Now gazed at the landscape far and near, He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns, A hurry of hoofs in a village street, A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark, That was all! And yet, through the gloom and the light, And the spark struck out by that steed, in his flight, He has left the village and mounted the steep, It was twelve by the village clock When he crossed the bridge into Medford town. And the barking of the farmer's dog, It was one by the village clock, Swim in the moonlight as he passed, And the meetinghouse windows, blank and bare, As if they already stood aghast At the bloody work they would look upon. It was two by the village clock, When he came to the bridge in Concord town. And the twitter of birds among the trees, And one was safe and asleep in his bed You know the rest. In the books you have read How the farmers gave them ball for ball, So through the night rode Paul Revere; A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door, In the hour of darkness and peril and need, HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW. bar'rack, house for soldiers; gren a diers', foot soldiers, originally so called because they carried grenades or bombs; som'ber, dark; sen'ti nel, guard; im pet'u ous, eager; spec'tral, ghastly; tran'quil, quiet; a ghast', horrified; e merge', come out. 1. How long ago did Paul Revere take his famous ride? 2 From what point did he start? Where did he go? Follow his course on your map. How long a ride was it? 3. Where is the Old North Church? Find out if it is still standing. 4. What was this? was he riding for? At the beginning of what war 5. What is a phantom? Why is the Somerset called a phantom ship? 6. Why is the ladder trembling? 7. What is meant by the night encampment of the dead? 8. What was the line of black that the watcher in the belfry saw? How did the British come? Find the answer in the poem. 9. Why is the church steeple called spectral and somber? 10. Explain the line "The fate of a nation was riding that night." 11. What do the next two lines mean? 12. What did Paul Revere's ride accomplish? Read the lines of the poem that tell us. 13. What does the author mean in the last stanza when he says that in the time of danger Paul Revere's message and the hoof beats of his steed will always be heard? 14. Tell the whole story in your own words. Spelling. Pronouns. Study and write from dictation the first five lines. I. To whom do the underlined words in the following passage refer? Read the stanza aloud and substitute for the underlined words the name for which each stands. And lo! as he looks, on the belfry's height, A glimmer, and then a gleam of light! A second lamp in the belfry burns. II. To what does the word they refer in the following passage? Read aloud, substituting for they the noun for which it stands. Which reads the more smoothly, the version in which you repeat the noun many times, or the one in which some word is used in place of the noun ? And the meetinghouse windows, blank and bare, As if they already stood aghast At the bloody work they would look upon. Rule. A word which is used in place of a noun is called a pronoun. III. In the following sentences substitute for the pronouns the nouns for which they stand: 1. The brook said, "I chatter over stony ways." 2. As he approached the village, Rip Van Winkle met a number of people. 3. A wind came up out of the sea And said, "O mists, make room for me." 4. Squirrels like to make their nests in hollow trees. 5. Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn. 6. Sleep, baby, sleep! Thy father guards the sheep. 7. The plowman homeward plods his weary way. 8. The sea birds screamed as they wheeled around. 73 UNION AND LIBERTY FLAG of the heroes who left us their glory, Borne through their battlefields' thunder and flame, Blazoned in song and illumined in story, Wave o'er us all who inherit their fame! Up with our banner bright, Sprinkled with starry light, Spread its fair emblems from mountain to shore, While through the sounding sky Loud rings the Nation's cry, — UNION AND LIBERTY! ONE EVERMORE! 5 10 |