the sea from Ireland, where they lived at that time, and laid waste the Western Coast. 8. The Britons were brought to great misery, and again began to fight among themselves, when a new set of people came over to Britain from Denmark and Germany. 9. The new race were fierce and strong, and the Britons had to fly before them. So it came to pass that before long the Britons wished that they could have their old masters the Romans back again. I. THE horse is a noble creature, and is very useful to man. 2. There are many kinds of horses, such as the race-horse, the hunter, the carriagehorse, and the cart-horse. 3. Most children must have noticed what a great difference there is between the beautiful carriage-horse and the strong cart-horse. 4. Each kind is very useful in its way. By means of the carriage-horse people can travel quickly and with comfort from place to place. The cart-horse ploughs the land, and drags home in large carts and wagons the sweetsmelling hay, and the sheaves of corn. 5. Some persons use the whip very much in driving, but most horses can be better managed by kindness than by cruelty. A horse soon finds out those who treat it kindly, and repays kindness by willing obedience. 6. Many tales are told of the tender care with which horses treat young children, and the soldier's horse has been known to watch over the dead body of its master, when it was deserted by every human being. 7. We read, too, of horses that have become very friendly with dogs, and even with cats. 8. The soldier's horse is often obliged to swim across a river with his master on his back, and there are some horses that can swim two or three miles. 9. An Arab's horse is his constant companion and friend; he sleeps by its side, and shares with it his last morsel of food. 10. When a horse becomes old, its kind master should treat it with great care as a reward for its past services. THE SAND CASTLE. I. THE tide is out, and all the strand Oh! will not that be glorious fun? 2. With walls and outworks wide and steep, All round about we'll dig a moat, And in the midst shall be the keep, Where England's flag may proudly float. 3. And where the drawbridge ought to be, 4. We'll sit within our citadel, And watch the tide come o'er the rocks; For we will build it strong and well; It shall not fall for common shocks. 5. The moat may fill, the waves may beat, We'll watch the siege all undismayed, Because, you know, we can retreat, Along the causeway we have made. 6. 'Haul down your flag!' 'Oh, no,' we shout, Our drums and trumpets heard afar The castle sinks; but we march out (By permission of Messrs. Routledge & Sons.) 1. FOR about 350 years the Britons and the Romans lived together where we are now living, in England. But we are not of the same family or blood as the Britons or the Romans; we come of a family different from both. 2. Our fore-fathers were that strong, fierce race who sailed over in their ships from Denmark and Germany. They were called Jutes and Saxons, and Angles; and it was from the ANGLES that Britain, long after, got the name of Angleland, or ENGLAND. 3. These fore-fathers of ours, the AngloSaxons, were little better than sea-robbers. They came over to rob and plunder the Britons, but the Britons at first got them to fight on their side against their other enemies. 4. The Saxons soon found that they liked this country better than their own, so they settled themselves in the island of Thanet, at the mouth of the river Thames. You will be sorry to hear that they then joined with the cruel men from the North against the poor Britons. And soon afterwards they came over by hundreds and thousands and over-ran the whole country. 5. When they had conquered the Britons, they did not try to make them wiser and better, as the Romans had done. They took all their lands from them and drove them far away into Wales and Cornwall. They then set up several kingdoms of their own, and fought amongst themselves for about 400 years more. 6. At last Egbert, King of Wessex, got the better of all the rest, and was proclaimed |