The New McGuffey Fourth Reader | Page 7

oftener he said it, the easier it became; and in time he could
say it, when necessary, without much effort.
DEFINITIONS:--Popocatepetl, a volcano in Mexico (sometimes
inaccurately pronounced po po cat' a petl). Prounounce, say distinctly.
Syllable, one of the distinct parts of a word. Attracted, drawn. Hesitated,
paused. Importance, value. Special, particular.

A SONG*
BY JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY
There is ever a song somewhere, my dear, There is ever a something
sings alway: There's the song of the lark when the skies are clear, And
the song of the thrush when the skies are gray. The sunshine showers
across the grain, And the bluebird trills in the orchard tree; And in and
out, when the eaves drip rain, The swallows are twittering carelessly.
There is ever a song somewhere, my dear, Be the skies above or dark or
fair; There is ever a song that our hearts may hear-- There is ever a
song somewhere, my dear-- There is ever a song somewhere!
There is ever a song somewhere, my dear, In the midnight black or the
midday blue: The robin pipes when the sun is here, And the cricket
chirrups the whole night through; The buds may blow and the fruit may
grow, And the autumn leaves drop crisp and sere: But whether the sun
or the rain or the snow, There is ever a song somewhere, my dear.
* From "Afterwhiles." Copyright, 1887. By permission of the

Bowen-Merrill Company, publishers; Indianapolis, Indiana.

THE JOURNEY OF LIFE.
AN ALLEGORY.
Once upon a time, a good many years ago, there was a traveler, and he
set out upon a journey. It was a magic journey, and was to seem very
long when he began it, and very short when he got halfway through.
He traveled along a rather dark path for some little time, without
meeting anything, until at last he came to a beautiful child. So he said
to the child, "What do you here?" And the child said, "I am always at
play. Come and play with me."
So he played with the child the whole day long, and they were very
merry. The sky was so blue, the sun was so bright, the water was so
sparkling, the leaves were so green, the flowers were so lovely, and
they heard so many singing birds, and saw so many butterflies, that
everything was beautiful. This was in fine weather.
When it rained, they loved to watch the falling drops and smell the
fresh scents. When it blew, it was delightful to listen to the wind, and
fancy what it said, as it came rushing from its home, whistling and
howling, and driving the clouds before it, bending the trees, rumbling
in the chimneys, shaking the house and making the sea roar in fury.
But when it snowed, that was the best of all; for they liked nothing so
well as to look up at the white flakes falling fast and thick, like down
frown the breasts of millions of white birds, and to see how smooth and
deep the drift was, and to listen to the hush upon the paths and roads.
But one day of a sudden the traveler lost the child. He called to him
over and over again, but got no answer. So he went on for a little while
without meeting anything, until at last he came to a handsome boy. He
said to the boy, "What do you here?" And the boy said, "I am always
learning. Come and learn with me."
So he learned with the boy about Jupiter and Juno, and the Greeks and
Romans,--more than I could tell, or he either; for he soon forgot a great
deal of it. But they were not always learning; they had the merriest
games that ever were played.
They rowed upon the river in summer, and skated on the ice in winter;
they were active afoot and active on horseback; at cricket, and all
games of ball; at prisoner's base, hare-and-hounds, follow-my-leader,

and more sports than I can think of: nobody could beat them. As to
friends, they had such dear friends, and so many of them, that I want
the time to reckon them up. They were all young, like the handsome
boy, and were never to be strange to one another all their lives through.
Still, one day, in the midst of all these pleasures, the traveler lost the
boy, as he had lost the child, and, after calling him in vain, went on
upon his journey. So he went on for a while without seeing anything,
until at last he came to a young man. He said to the young man, "What
do you here?" And the young man said, "I am always in love. Come
and love with