Cats

3. There: do you hear it? Worse and worse. and dogs, and for six weeks: always six weeks; and no umbrella! I should like to know how the children are to go to school to-morrow. They shan't go through such weather; I am determined. No; they shall stop at home, and never learn any thing, the blessed creatures! sooner than go and get wet! And when they grow up, I wonder who they'll have to thank for knowing nothing; who, indeed, but their father! People who can't feel for their own children ought never to be fathers.

4. But I know why you lent the umbrella: O, yes, I know very well. I was going out to tea at dear mother's to-morrow: you knew that, and you did it on purpose. Don't tell me; you hate to have me go there, and take every mean advantage to hinder me. But don't you think it, Mr. Caudle; no, sir: if it comes down in buckets' full, I'll go all the more.

5. No; and I won't have a cab!' Where do you think the money's to come from? You've got nice high notions at that club of yours? A cab, indeed! Cost me sixteenpence, at least: sixteen-pence! two-and-eight-pence; for there's back again. Cabs, indeed! I should like to know who's to pay for 'em; for I'm sure you can't, if you go on as you do, throwing away your property, and beggaring your children, buying umbrellas!

6. Do you hear the rain, Mr. Caudle? I say, do you hear it? But I don't care; I'll go to mother's to-morrow-I will; and what's more, I'll walk every step of the way; and you know that will give me my death. — Don't call me a foolish woman; it's you that's the foolish man. You know I can't wear clogs; and with no umbrella, the wet's sure to give me a cold -it always does. what do you care for that? Nothing at all. I may be laid up for all you care, as I dare say I shall; and a pretty doctor's bill there'll be. I hope there will. It will teach

But

you to lend your umbrellas again. I shouldn't wonder if I caught my death: yes, and that's what you lent the umbrella for. Of course!

7. Nice clothes I get, too, traipsing' through weather like this! My gown and bonnet will be spoiled quite. I needn't wear 'em then. Indeed, Mr. Caudle, I shall wear 'em. No, sir; I am not going out a dowdy to please you or any body else. Gracious knows! it isn't often that I step over the threshold; indeed, I might as well be a slave at once: better, I should say; but when I do go out, Mr. Caudle, I choose to go as a lady. O, that rain! if it isn't enough to break in the windows.

8. Ugh! I look forward with dread to to-morrow! How I am to go to mother's, I am sure I can't tell, but if I die, I'll do it. No, sir; I won't borrow an umbrella: no; and you shan't buy one. (With great emphasis.) Mr. Caudle, if you bring home another umbrella, I'll throw it into the street.

9. Ha! and it was only last week I had a new nozzle put to that umbrella. I'm sure if I'd have known as much as I do now, it might have gone without one. Paying for new nozzles for other people to laugh at you! O, it's all very well for you; you can go to sleep. You've no thought of your poor patient wife, and your own dear children; you think of nothing but lending umbrellas!

10. Men, indeed! Call themselves lords of the creation! pretty lords, when they can't even take care of an umbrella!

11. I know that walk to-morrow will be the death of me, but that's what you want: then you may go to your club, and do as you like; and then nicely my poor dear children will be used; but then, sir, then you'll be happy. O, don't tell me! I know you will: else you'd never have lent the umbrella!

12. The children, dear things! they'll be sopping wet;

for they shan't stay at home; they shan't lose their learning; it's all their father will leave them, I'm sure. But they shall go to school. Don't tell me they needn't: you are so aggravating, Caudle, you'd spoil the temper of an angel; they shall go to school! mark that: and if they get their deaths of cold, it's not my fault; I didn't lend the umbrella.

13. "Here," says Caudle, in his manuscript, "I fell asleep, and dreamed that the sky was turned into green calico, with whalebone ribs: that, in fact, the whole world revolved under a tremendous umbrella!"

1 CXB. A kind of carriage, with two | 3 TRAIPS'ING. A colloquial or low or four wheels, drawn by one word, meaning, running about idly or carelessly.

horse.

1 CLOGS. A kind of overshoes, worn 4 AG'GRḍ-VĀT-ING. Making worse; alsa to keep the feet dry. colloquially, provoking; irritating.

XCVI. - BERNARDO DEL CARPIO.

MRS. HEMANS.

[The celebrated Spanish champion, Bernardo del Carpio, having made many ineffectual efforts to procure the release of his father, the Count Saldana, who had been imprisoned by King Alfonso of Asturias, at last took up arms in despair. The war which he maintained proved so destructive that the men of the land gathered round the king, and united in demanding Saldana's liberty. Alfonso, accordingly, offered Bernardo immediate possession of his father's person in exchange for his castle of Carpio. Bernardo, without hesitation, gave up his stronghold, with all his captives, and being assured that his father, was then on his way from prison, rode forth with the king to meet him. "And when he saw his father approaching, he exclaimed," says the ancient chronicle, "O God! is the Count of Saldana indeed coming?" "Look where he is," replied the cruel king; "and now go and greet him whom you have so long desired to see." The remainder of the story will be found related in the ballad. The chronicles and romances leave us nearly in the dark as to Bernardo's history after this event.]

1.

THE warrior bowed his crested head, and tamed his heart of fire,
And sued the haughty king to free his long imprisoned sire:
"I bring thee here my fortress keys, I bring my captive train;

I pledge my faith, my liege1: my lord, O, break my father's chain !"

2.

2

"Rise, rise! even now thy father comes, a ransomed man this day;
Mount thy good horse, and thou and I will meet him on his way.”
Then lightly rose that loyal son, and bounded on his steed,
And urged, as if with lance in rest, the charger's3 foamy speed.

3.

And, lo! from far, as on they pressed, there came a glittering band,
With one that 'midst them stately rode, as a leader in the land.
"Now haste, Bernardo, haste! for there, in very truth, is he,
The father, whom thy faithful heart hath yearned so long to see."

4.

4

His dark eye flashed, his proud breast heaved, his cheeks' hue came
and went;
[bent;

He reached that gray-haired chieftain's side, and, there dismounting,
A lowly knee to earth he bent, his father's hand he took -
What was there in its touch that all his fiery spirit shook ?

5.

That hand was cold! a frozen thing! - it dropped from his like lead: He looked up to the face above the face was of the dead!

A plume waved o'er the noble brow

the brow was fixed and white! He met, at length, his father's eyes - but in them was no sight!

6.

Up from the ground he sprang, and gazed; but who could paint that gaze! They hushed their very hearts, that saw its horror and amaze:

They might have chained him, as before that stony form he stood; For the power was stricken from his arm, and from his lip the blood.

7.

"Father!" at length he murmured low, and wept like childhood then-
Talk not of grief till thou hast seen the tears of warlike men!
He thought on all his glorious hopes, on all his young renown;
Then flung his falchion from his side, and in the dust sat down;

8.

And covering with his steel-gloved hands his darkly mournful brow, "No more, there is no more," he said, "to lift the sword for now: My king is false! my hope betrayed! my father - O, the worth, The glory, and the loveliness are passed away from earth!"

9.

Then from the ground he sprang once more, and seized the monarch's rein,
Amidst the pale and wildered looks of all the courtier train;

And with a fierce, o'ermastering grasp, the rearing war-horse led,
And sternly set them face to face the king before the dead!

10.

"Came I not forth, upon thy pledge, my father's hand to kiss?
Be still, and gaze thou on, false king! and tell me, what is this?
The voice, the glance, the heart I sought- give answer, where are they?
If thou wouldst clear thy perjured soul, send life through this cold clay!

5

11.

"Into these glassy eyes put light — be still! keep down thine ire;
Bid these white lips a blessing speak — this earth is not my sire!
Give me back him for whom I strove, for whom my blood was shed
Thou canst not? - and a king! — his dust be mountains on thy head!"

12.

He loosed the steed - his slack hand fell;

upon the silent face

He cast one long, deep, troubled look, then turned from that sad place;
His hope was crushed, his after-fate untold in martial strain;
His banner led the spears no more amidst the hills of Spain !

1 LIEGE. Sovereign.

3 CHÄRGER. A war-horse.

2 RĂN'SOMED. Redeemed from cap-4 YEARNED. Desired earnestly; longed. tivity of imprisonment by the pay- 5 PËR JURED. Guilty of taking a false ment of a ransom or price.

oath.

XCVII.-CLARENCE'S DREAM.

SHAKSPEARE.

[The following lesson is taken from the tragedy of "Richard III." The scene occurs in an apartment in the Tower of London, between George, Duke of Clarence, brother of Richard, Duke of Gloster (afterwards Richard III.), and Sir Robert Brakenbury, keeper of the Tower.]

SCENE IV. An Apartment in the Tower.

BURY.

Enter CLARENCE and BRAKEN.

Brakenbury. Why looks your Grace so heavily' to-day? Clarence. O, I have passed a miserable night, So full of fearful dreams, of ugly sights,