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of them based on having eaten a great number. Still, I can hardly call myself a naturalist, great as my knowledge is."

"What's a naturalist, Doctor?" asked May.

"A naturalist is one who knows a great deal about everything in nature. Should you like to hear a story about one of the greatest naturalists that ever lived?"

"We certainly should," cried the three.

66

'Well, here it is," said the Doctor, with a twinkle in his eye:

"Some boy friends of Darwin once plotted a surprise for the great naturalist. Capturing a centipede, they glued on to it a beetle's head, the wings of a butterfly and the long legs of a grasshopper. Then putting the queer result into a box, they took it to Darwin, and asked him what it could be, explaining that they had caught it in the fields. Darwin looked it over carefully.

"Did it hum when you caught it?' he asked.

666

"Oh, yes, sir,' they answered, nudging one another, 'it hummed like everything.'

"Then,' said the naturalist, 'it is a humbug."" The children laughed heartily, for they had not expected just that kind of story.

"They couldn't fool him, could they?" said Ben, with a laugh.

Just at that moment, through the open windows, came the sound of music from the orchestra in the

dining room.

"Well, well," exclaimed the Doctor. "Just listen to that! They are playing an old favorite of mine," and he began to sing with the orchestra the old plantation song which follows:

In moderate time

UNCLE NED

STEPHEN C. FOSTER

be

1. There was an old darky and his name was Un-cle Ned, 2. His fin-gers were long as the cane in the brake, 3. One cold frosty morning Un-cle Ned

he

died,

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CHORUS

place where the wool ought to grow. Then lay down the had to let the hoe cake

never

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be. gain.

shov-el and the hoe, . . Hang up the fid-dle and the bow!

Slower

For there's no more work for poor old Ned, He's gone where the good darkies go.

TO THE PUPIL:

1. Frail means delicate, easily broken, injured, or destroyed; minute, very small; intimate knowledge, complete or full knowledge, resulting from familiarity; centipede, a hundred footed insect.

2. On p. 430 you will find four types of sentences illustrated. Write two of the a type, and two of type d. TO THE TEACHER:

When you take up the excerpt from Tennyson, it would be well to show the pupils a univalve. The sixth line will mean something to them then. Whorl is the volution or turn of the spire of a univalve shell.

Sentences of the a, b, c, and d type referred to in No. 2 above are fully discussed on pp. 46 and 135 of "Evenings with Grandpa", Part II.

FIFTEENTH DAY

"To-day," said Uncle Jack, as they were going in bathing, "I am going to teach Ben how to dive. First, you girls, as well as Ben, must watch me from the end of the pier. There is a spring-board there, and I will go in off that."

The three went to the end of the dock and found seats on a bench. Uncle Jack, as he stepped on the spring-board, called to them:

"Notice that I poise myself on the edge, with my toes extending a couple of inches beyond. I straighten my arms out before me, palms together, and then raise them until my ears are covered. Now watch, closely, I won't jump off, but keeping my knees stiff, I let my body fall forward."

And suiting the action to the word Uncle Jack dived into the water. He swam back to the pier, and clambered up to where the children were, saying:

"Did you notice that I did hands until I was in the water?

not separate my

Then by curving

head up, I

my spine inward and keeping my
to the surface. Are you ready to try, Ben?"

came

"Yes, Uncle Jack," and Ben, following his uncle's directions very carefully, made his first successful dive.

"One thing you must be careful of, children," cautioned Uncle Jack. "Never dive in shallow water, or in water which you don't know. You will run the risk of breaking your necks, if you do."

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"What boats

While sitting on the porch after dinner, some boats came sailing into the harbor. are they, Uncle Jack?" asked Ben.

"Fishing boats," was the reply.

"Those with

the 'pulpit' rigged forward are swordfishers. The others are either cod or mackerel boats."

"What's the pulpit for, Uncle Jack?" asked May, "for the minister?”

"No, child. The pulpit in a swordfisher is the place where the man stands who harpoons the swordfish," was the reply.

"Yes," said the Doctor, who came up the steps at this moment, "and the harpooner must be keen eye and strong of arm. Is fish the topic of conversation this fine morning?"

of

"Yes," replied Uncle Jack. "It came up through

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