And dark as winter was the flow

Of Iser, rolling rapidly.

But Linden saw another sight,

When the drum beat, at dead of night,
Commanding fires of death to light
The darkness of her scenery.

By torch and trumpet fast arrayed,
Each horseman drew his battle blade,
And furious every charger neighed
To join the dreadful revelry.

Then shook the hills with thunder riven,
Then rushed the steed to battle driven,
And louder than the bolts of heaven
Far flashed the red artillery.

But redder yet that light shall glow
On Linden's hills of stainéd snow,
And bloodier yet the torrent flow
Of Iser, rolling rapidly.

'Tis morn; but scarce yon level sun
Can pierce the war clouds, rolling dun,
Where furious Frank and fiery Hun
Shout in their sulphurous canopy.
The combat deepens. On, ye brave,
Who rush to glory, or the grave!
Wave, Munich! all thy banners wave,
And charge with all thy chivalry!

Few, few shall part where many meet!
The snow shall be their winding sheet,
And every turf beneath their feet

Shall be a soldier's sepulcher. - THOMAS CAMPBell,

POOR LITTLE JOE

[A very interesting study in pause and facial expression. Imagine that the sick boy is before you. Watch his face and take time to hear his replies just as if he were really present. The questions in italics are supposed to have been spoken by Joe, but are repeated aloud by you, as is often the case. This calls for careful inflection.]

Prop yer eyes wide open, Joey,

Fur I've brought you sumpin' great.
Apples? No, a heap sight better !

Don't you take no int'rest? Wait!
Flowers, Joe-I know'd you like 'em —

Ain't them scrumptious? Ain't them high?
Tears, my boy? Wot's them fur, Joey?
There-poor little Joe! - don't cry!

Well, I thought of you, poor feller,
Lyin' here so sick and weak,
Never knowin' any comfort,
And I puts on lots o' cheek.

66

Missus," says I,
says I, "if you please, mum,

Could I ax you for a rose?

For my little brother, missus —

Never seed one, I suppose."

Then I told her all about you—

How I bringed you up, poor Joe! (Lackin' women folks to do it.)

Sich a' imp you was, you know-
Till yer got that awful tumble,
Jist as I had broke yer in
(Hard work, too) to earn yer livin'
Blackin' boots for honest tin.

How that tumble crippled of you,
So's you couldn't hyper much-
Joe, it hurted when I seen you

Fur the first time with yer crutch. “But,” I says, "he's laid up now, mum, 'Pears to weaken every day"; Joe, she up and went to cuttin’— That's the how of this bokay.

Say! It seems to me, ole feller,
You is quite yerself to-night;
Kind o'chirk - it's been a fortnit

Sence yer eyes has been so bright.
Better? Well, I'm glad to hear it!
Yes, they're mighty pretty, Joe.
Smellin' of 'em's made you happy?

Well, I thought it would, you know!

Never see the country, did you?

Flowers growin' everywhere! Some time when you're better, Joey, Mebbe I kin take you there. Flowers in heaven? 'M-I s'pose so: Dunno much about it, though;

Ain't as fly as wot I might be

On them topics, little Joe.

But I've heard it hinted somewheres

That in heaven's golden gates Things is everlastin' cheerful

B'lieve that's wot the Bible states. Likewise, there folks don't git hungry; So good people, when they dies, Finds themselves well fixed foreverJoe, my boy, wot ails yer eyes?

Thought they looked a little sing❜ler.
Oh, no! Don't you have no fear;
Heaven was made fur sich as you is
Joe, wot makes you look so queer?
Here- wake up!
Joe! My boy!

Oh, don't look that way
Hold up yer head!

Here's yer flowers - you dropped 'em, Joey!

Oh, my God, can Joe be dead?

- PELEG ARKWRIGHT

CHAPTER VII

BREATHING

EVERY time we think a new thought, we breathe. The more profound or earnest the thought, the deeper and fuller the breath.

Whenever we wish to express our thoughts with more than ordinary energy, we prepare for the expression by taking a full breath, just as we do when gathering up our energies for any form of physical exertion. For example: try to move some heavy object and notice how you brace at the waist for the effort. Then shout loudly, "Hello there!" and notice how very similar the action at the waist is.

Untrained speakers waste breath by contracting the chest, that is, thrusting, or sometimes almost coughing, out the breath when speaking loudly. This is incorrect. If you will now take a full breath and at the moment of shouting expand the chest, you will find that the tone is clearer and more musical, while there is no sense of fatigue following the effort unless it is too often repeated. Forcible expulsion of breath while speaking produces huskiness.

EXERCISE I

With the throat open, and jaw hanging loosely : (1) Take a full breath, as if inhaling the perfume of a flower.