VII.

And while Harry lives, he will still be glad
That he lent her his horse that day!
For the baby has gone where never again
Can she ask with his toys to play.

L. M. A.

From "Aunt Judy's Magazine."

43.-QUEEN MARGARET AND THE

ROBBER.

re-gard-less op-por-tu-ni-ty af-flict-ion

Queen Margaret, wife of Henry VI., after a signal defeat in one of the wars between the houses of York and Lancaster, fled with her son into a forest, where she tried to hide herself. During the darkness of the night, she was beset by robbers, who, either ignorant or regardless of her quality, despoiled her of her rings and jewels and treated her with the utmost indignity. The partition of this rich booty raised a quarrel among them; and while their attention was thus engaged, she took the opportunity of making her

escape with her son into the thickest of the forest, where she wandered for some time, overspent with hunger and fatigue, and sunk with terror and affliction. While in this wretched condition, she saw a robber approach with his naked sword; and finding she had no means of escape, she suddenly embraced the resolution of trusting entirely to his faith for protection. She advanced towards him, and presenting to him the young prince, called out to him, " Here, my friend, I commit to your care the safety of your king's son." The man, whose humanity and generous spirit had been obscured, but not entirely lost, by his vicious course of life, was struck with the singularity of the event, and charmed with the confidence reposed in him; and he vowed not only to abstain from all injury against the princess, but to devote himself entirely to her safety and protection. By his means she dwelt some time concealed in the forest, and was at last conducted to the sea-coast, whence she made her escape into Flanders. Hume.

44.-KING RICHARD AND THE MINSTREL.

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fa-vour-ite im-pris-an-ed re-al-i-ty

ship-wreck-ed

fa-vour-ite

im-pris-on-ed

re-al-i-ty

The troubadours were minstrels, who in old times wandered about from place to place, singing to their harps and, as in those days there were few books, and small means of hearing music, they were always welcomed, and taken into the noblemen's houses, and fed and lodged, and made much of; and in return, they sang their songs, and told of all they had seen whilst travelling to and fro. When Richard the First was coming back from the Holy Land, he was ship-wrecked, and cast ashore in a country belonging to an enemy of his, who seized on him, and imprisoned him. No one could tell for a long time what had become of him, but a minstrel named Blondel was the means of finding out where he was hid.

King Richard was very fond of music, and Blondel was a great favourite of his, so, when he knew that the king was taken prisoner, and that no one could get to know where he was, he determined to see if he could not find out. He wandered about from palace to palace, and from castle to castle, watching everywhere for any words which those around him might let fall as to where the king was, but no one ever said anything about him. At last he heard that in a very strong, and almost inaccessible castle on the Danube, a prisoner was kept, who must be a very important one, such great care was taken to guard the castle where he was kept. So Blondel took his harp and went to this castle, and got as near to it as he could. No one was afraid of a poor, travelling minstrel, so they let him come up to the gates and play. The tune he chose was one which was a great favourite of his master the king's, and when he had played and sung

the first part of it, he waited a moment as if to rest, but in reality to listen, and then he heard, far away inside the castle, the voice of the king singing the second part of the song. So then Blondel knew King Richard of England was there,, and the king had the comfort of knowing that Blondel knew it, and would go and tell the emperor, who would force the wicked duke to set him free, all of which came to pass very soon after.

45.-PRINCIPLE PUT TO THE TEST.

young-ster seize

com-rades

A youngster at school, more sedate than the rest,
Had once his integrity put to the test!—
His comrades had plotted an orchard to rob,
And asked him to come and assist in the job.

He was very much shocked, and answered-" Oh, no!
What, rob our poor neighbour! I pray you don't go !
Besides the man's poor, his orchard's his bread;
Then think of his children, for they must be fed."

"You speak very fine, and you look very grave,
But apples we want, and apples we'll have;
If you will go with us, we 'll give you a share,
If not, you shall have neither apple nor pear.'

"

They spoke, and Tom pondered-"I see they will go;
Poor man what a pity to injure him so!

Poor man I would save him his fruit if I could,
But staying behind will do him no good.

"If this matter depended alone upon me,

His apples might hang till they dropped from the tree;

But since they will take them, I think I'll go too,
He will lose none by me, though I get a few.”

His scruples thus silenced, Tom felt more at ease,
And went with his comrades the apples to seize;
He blamed and protested, but joined in the plan;
He shared in the plunder, but pitied the man.

gon-do-la em-broi-de-ries el-e-phant

gon-do-la

em-broi-de-ries

el-e-phant

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mag-nif-i-cent

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"Here we are in Venice at last!" said my father, as the train stopped in the station. "I hope the omnibus is here to take us to our inn."

"The omnibus!" we all cried in great surprise,