THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE. 81 "When can their glory fade? EXERCISE. When did the Russian War take place? What was the cause of the War? What mistake occurred during its progress? LESSON XXXIV. THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.-PART II. [This poem was written by Mr. Alfred Tennyson, the Poet Laureate, and is inserted by the permission of his publishers. Mr. Tennyson is generally considered the greatest living poet. The title of Poet Laureate is given to a poet by a king or queen. Mr. Tennyson is Poet Laureate to Queen Victoria.] LEAGUE, three miles. BRIG'-ADE, a division of soldiers. BLUN'-DER-ED, made a mis- DIS-MAY-ED, weighed down SA'BRE, a kind of sword. arising from the battery. HALF a LEAGUE, half a league, All in the valley of Death 66 66 Rode the six hundred. Forward, the Light BRIGADE ! Into the Valley of Death "Forward, the Light Brigade!" Some one had BLUNDER'D. F Their's not to make reply, Into the Valley of Death Cannon to right of them, Cannon in front of them VOLLEY'D and thundered; Storm'd at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell, Rode the six hundred. Flash'd all their SABRES bare, All the world wonder'd. Plunged in the BATTERY-SMOKE, Right thro' the line they broke ; COSSACK and Russian Reel'd from the sabre-stroke, SHATTER'D and SUNDER'D: Then they rode back, but notNot the six hundred. Cannon to right of them, Cannon behind them Volley'd and thunder'd ; Storm'd at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell, They that had fought so well Came through the jaws of death, Back from the mouth of Hell, All that was left of them, Left of six hundred. THE HONEST SHOE-BLACK. When can their glory fade? Honour the charge they made! EXERCISE. Give a short account of this Charge in your own words. 83 He was dressed in a blue loose jacket, on which was a mark or badge, worked in beads, to tell to what society of shoe-blacks he belonged. I looked at my boots to see if they needed cleaning, when he called out very POLITELY at the same time pointing to them-" Clean them, sir? Make them shine, sir." Just at this moment up ran another boy, not belonging to the Shoe-black BRIGADE, having also blacking materials, and he roughly pushed Thomas Martin, the first-named boy, on one side. "Let me shine them, sir; that boy does not half clean them," said this rough-looking boy. "I will put a fine polish on them,” replied Thomas Martin; and in this way words went on till there was every APPEARANCE of a quarrel between the two boys. Indeed, I believe Thomas Martin would have struck the other boy, had I not at this moment thought of a plan by which to end the dispute. I was about to walk away, thinking that would have the effect; and, indeed, I did go a little distance, but hearing them still QUARRELLING I returned to them. "Come, no quarrelling," I said; "is it worth while to have all this dispute over a penny. You rough boy might have earned two or three pennies, if not more, while you have been wasting your time here." I had noticed, that while this was going on, four gentlemen near had had their boots cleaned by other boys. Í employed Thomas Martin; for this reason, that by so doing I should be ASSISTING the useful society to which he belonged. I have been told that the pennies which these boys earn are not kept by them, but are taken to the Shoe-black Society, which clothes, feeds, and educates them. Knowing that the money would be used for good purposes, I PREFERRED Thomas Martin to the rough-looking boy, though I dare say the latter could have cleaned the boots well enough. But that was not the point. I felt I had ENCOURAGED a good society, and I was not mistaken, as you will presently see. Thomas certainly did put a fine polish on them, and sticking the brushes together and placing them in his box, he made a sharp bow, which I took to mean Please, sir, the work is finished." So I hastily put my hand in my pocket for a penny; and, after paying him, was HURRYING away to my business. But when I had gone a little distance, I was surprised to find Thomas Martin close behind me, and requesting me to stop, as I had made a mistake in paying him. A penny is your charge, is it not ?" said I, "and I gave you a penny; it is all right." "No, sir, it is not all right," replied Thomas; "you ON BEING CLEAN. 85 gave half-a-crown instead of a penny, and I wish to return it. My charge is only a penny." This boy had been taught honesty, and, what is more, he practised it. The lessons he had learnt at the society had made him a good boy, though he was in the humble calling of a shoe-black. He might have kept the half-crown; but no, ke would then have been a thief. There was the owner, and to him he returned it. I was pleased with the open conduct of the boy, and gave him sixpence as a reward. I felt, too, that I had done well in employing the boy in the Shoe-black Brigade. EXERCISE. What made the boys quarrel? How was the dispute ended? Why was Thomas Martin chosen? What mistake did the person make in paying Thomas Martin? How did the boy show his honesty? Where had he learnt such good lessons? Persons sometimes make a profit out of the quarrels of others; how is that shown in this lesson? LESSON XXXVI. ON BEING A-VOID'-ED, shunned, not CARE-FUL-LY, with care. BE-HAV-IOUR, general con- CLEAN. EM-PLOY-MENT, something EVERY boy when he rises in the morning should give himself a good wash before he has his breakfast. Dirty boys and girls are always disliked and AVOIDED by strangers; but children who have clean hands and faces make many friends. It is pleasant to look upon a child who has a clean face, just as it is to look at the |