Ali bore up bravely.

    Meek-eye quickened his step.

    The sun was now at its height.

Write statements containing each of the following words, used in such a manner as to show their proper meaning:  herd, heard; need, knead; no, know; way, weigh; knew, new.

Make out an analysis of the two lessons, and use it in telling the story in your own words.

* * * * *

LESSON XXIII.

ob served’, saw; noticed.

trans par’ent, clear; easily seen through.

ma te’ri al, that of which any thing is made or to be made.

ob tained’, taken from; received.

gar’ments, articles of clothing.

verd’ure, any green growth.

a dorn’, dress with taste; beautify.

par tic’ular, of an unusual kind.

va ri’e ty, a number of different kinds.

del’i cate, gentle; tender.

ca ressed’, treated with fondness.

* * * * *

A QUEER PEOPLE.

One evening, as Captain Perry was sitting by the fireside at his home in
Liverpool, his children asked him to tell them a story.

[Illustration]

“What shall it be about?” said the captain.

“O,” said Harry, “tell us about other countries, and the curious people you have seen in them.”

“Yes, yes!” exclaimed Mary.  “We were much interested, while you were away the last time, in reading ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ and ’Sindbad the Sailor.’”

“You have seen as wonderful things as they did, haven’t you, father?” said Harry.

“No, my dears,” said the captain.  “I never met such wonderful people as they tell about, I assure you; nor have I seen the ’Black Loadstone Mountain’ or the ‘Valley of Diamonds.’”

“But,” said Mary, “you have seen a great many people, and their different manners and ways of living.”

“Yes,” said the captain, “and if it will interest you, I will tell you some of the curious things that I have observed.”

“Pray, do so!” cried Harry, as both the children drew close to him.

“Well, then,” began the captain, “I was once in a country where it was very cold, and the poor people could scarcely keep themselves from starving.

“They were clothed partly in the skins of beasts, made smooth and soft by some particular art; but chiefly in garments made from the outer covering of an animal cruelly stripped off its back while alive.

“They lived in houses partly sunk below the ground.  These houses were mostly built of stones or of earth hardened by fire.

“The walls of the houses had holes to let in light; but to prevent the cold air and rain from coming in, they were covered with a sort of transparent stone, made of melted sand.