The boy believed that it was the arrival of his four little black things which had worked this miracle, and I do not think he was mistaken.

Without the crickets, and his good little heart, would this happy change have taken place in his mother's fortunes?

_From the French of Pierre J. Hetzel._

Jacques (zh[:a]k), James.

In the selection, find ten sentences that ask questions, and five that express commands or requests.

What mark of punctuation always follows the first kind? The second?

Memorize:

In the evening I sit near my poker and tongs, And I dream in the firelight's glow, And sometimes I quaver forgotten old songs That I listened to long ago.

Then out of the cinders there cometh a chirp Like an echoing, answering cry,-- Little we care for the outside world, My friend the cricket, and I.

For my cricket has learnt, I am sure of it quite, That this earth is a silly, strange place, And perhaps he's been beaten and hurt in the fight, And perhaps he's been pa.s.sed in the race.

But I know he has found it far better to sing Than to talk of ill luck and to sigh,-- Little we care for the outside world, My friend the cricket, and I.

_34_

For Recitation:

OUR HEROES.

Here's a hand to the boy who has courage To do what he knows to be right; When he falls in the way of temptation He has a hard battle to fight.

Who strives against self and his comrades Will find a most powerful foe: All honor to him if he conquers; A cheer for the boy who says "No!"

There's many a battle fought daily The world knows nothing about; There's many a brave little soldier Whose strength puts a legion to rout.

And he who fights sin single-handed Is more of a hero, I say, Than he who leads soldiers to battle, And conquers by arms in the fray.

Be steadfast, my boy, when you're tempted, And do what you know to be right; Stand firm by the colors of manhood, And you will o'ercome in the fight.

"The right!" be your battle cry ever In waging the warfare of life; And G.o.d, who knows who are the heroes, Will give you the strength for the strife.

_Phoebe Cary._

From "Poems for the Study of Language." Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Publishers.

Write sentences each containing one of the following words:

I, me; he, him; she, her; they, them.

Memory Gems:

For raising the spirits, for brightening the eyes, for bringing back vanished smiles, for making one brave and courageous, light-hearted and happy, there is nothing like a good Confession.

_Father Bearne, S.J._

Heroes must be more than driftwood Floating on a waveless tide.

For right is right, since G.o.d is G.o.d; And right the day must win; To doubt would be disloyalty, To falter would be sin.

_Father Faber._

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith.

_St. Paul._

_35_

troll cel' er y new' fan gled thatch c.h.i.n.k' ing as par' a gus im mense'

sauce' pan de mol' ish ing sa' vor y pat' terns ag' gra va ting