[!-- Marker --] LESSON LXXV.

WASTE, desolate region.
PRO CEED', come forth.
CHASM, gap; opening.
COILS, folds; convolutions.
MAN I FEST, plain; evident.
PRE SERV' ER, protector.
AL LE' GI ANCE, duty; loyalty.
RAY, make bright; adorn.
EX PAND, swell; dilate.
FA' THER LAND, native land.
GUER DON, reward; recompense.
PROF' FER, offer; tender.
PIT' E OUS, mournful; sorrowful.
IM PET' U OUS LY, furiously.
AT TRACT', (AT, to; TRACT, draw;) draw to; allure.
IN VEST', (IN, to; VEST, clothe;) clothe in or with; inclose; surround.
PRO TEST, (PRO, before; TEST, witness;) witness before; openly declare.

[Headnote 1: PY THON is the name of a large serpent, fabled to have been slain by the god Apollo.]

SIR WALTER AND THE LION.

A. WALCHNER.

1. Sir Walter of Thurn, over the Syrian waste,
Rides away with a flowing rein;
But he hears a groan that checks his haste,
As if death were in the strain.
He spurs his steed
Whence the sounds proceed;
And there, from a rocky chasm, arise
Fierce cries of pain, that assail the skies;
And his horse uprears
In excess of fears,
As the glance of a lion attracts his eyes.
2. Fierce struggling there in the monster folds
Of a serpent that round him twines;
Sir Walter a moment the scene beholds,
Then to save the beast inclines.
His good sword stout
From its sheath leaps out,
When down it falls on the Python's[Headnote 1] crest,
And cleaves the coils that the lion invest;
And the noble beast,
From its thrall released,
Shows grateful joy most manifest.
3. He shakes his mane, and bends his form,
And licks his preserver's hand,
As if he yields allegiance warm
To his supreme command.
Like the faithful hound
To be constant found,
And follow his steps for evermore;
And thus he follows, on sea and shore,
In the battle's tide,
He stands by his side,
Or with him rests when the strife is o'er.
4. In Palestine Sir Walter is known,—
Long years attest his fame;
And many brave deeds he there hath done,
That ray with glory his name;
But his heart doth expand
For the fatherland,
And he fain its pleasant scenes would see,
With his friendly lion for company;
But with fearful breast,
The sailors protest,
As they glanced at the beast and his majesty.
5. Rich guerdon he proffers, and golden store;
But though the prize were great,
The sailors hurry away from the shore
As if from the doom of fate.
The poor beast moans
In piteous tones,
Then darts impetuously o'er the sands,—
Then looks to the ship, and mournfully stands;
Then plunges into the gloomy wave,
The perils of the depths to brave.
Already he nears the flying bark,
Already his roar of grief they hark;
But his strength is spent, and the sea is strong,
And he may not the fearful struggle prolong.
His dying glances are fondly cast
Along the track where the loved one passed;
Then sinks to his grave
Beneath the wave,
And the night and the ocean behold him the last.

QUESTIONS.—1. What did Sir Walter discover as he was riding over the Syrian waste? 2. What did he do? 3. What did the lion do, after being released? 4. Did the sailors allow the lion to go on board the ship? 5. What did the lion then do? 6. What became of him?

[!-- Marker --] LESSON LXXVI.

VAL' IANT, strong; courageous,
INC LI NA' TION, desire; tendency.
RE PLEN' ISH ED, filled up.
DIS SEV' ER, part; sunder.
SHIV' ER, dash to pieces.
EC STAT' IC, rapturous.
CON CLU' SION, result.
CON CEP' TION, thought; idea.
DEF' ER ENCE, respect.
PHYS I CAL, material.
AR' RANT, mere; vile.
TIME'-BAN DI ED, time-lost.
DE VEL' OP ED, brought out.
CON STEL LA' TIONS, clusters of stars.
DE SIGN ED, planned.
COM BIN' ED, united.
UNINTERRUPTED, (UN, not; INTER, in between; RUPTED, broken;) not broken in between; unbroken.