it, can think of a state merely? Whose eyes, once fastened upon its radiant trophies, can fail to recognize the image of the whole nation? It has been called a floating piece of poetry," and yet I know not if it have an intrinsic beauty beyond other ensigns. Its highest beauty is in what it symbolizes. It is because it represents all, that all gaze at it with delight and reverence. It is a piece of bunting lifted in the air, but it speaks sublimely, and every part has a voice. Its stripes of alternate red and white proclaim the original union of thirteen states to maintain the Declaration of Independence. Its stars of white on a field of blue proclaim that union of states constituting our national constellation, which receives a new star with every new state. The two together signify union, past and present. The very colors have a language which was officially recognized by our fathers. White is for purity, red for valor, blue for justice; and all together, bunting, stripes, stars and colors blazing in the sky, make the flag of our country - to be cherished by all our hearts, to be upheld by all our hands.

Charles Sumner

X. TONE AND SPEECH

Speak gently! it is better far

To rule by love than fear;

Speak gently! let no harsh words mar
The good we might do here.

You should distinguish between speech and mere sounds of the voice. When you make tone, your mouth assumes a certain shape and forms a certain vowel. There are two classes of elements in speech, vowels and consonants. The word "vowel " means voice. By the action of the tongue and somewhat by the lips also, you give your mouth chamber a certain shape. Tone passing through this is turned into a vowel.

If you speak a word like "Hurrah!" you will notice in the last syllable that the mouth is open as wide as possible and the tongue passive.

Can you open your mouth easily and freely by taking breath into the middle of the body? Then can you use the word "Hark!" or some word containing "ah"? Allow the whole tongue and throat to be perfectly relaxed and have plenty of breath in the lungs. This taking of breath

enables you to open your throat and relax your tongue. Then give" Hark" round, full and open.

Yoho! past hedges, gates, and trees; past cottages and barns, and people going home from work. Yoho! past donkey-chaises, drawn aside into the ditch, and empty carts with rampant horses, whipped up at a bound upon the little watercourse, and held by struggling carters close to the five-barred gate, until the coach had passed the narrow turning in the road.

Yoho! down the pebbly dip, and through the merry watersplash, and up at canter to the level road again. Yoho! Yoho!

Dickens

Read this passage from Dickens's description of the Stage Coach. Hear the big, hearty coachman, see the bounding of the horses, and notice the rumble of the wheels as they fly over the road. Then, full of breath with the glee of this wild, windy drive, shout out, "Yoho! Yoho!"

Always make your vowels as large and open as possible. Open your mouth easily but wide, and let the tongue have room to change and shape the vowels.

Can you give "Roll on!" with your mouth wide open? Give the sense of the great ocean and the roar of the waves. Have you sat on the shore and watched the breakers roll up, as if they would rush away over the country, and then roll back? Can you give the exultation, joy, and heartiness of the waves?

WAVES ON THE SEA-SHORE

"Roll on, roll on, you restless waves, that toss about and roar!
Why do you all run back again when you have reached the shore?
Roll on, roll on, you noisy waves roll higher up the strand!
How is it that you can not pass that line of yellow sand?
Make haste, or else the tide will turn- make haste, you noisy sea!
Roll quite across the bank, and then far on across the lea."

"We do not dare," the waves reply. "That line of yellow sand
Is laid along the shore to bound the waters and the land;
And all should keep to time and place, and all should keep to rule
Both waves upon the sandy shore, and children true at school."

Can you give the conversation and express the heartiness of the voices as the questions are asked and answered?

Better than grandeur, better than gold,
Than rank or titles, a hundred-fold,
Is a healthy body, a mind at ease,

And simple pleasures that always please.

Alexander Smart

Now study how all vowels are made and give them as heartily and openly as possible, with great freedom. Remember always that it is the vowel in the word that makes the word. Study also the consonants and note that they are simply actions of the tongue, or lips or soft palate, and that these organs act very quickly and always in union with the vowel. In developing your articulation be sure to devote the first and the greatest attention to the vowels. Give them freely, and then observe that the word " consonant means something that sounds with," and that each consonant sounds with a vowel.

There is an almost universal custom of giving attention first to consonants. This cramps the voice and introduces constrictions and interferes with its ease, openness and freedom. In the work for ease and openness and freedom there should be work for large, open vowels. First "ah," taking the exclamation "Hark," "oh" in passages like "Yo ho," and finally all the other vowels should be studied. The respective shapes of the vowel chambers of the mouth should be noted.

Render passages full of sympathy and joy, love of home and heartiness, keeping the vowels as large and free as possible. Do not try to pull the mouth open, but allow it to relax and come open in response to the heartiness. This will accentuate the preparatory conditions for tone and sympathetic retention of breath and openness of the tone passage.

O the bells of Shandon, that sound so grand on
The pleasant waters of the river Lee.

On Mabel's curls of golden hair,

Looked on them through the great elm-boughs!

On Esek's shaggy strength, it fell,

And the wind whispered, "It is well!"

Mahoney

Whittier

"May."

May shall make the world anew;

Golden sun and silver dew,

May shall make the wild-flowers tell
Where the shining snowflakes fell. . .

...

Frank Dempster Sherman

Give these words about the spring. Observe that you must breathe freely and your body must respond easily. Make open and large vowels, let the words and tones be simple and joyous.

Come unto these yellow sands,

And then take hands:
Courtsied when you have, and kist
The wild waves whist,
Foot it featly here and there;
And, sweet Sprites, the burthen bear.
Hark, hark!
Bow-wow.

警

The watch-dogs bark:
Bow-wow.
Hark, hark! I hear

The strain of strutting chanticleer
Cry, Cock-a-doodle-doo!

JOY MONTH

Oh, hark to the brown thrush! hear how he sings!
How he pours the dear pain of his gladness.
What a gush! and from out what golden springs!
What a rage of how sweet madness!

And golden the buttercup blooms by the way,
A song of the joyous ground;

While the melody rained from yonder spray
Is a blossom in fields of sound.

How glisten the eyes of the happy leaves!
How whispers each blade, "I am blest!"

Rosy Heaven his lips to flowered earth gives,
With the costliest bliss of his breast.

Pour, pour, of the wine of thy heart, O Nature!

By cups of field and of sky,

By the brimming soul of every creature;

Joy-mad, dear Mother, am I.

Shakespeare

Tongues, tongues for my joy, for my joy! more tongues! -
Oh, thanks to the thrush on the tree,

To the sky, and to all earth's blooms and songs!

They utter the heart in me.

David Atwood Wasson

First stanza by William Shakespeare in "Winter's Tale." Last two stanzas by an unknown author in "Antidote against Melancholy," 1661.

Did you ever notice how you laugh? If not, then the next time something funny happens observe yourself and see what you do just as you begin to laugh. Also observe what part of you moves most when you are laughing.