McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson LIV · Part 6: Liberty and the voices of birds
60. The Will
Goal: Your child reads a short comic play in parts and explains the surprise ending.
You'll need
- The book, open to this lesson
- A notebook and pencil
What's in the book
A short play, with no author named: two greedy tradesmen, Swipes and Currie, hear an old lady's will read by Squire Drawl, expecting her fortune, while her nephew Frank is thought to be cut off. Definitions and a note follow.
The lesson, step by step
Words and meanings
Read some definitions:
Deceased, dead.
Convened, met together, assembled.
Imprimis (Latin), in the first place.
Profligate, a person openly and shamelessly vicious.
Reformed, returned to a good state.
Read the note too: legal papers often join words that mean the same, like "give and bequeath" and "sole and exclusive."
Meet the characters
Swipes, a brewer; Currie, a saddler; Frank Millington, the old lady's nephew; Squire Drawl, who reads the will. Assign parts. One reader can take two.
Read aloud
Read the play with expression.
Currie. Ah! we must all die, brother Swipes; and those who live the longest outlive the most.
Swipes. Generous creature! kind soul! I always loved her!
Squire. Pray, gentlemen, keep your seats, I have not done yet.
Talk about it
SayWhat did Swipes and Currie expect? How do they act before and after they hear the will?
SayWhat does "in trust" mean here? Who is the money really for?
SayWhy does it matter that Frank is already of age?
SayHow is Frank different from the other two?
Tell it back
Your child tells the story of the play in order, with the twist at the end.
Write (optional)
Write two lines Swipes and Currie might say to each other as they walk home.
Tip
The play's last page was not fully checked for this guide. Read it yourself first so you know exactly how it ends.