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conspicuous. Severus was a warlike Emperor of Rome, and his rule extended over a large portion of Africa, as well as of Europe. He published cruel edicts against the Christians, forbidding them to profess the name of Christ.

2. The reasons for this hostility were various; but the principal cause is no doubt to be found in the calumnies heaped upon the Christians by Heathen priests, and other defenders of a corrupt and abominable system of superstition. It was laid to the charge of the Christians that they were guilty of secret crimes in their religious rites; and the fury of au unthinking populace was thus excited against them.

3. The city of Carthage, in Africa, about the year 202, was the scene of much sanguinary violence against Christians. Among the distinguished martyrs here was a young Christian woman of noble birth, named Vívia Perpèt'uä. She was the mother of an infant but a few weeks old, but this circumstance did not save her from persecution. She was seized and impris

oned.

4. Is it not almost incredible that men could be found who would thus persecute a fellow-creature whose only crime was a difference in opinion on religious subjects? Alas! let us beware of the first violations of the law of charity; for we know not to what excesses an uncharitable temper, aided by bigotry and superstition, may lead us.

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5. Vivia Perpetua had a father, who was tenderly attached to her; but he was a pagan, and eagerly did he strive to make her abjure her faith. "For your child's sake," said he, "if not for your father's, O, my daughter, give up your Christian profession." He visited her in prison, and besought her to take pity on his gray hairs, and yield to the state's authority. She remained firm, though not unmoved.

6. On the following day she was examined, with other Christian prisoners, before a cruel magistrate, named Hilarian. 'Come," said Hilarian, "you have only to sacrifice* to the gods for the emperor's prosperity, and you will be released."—" I

* See the Exercises under the thirty-second elementary sound, page 41.

cannot do it," said Vivia. —“Are you, then, a Christian?" inquired Hilarian. "I am," was her firm reply.

7. As her father heard the words which doomed her, he attempted to draw her off from the platform on which she stood. Hilarian commanded that he should be beaten away. The wretched old man received a blow with a stick, whilst the judge condemned Vivia and other Christians to be exposed to wild beasts in the amphitheatre. Vivia's infant was taken away

from her, and she was led back to prison.

8. On the 7th of March, 202, Vivia left the prison for the amphitheatre. She was accompanied by a female slave, named Felic ́itas, who was also a Christian, and was to suffer with her. When they reached the gate of the amphitheatre, the guard tried to make them put on certain idolatrous badges or robes; but Vivia refused, and said that they had come relying on the promise that they should not be forced to do anything contrary to their faith. They were suffered to pass on without them.

9. They entered the amphitheatre. Vivia sang, like one who had already conquered. Another Christian, as they passed before the balcony where Hilarian sat, said to him, "You judge us 187 in this world, but God will judge you in the next.". Scourge them!" cried some one in the crowd; and, as they passed along, one of the officers applied the lash to each. 10. Vivia and Felicitas were exposed to a wild cow. was the first attacked. The cow tossed her up; she fell on her back, but soon sat up. Her clothes were torn and disordered; she gathered them around her, then got up, calmly fastened her loosened hair, and, perceiving Felicitas lying on the ground, much hurt, she helped her to rise.

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Vivia

11. They stood up together in the a-re'na, quietly expecting the rest. Was not the spectacle enough to melt a heart of stōne? Alas! it did not move the hearts of that cruel, heathen people. Of what is not human nature capable, when unsanctified by the grace of true religion?

12. The wild cow was more merciful than the bigoted heathens. She did not renew her attack. But Vivia and Felicitas were led forth into the centre of the arena, to die there by the hand

of man, within view of all. The two heroic martyrs gave each other the kiss of peace, and meekly resigned themselves to their fate.

13. An unskilful gladiator prolonged the torments of Vivia, by inflicting many slight wounds before the final one. Her hand, more steady than his in that awful moment, had to guide to her own thrōat the sword that was to close her pure and short mortal existence.

14. What is there in human history more noble than the devotion of these women, preferring to die rather than to do what their sanctified consciences forbăde? Vivia Perpetua and Felicitas are amongst the most illustrious of Christian martyrs. For three centuries their venerable relics were preserved in the great church of Carthage. The shrine is fallen, the relics are lost; but the memory of these two noble women still lives.

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1. A MERCHANT was once riding home from the fair," with a knapsack full of money behind him. It rained heavily, and the good man was wet through and through. He was discontented in consequence, and complained bitterly that Providence had sent him such bad weather for his journey.

2. His way led him through a thick wood. Here, with horror, he saw a robber, who pointed a gun at him, and pulled the trigger. The merchant would have been killed, without a chance of escape; but, owing to the rain, the powder had become damp, and the gun did not go off. He put the spur to his horse, and quickly escaped the danger.

3. When he was in safety, he thus said to himself: "What a graceless simpleton I was when I abused the bad weather, and did not rather take it patiently as a dispensation of God! Had the

* According to Walker, the e in the second syllable of this word (as well as of conferrer, conferring, &c.) should have its regular short sound, as in terror, herring, &o., and not the short and obtuse sound which we give to the before r in her, prefer, &c. See paragraph 107, page 44.

sky* been brighter, and the air clear and dry, I should now be lying dead in my blood, and my children would have waited in vain for my return home. The rain, at which I grumbled, has saved both my property and my life. In future, I will not again forget what the proverb says:

'Howe'er1 concealed from us the kind intent,

The ways of God are all in mercy meant.

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1. How beautiful is the rain! After the dust and heat, in the broad and fiery street, in the narrow lane, — how beautiful is the rain!

2. How it clatters along the roofs, like the tramp of hoofs! How it gushes and struggles out, from the throat of the overflowing spout!

3. Across the window-pane it pours and pours; and swift and wide, with a muddy tide, like a river down the gutter roars, the rain, the welcome rain!

4. The sick man from his chamber looks at the twisted brooks; he can feel the cool breath of each little pool; his fevered brain grows calm again, and he breathes a blessing on the rain.

5. From the neighboring school come the boys, with more than wonted noise and commotion; and down the wet streets sail their mimic fleets, till the treacherous pool engulfs them in its whirling and turbulent ocean.

6. In the country, on every side, where far and wide, like a leopard's tawny and spotted hide, stretches the plain, to the dry grass and the dryer grain how welcome is the rain!

7. In the furrowed land the toilsome and patient oxen stand; lifting the yoke-encumbered head, with their dilated nostrils spread, they silently inhale the clover-scented gale, and the vapors that arise from the well-watered and smoking soil.

3. Near at hand, from under the sheltering trees, the farmer

In sky, and kind, there should be, according to Walker, a slight sound of e or y after the k.

sees his pastures, and his fields of grain, as they bend their tops to the numberless beating drops of the incessant rain. He counts it no sin that he sees therein only his own thrift and gain. Longfellow.

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1. COME, take up your hats, and away let us haste
To the Butterfly's ball and the Grasshopper's feast;
The trumpeter Gad-fly has summoned the crew,
And the revels are now only waiting for you.

2. On the smooth-shaven grass, by the side of a wood,
Beneath a broad oak, which for ages had stood,
See the children of earth, and the tenants of air,
For an evening's amusement together repair:

3. And there came the Beetle, so blind and so black,
Who carried the Emmet, his friend, on his back;
And there came the Gnat, and the Dragon-fly too,
And all their relations, green, orange and blue.

4. And there came the Moth, in his plumage of down,
And the Hornet, in jacket of yellow and brown,
Who with him the Wasp, his companion, did bring:
But they promised that evening to lay by their sting.
5. And the sly little Dormouse crept out of his hole,
And led to the feast his blind brother, the Mole;
And the snail, with his horns peeping out from his shell,
From a great distance came the length of an ell.

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A water-dock leaf, which a table-cloth made;

The viands were various, to each of their taste,
And the Bee brought his honey to sweeten the feast.

7.. There, close on his haunches, so solemn and wise,
The Frog from a corner looked up to the skies;

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And the Squirrel, well pleased such diversion to see,
Sat cracking his nuts overhead in a tree.

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