5 10 15 20 The squirming trunk within his hands, "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant The Fourth reached out his eager hand, "What most this wondrous beast is like "Tis clear enough the Elephant Is very like a tree!" The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an Elephant Is very like a fan!" The Sixth no sooner had begun "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant And so these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right, And all were in the wrong! JOHN G. SAXE. HELPS TO STUDY 1. Tell the story in your own words. 2. What is the lesson? 3. Why was each partly right and wholly wrong? 4. What name do we give to a lie that has some truth in it? 5. Why is such a lie hard to contradict? For Study with the Glossary: Indostan, inclined, scope. Then read from the treasured volume The poem of thy choice, And lend to the rhyme of the poet The beauty of thy voice. And the night shall be filled with music, H. W. LONGFELLOW. 5 THE CHILDHOOD OF DAVID COPPERFIELD I. DAVID IS SENT AWAY FROM HOME David Copperfield is harshly treated by his step-father, Mr. Murdstone, and by Mr. Murdstone's sister. The little boy of eight is sent away to school and separated from his mother whom he dearly loves and his old nurse Peggotty. He has no other friends or relatives in the world except an aunt, Miss Trotwood, who has never forgiven him for being born a boy instead of a girl. In this selection he has just left home in charge of Mr. Barkis, who is to drive him to Yarmouth. We might have gone about half-a-mile, and my pocket-handkerchief was quite wet through, when the carrier stopped short. Looking out to ascertain what for, I saw, to my 5 amazement, Peggotty burst from a hedge and climb into the cart. She took me in both her arms, and squeezed me to her stays until the pressure on my nose was extremely painful, though I never thought of that till afterwards when I found it very tender. 10 Not a single word did Peggotty speak. Releasing one of her arms, she put it down in her pocket to the elbow, and brought out some paper bags of cakes which she crammed into my pockets, and a purse which she put into my hand, but not one word did she say. After another and a final squeeze with both arms, she got down from the cart and ran away; and, my belief is, and has always been, without a solitary button on her gown. I picked up one, of several 5 that were rolling about, and treasured it as a keepsake for a long time. The carrier looked at me, as if to inquire if she were coming back. I shook my head, and said I thought not. "Then, come up," said the carrier to the lazy 10 horse; who came up accordingly. more. Having by this time cried as much as I possibly could, I began to think it was of no use crying any The carrier, seeing me in this resolution, proposed that my pocket-handkerchief should be spread 15 upon the horse's back to dry. I thanked him, and assented; and particularly small it looked, under those circumstances. I had now leisure to examine the purse. It was a stiff leather purse, with a snap, and had three bright 20 shillings in it, which Peggotty had evidently polished up with whitening for my greater delight. But its most precious contents were two half-crowns folded together in a bit of paper on which was written, in my mother's hand, "For Davy. With my love." I was 25 SO Overcome by this that I asked the carrier to be so good as reach me my pocket-handkerchief again; but he said he thought I had better do without it; |
