Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1912-12-26
WHAT IS THE MA TIER
WITH A CHILD'S READING
rom Free Text Books In the Point
of View.


From Free Text Books In the Poin
of View.
How often, in my childhood, whei
the evening shut us in to the cosiness
of the family sitting room. and we
gathered about the table and the biz
lamp. when checkers and dominoes
had ceased to be exciting, some inspired
member of the group suggested, Lets
read in the Reading Book!
And then we "chose" and read alouG
our favorite poems--it was always the
poems which We're selected
AT midnight in his guarded tent.
The Turk was dreaming of the hour
When Greece. her knee N suppliance bent.
Should tremhle at his power.
In the Old Reading Books.
What was there so enhancing about
that We listened spellbound from
selected Marco Bozzaris started in
with those magic words; and when he
came to the hero's battle call
Strike-till the last armed foe expires.
St.ike-for your affairs and your fires
Strike fcr the green graves OF your slres.
God. and YOUR native land.
1t was with difficulty that we kept our
hearts within our breasts. I'd give 81
for an orchestra seat any time now to
experience such II thrill as that; but
alas those thrills are not sold with
the tickets.
"'i'Ee Eve of Waterloo was apt to
follow, the same elocutionist usually
giving us several numbers in success
sion. and jack was partial to midnight
eXcitements
There w;.A sound of revelry by night.
All, Relgiums capital, Whatever
other delights you haze to offer. my
Iu-s
the fact that you "gathered then your
beauty aud your chivalry.
Nh heart almost stood still at the
words.
but hush, hark. a deep sound strikes like
a rising knell.
and ! am certain that my own checks
grew pale, though they had never had
u chance to blush at the praise OF their
own lovelinesS.
With what fine effect Jack read, with
due rhetorical pauses
The Midnight brought the signal sound of
strife.
The Morn the marshal in arms-the Day
Battles magnifcently stern array.
The Charge of the Light Brigade"
was frequently next on the list, and
by the time that Ned's turn came the
funeral odcs We're quite in order.
Not a drum was heard. not funeral note.
for one had no idea who Sir John
Moore might have been. but | attended
his obsequies with deep reverence, and
felt 1t very solemn and beautiful that
He lay like . warrior taking his rest.
With his marital cloak around him.
But The Burial of Moses" All. there
was poetry for YOU!
My affection for Il writer already
We'll beloved was definitely strength
encd when read, only the other day,
that ever since his boyhood Mark
Twain had counted The Burial of
Moses, as one of his favorite poems.
He read it in a. reading book first, l
avn almost certain. suppose that it
must have appeared elsewhere origin
ally. but l find 1t impossible to assoc
ciate it with amy other book than Il
we'll thumbed old reader.
Bat no man built that scpulchrc.
And no man saw it e'er
For the angels of God uptllrned the sod
Ard laid the dead man there.
What sense of majesty flied us,
With the stately marching of those
lines.
The Execution of Montrose' was n
favurite With Ned.
There WAS 2loiy on his, forehead
There was lns,re in his eye.
And he never walked 70 buttle more
proudly han 20 die,
That was Very splendid. of course.
but that CHASTITY gibbet.'' even though
ii WAS cheated of it's spoils. hadsesuch
n depressing effect upon my inlagina
ton That l was glad whom Nell's tlrm
came.
We could count on her selection ev-
cry time:
50 during in love. and so dauntless in war
Have We e'er heard of gallant like young
lochnvar%