, see, tight
In mouth, alive, too, clutched from quite
A depth of ten feet--twelve, I bet!
Good dog! What, off again? There's yet
Another child to save? All right!"

"How strange we saw no other fall!
It's instinct in the animal.
Good dog! But he's a long time under:
If he got drowned, I should not wonder--
Strong current, that against the wall!

"Here he comes, holds in mouth this time
--What may the thing be? Well, that's prime!
Now, did you ever? Reason reigns
In man alone, since all Tray's pains
Have fished--the child's doll from the slime!"

FOOTNOTE:

[Footnote 5: By Robert Browning.]

EXPRESSION: Read the story silently, being sure that you understand
it clearly. Then read each passage aloud, giving special attention
to emphasis and inflections. Answer these questions by reading from
the poem:

Where was the child? What did she do?
What did some one cry out?
Why did not the bystanders help?
What did the dog do?
What did one bystander say?
What did another say when the dog came up?
What did he say when the dog went back?

Read correctly: "_Well, that's prime!_" "_Now, did you ever?_"
"_All right!_" "_If he got drowned, I should not wonder._"

In what respects do these two poems differ from your favorite poems
by Longfellow or Tennyson? Do you think there is much music in
them?

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA[6]

It was