Definitions.—­l.  In-vert’ed, turned upside down.  Por’rin-ger, a small metallic dish. 3.  Rec-ol-lect’ed, brought back to mind. 5.  Plight, condition. 6.  Pen’sion-er, one who is supported by others. 7.  Pil’fer-ers, those who steal little things.  Vig’i-lant, watchful.  Intimates, those living in the same house. 8.  Holiday, a day of amusement. 9.  Buf’fet-ing, striking with the hand. 11.  Sub-sid’ed, become quiet.  For’feit-ed, lost. 14.  Con-nect’ed, united, have a close relation.

XXVIII.  THE VOICE OF THE GRASS. (83) By Sarah Roberts.

1.  Here I come, creeping, creeping, everywhere;
       By the dusty roadside,
       On the sunny hillside,
       Close by the noisy brook,
       In every shady nook,
   I come creeping, creeping, everywhere.

2.  Here I come, creeping, creeping everywhere;
       All round the open door,
       Where sit the aged poor,
       Here where the children play,
       In the bright and merry May,
   I come creeping, creeping, everywhere.

3.  Here I come, creeping, creeping, everywhere;
       You can not see me coming,
       Nor hear my low, sweet humming,
       For in the starry night,
       And the glad morning light,
   I come, quietly creeping, everywhere.

4.  Here I come, creeping, creeping, everywhere;
       More welcome than the flowers,
       In summer’s pleasant hours;
       The gentle cow is glad,
       And the merry birds not sad,
   To see me creeping, creeping, everywhere.

5.  Here I come, creeping, creeping, everywhere;
       When you’re numbered with the dead,
       In your still and narrow bed,
       In the happy spring I’ll come,
       And deck your narrow home,
   Creeping, silently creeping, everywhere.

6.  Here I come, creeping, creeping, everywhere;
       My humble song of praise,
       Most gratefully I raise,
       To Him at whose command
       I beautify the land,
   Creeping, silently creeping, everywhere.

XXIX.  THE EAGLE. (84)

1.  The eagle seems to enjoy a kind of supremacy over the rest of the inhabitants of the air.  Such is the loftiness of his flight, that he often soars in the sky beyond the reach of the naked eye, and such is his strength that he has been known to carry away children in his talons.  But many of the noble qualities imputed to him are rather fanciful than true.

2.  He has been described as showing a lofty independence, which makes him disdain to feed on anything that is not slain by his own strength.  But Alexander Wilson, the great naturalist, says that he has seen an eagle feasting on the carcass of a horse.  The eagle lives to a great age.  One at Vienna is stated to have died after a confinement of one hundred and four years.