On that day a something vexed him: that was clear to old and young; Thrice his Grace had yawned at table when his favorite gleemen sung; Once the Queen would have consoled him, but he bade her hold her tongue. "Something ails my gracious master," cried the Keeper of the Seal. "Sure, my lord, it is the lampreys served at dinner, or the veal?" "Pshaw!" exclaimed the angry monarch. "Keeper, 'tis not that I feel. ""Tis the heart, and not the dinner, fool, that doth my rest impair: Can a king be great as I am, prithee, and yet know no care? "O, I'm sick, and tired, and weary." Some one cried, "The King's armchair!" Then towards the lackeys turning, quick my Lord the Keeper nodded: Straight the King's great chair was brought him, by two footmen able-bodied; Languidly he sank into it: it was comfortably wadded. "Ah! I feel," said old King Canute, "that my end is drawing near." "Don't say so," exclaimed the courtiers (striving each to squeeze a tear): "Sure your Grace is strong and lusty, and may live this fifty year." "Live these fifty years!" the Bishop roared, with actions made to suit. "Are you mad, my good Lord Keeper, thus to speak of King Canute? Men have lived a thousand years, and sure his Majesty will do't. "With his wondrous skill in healing ne'er a doctor can compete : Loathsome lepers, if he touch them, start up clean upon their feet: Surely he could raise the dead up, did his Highness think it meet. "Did not once the Jewish captain' stay the sun upon the hill, And, the while he slew the foeman, bid the silver moon stand still? So, no doubt, could gracious Canute, if it were his sacred will." 16 Might I stay the sun above us, good Sir Bishop? Canute cried; "Could I bid the silver moon to pause upon her heavenly ride? If the moon obeys my orders, sure I can command the tide. 1 Jewish captain; i.e., Joshua. (See Book of Joshua, chap. x.) "Will the advancing waves obey me, Bishop, if I make the sign?" Said the Bishop, bowing lowly, "Land and sea, my lord, are thine." Canute turned towards the ocean. "Back!" he said, "thou foaming brine! "From the sacred shore I stand on, I command thee to retreat; Venture not, thou stormy rebel, to approach thy master's seat: Ocean, be thou still! I bid thee come not nearer to my feet!" But the sullen ocean answered with a louder, deeper roar; And the rapid waves drew nearer, falling, sounding on the shore: Back the Keeper and the Bishop, back the King and courtiers, bore. And he sternly bade them nevermore to bow to human clay, But alone to praise and worship That which earth and seas obey; And his golden crown' of empire never wore he from that day. THACKERAY. 1 golden crown. The chronicler | his crown, but he put it on the already referred to says, "Now from head of the image of our Lord in that day would not King Cnut wear the Old Minster at Winchester." 100.- The Height of the Ridiculous. I wrote some lines once on a time And thought, as usual, men would say 1 devil. To understand this pun, | errands and does chores, is called pupils should know that the boy "the printer's devil," not a very in the printing office, who runs of complimentary name. He read the next; the grin grew broad, He read the third; a chuckling noise The fourth, he broke into a roar; Ten days and nights, with sleepless eye, As funny as I can. HOLMES. 101. The Old Continentals. This very original poem, by Guy H. McMaster of New York (18291887), was called by its author Carmen Bellicosum (“Song of War”). It may be taken, not as referring to any particular battle of the Revolutionary War, but as a general description of the Continental soldiers of that period. In their ragged regimentals Yielding not. When the Grenadiers were lunging,1 And like hail fell the plunging Cannon shot: 1 lunging, thrusting with bayonets. |