BOSTON: JAMES ROBINSON, 120 WASHINGTON STREET, The Postage on the Schoolmate is Six Cents a year in advance at the office where it is delivered. RIGHT AND WRONG POSITIONS FOR READING. Figures A, B, C, show the right positions for reading. They are graceful, and, therefore, pleasing. A firm, upright posture strengthens the voice and promotes health, because it expands the lungs. Figures D, E, F, show the wrong positions for reading. They are awkward, and, therefore, offensive. A stooping posture weakens the voice, and injures the health, because it contracts the lungs. FOUR IMPORTANT RULES FOR READING. I. Take a firm and graceful position. III. Pronounce every word correctly and distinctly. IV. Read naturally, as though you were talking from the book. II. Understand every thing you read. RULES FOR THE PAUSES, TONES, INFLECTIONS, EMPHASIS, AND MANNER OF READING. 1. The Comma [,] Semicolon [;] and Colon [:] denote that a short pause should be made, but the voice should be kept suspended, to show that the sentence is not finished. 2. The Period [.] denotes a longer pause; the voice should be entirely dropped, to show that the sentence is finished 8. The Rhetorical Pause [I] is a character sometimes used to mark a pause of the voice where there is no punc tuation. 4. The Dash [-] and Ellipsis [- -or. . . .] denote that the sentence is suddenly changed or interrupted: the voice should be stopped abruptly. Dashes are sometimes placed before and after clauses, like parentheses or brackets: such clauses should be read in a lower and more rapid tone than the rest of the passage. Sometimes the Dash and Ellipsis require pauses no longer than a Period. 5. The Dieresis [] denotes that the letter over which it is placed should be pronounced separately; as, aèrial 6. The Exclamation Point [!] is placed after words and sentences which express surprise, wonder, grief, joy, and other strong feelings. They should be read with earnestness. 7. The Interrogation Point [?] is used after questions, and generally requires the rising inflection toward the close of the Sentence. Many questions, however, require the falling inflection, and some have both. Interrogation and Exclamation Points denote full Pauses, like Periods. S. The Rising Inflection [] denotes that the voice should rise upon the syllable beneath it. 9. The Falling Inflection [] denotes that the voice should fall upon the syllable beneath it. 10. The Circumflex Inflection [A or V] denotes that the voice should both rise and fall upon the word beneath it. 11. The Monotone [-] denotes that the passage should be read in a uniform voice. 12. The Low Soft Tone [.] denotes that the passage following it must be read in a low key and soft voice. 13. The High Soft Tone [] denotes that the passage should be read in a high key and soft voice. 14. The Middle Tone [ ] denotes that the passage should be read in a natural key and moderate voice. OBS.-These Tones and Movements may be combined as follows: [] denotes a low, soft voice, and slew movement; [] high, soft, and slow; [] low, soft, fast; [] high, soft, fast; [-] low, soft, moderate; [-] middle, moderate; [-] middle, slow; [.] middle, fast; [-] low, loud, slow; [..] low, loud, fast; [] high, loud, fast; [] high, loud, slow; [..] low, loud, moderate; [...] very low and loud; [] very high and lond; [~~] very fast; [] very slow; [Ang.] high, loud, fast, angry; etc. 20. Sentences or Phrases placed in brackets [ ], or parentheses (), should be read lower and faster than the passage which contains them. 21. Emphatic words are sometimes printed in Italic letters; very emphatic words in SMALL CAPITALS. 22. [PL] denotes a plaintive or melancholy manner; [Threat.] threatening or haughtiness; [Ang.] anger or batred; [Fr.] fear or horror; [Simn.] solemnity or reverence; [Wndr.] wonder or admiration; [Brsk.] briskness or humor; [Contp.] contempt or irony; [Ent.] entreaty; [Wh.] whispering. NOTE.-Some of the marks in this Chart are used in all similar works; others are peculiar to this. The pupil should learn all the signs and points, so as to recognize and follow them in the reading exercises and speeches. HOW THE BOYS BECOME GOOD SPEAKERS. CHAPTER XI. -PREPARING FOR EXHIBITION. R. ARTHUR'S school was now near the close of its first term. Three weeks more would bring the day of examination, to which all were looking forward with mingled hope and anxiety. All the pupils were interested in preparing themselves, by a thorough rehearsal of all their studies, and those boys who had been practising the art of elocution during the season requested Mr. Arthur that they might be allowed to prepare some of their best speeches and dialogues to speak before their friends on examination day. Mr. Arthur readily consented to this, and promised to assist them in getting ready, on condition that none of the hours of school should be occupied in making their arrangements. He told them he would meet them on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, at the school house, when they could select and prepare the exercises. The boys were delighted at this, but kept the matter a profound secret; for none but the master and the speakers were to be admitted to the rehearsals. On the next Monday evening, just after dark, they wended their way cautiously to the school house. The teacher was already there, and business commenced at once. Pieces and dialogues must first be selected. Most of the boys had already decided upon selections which pleased them, though Mr. Arthur carefully inspected them all, to make sure that there was nothing wrong or vulgar in the sentiments, and that the character of the speech was suited to the style of speaking which each boy preferred. This caused some changes to be made; but at length all were satisfied, and an agreeable variety of selections was made. Some of the pieces were prose, a few poetry. Some contained patriotic and sublime ideas; others were of a gay or comic character. Three dialogues were chosen-two containing lofty sentiments and impressive morals; the third was calculated to keep the audience laughing, if well acted. Most of these speeches and dialogues were found in the different volumes of The Schoolmate, where a large assortment is constantly on hand, as the merchants say. As a large number of the scholars took this magazine, there was no difficulty in providing a sufficient number of copies of every selection. Now began the rehearsals, after every part had been carefully committed to memory. Evening after evening they met, and practised under the kind and vigilant instruction of their teacher. The importance of improvement in emphasis, tone, inflection, and gesture was felt by all, and each endeavored to realize and imitate the feeling and action of the orator whose words he spoke. The dialogues were interesting and exciting in character, yet so simple as to require but little costume. All these arrangements were kept a profound secret from friends at home, and even from their schoolmates; yet it seems that the girls-or young ladies, as the older pupils chose to be called - had discovered the secret, and determined to prepare something which should give them a place in the exhibition. This was nothing less than to learn and rehearse a poetical floral play, which Morris's sister had obtained from her cousin, who was a pupil of a large lady's seminary. The characters of the rose, lily, violet, and other flowers were to be personated by the girls of Mr. Arthur's school, as we shall see in the account of the exhibition next month. All this was kept a secret among the girls who took part in it. Neither did any of these evening occupations of girls or boys interfere with their regular school duties, so that lessons, compositions, speeches, and dialogues all went steadily forward, in preparation for the last day of school. IT SANTA MARIA AND PINTA. T was on the fourth of January that Columbus set sail from La Navidad on his return to Spain. The wind being light, it was necessary to tow the caraval out of the harbor, and clear of the reefs. They then stood eastward towards a lofty promontory, destitute of trees, but covered with grass, and shaped like a tent, having at a distance the appearance of a towering island, being connected with Hispaniola by a neck of land. To this promontory Columbus gave the name of Monte Christi, by which it is still known. The country was level, but farther inland was a high range of mountains, well wooded, with broad, fruitful valleys between them, watered by abundant streams. The wind being contrary, they were detained, for two days, in a large bay west of the promontory. On the sixth they again made sail, with a land breeze, and weathering the cape, advanced ten leagues, when the wind began to blow from the east. At this time a sailor, stationed at the mast head to look out for rocks, cried out that he beheld the Pinta at a distance. The certainty of the fact gladdened the heart of the admiral, and had an animating effect throughout the ship; for it was a joyful event to the mariners once more to meet with their comrades, and to have a companion back in their voyage through these lonely seas. The Pinta came sweeping towards them, directly before the wind. The admiral was desirous of having a conversation with Martin Alonzo Pinzon ; and seeing that all attempt was fruitless from the obstinacy of the adverse wind, and that there was no safe anchorage in the neighborhood, he put back to the bay a little west of Monte Christi, whither he was followed by the Pinta. On their first interview Pinzon endeavored to excuse his desertion, alleging that he had been compelled to part company by stress of weather, and had ever since been seeking to join the admiral. Columbus listened passively but |