LESSON XXIV.
lin'net, a kind of bird.
com pare', be equal; have
similar appearance.
wor' ried, troubled; anxious.
hum'ble, meek; lowly.
mis'chiev ous, full of
mischief; troublesome.
grub, dig up by the roots.
THE ILL-NATURED BRIER
Little Miss Brier came out of the ground,
She put out her thorns, and scratched ev'ry thing 'round.
"I'll just try," said she,
"How bad I can be;
At pricking and scratching, there are few can match me."
Little Miss Brier was handsome and bright,
Her leaves were dark green, and her flowers pure white;
But all who came nigh her
Were so worried by her,
They'd go out of their way to keep clear of the Brier.
Little Miss Brier was looking one day
At her neighbor, the Violet, over the way;
"I wonder," said she,
"That no one pets me,
While all seem so glad little Violet to see."
A sober old Linnet, who sat on a tree,
Heard the speech of the Brier, and thus answered he:
"'Tis not that she's fair,
For you may compare
In beauty with even Miss Violet there;
"But Violet is always so pleasant and kind,
So gentle in manner, so humble in mind,
E'en the worms at her feet
She would never ill-treat,
And to Bird, Bee, and Butterfly always is sweet."
Then the gardener's wife the pathway came down,
And the mischievous Brier caught hold of her gown;
"O dear, what a tear!
My gown's spoiled, I declare!
That troublesome Brier!—it has no business there;
Here, John, grub it up; throw it into the fire."
And that was the end of the ill-natured Brier.
Directions for Reading.—This lesson should be read in a spirited manner.
It is suggested to vary the reading exercise by having one pupil read each stanza, and the class repeat it in concert.
Language Lesson.—Let pupils use other words to express the meaning of what is given below in dark type.
There are few can match me.
They'd go out of their way to keep clear of the Brier.
Supply letters omitted from the following words: they'd, gown's, e'en, 'round. Write the words in full.