“Pent-house.” (Pent is derived from the Latin word pendere, to hang.) The whole word signifies a sloping shed, or, as we ordinarily call it, a “lean-to.”
“Wain.” From the Anglo-Saxon. A wagon.
“Seraglio,” se-răl´yo. The palace of the Turkish sultan, inhabited by his officers and wives. Because the latter live there the word is often used in the sense of harem.
“Mutation.” Change.
“Gabriel Lajeunesse,” la-jeu-ness.
“Felician,” fe-lĭsh´an.
“Plain-song.” A chant in which the tones are of the same length, and the compass rarely beyond an octave.
“Wondrous stone.” The swallow is said to give sight to her young by bringing to her nest a certain stone.
“St. Eu´lalie.” A virgin martyr. When only twelve years of age the young girl left home during the persecution of Diocletian, and in the presence of the judge threw down the idols he had set up. She was tortured to death in 308.
“Summer of all Saints.” The season which Longfellow so beautifully describes here is better known as the Indian Summer. All Saints’ Day is the 1st of November, and as, ordinarily, our Indian Summer comes about that time, the origin of the name is obvious.