rrupted Major Graham.
"Harry has been fighting my battles, and gained a great victory! we must
illuminate the nursery!"
Uncle David then told the whole story, with many droll remarks, about
his purse having been stolen, and said that, as Harry never complained
of being hurt, he never supposed that anything of the kind could have
occurred; but he felt very much pleased to observe how well a certain
young gentleman was able to bear pain, as boys must expect hard blows in
the world, when they had to fight their way through life, therefore it
was well for them to give as few as they could, and to bear with
fortitude what fell to their own share. Uncle David slyly added, that
perhaps Harry put up with these things all the better for having so much
practice in the nursery.
Mrs. Crabtree seemed rather proud of Harry's manly spirit, and treated
him with a little more respect than usual, saying, she would fetch him
some hot water to foment his face, if he would go straight up stairs
with Laura. Now, it very seldom happened, that Harry went straight
anywhere, for he generally swung down the bannisters again, or took a
leap over any thing he saw on the way, or got upon some of the tables
and jumped off, but this night he had resolutely intended marching
steadily up to bed, and advanced a considerable way, when a loud shout
in the street attracted his attention. Harry stopped, and it was
repeated again, so seizing Laura by the hand, they flew eagerly into
Lady Harriet's dressing-room, and throwing open a window, they picked up
a couple of cloaks that were lying on a chair, and both stepped out on a
balcony to find out what was going on; and in case any one should see
them in this unusual place, Harry quietly shut the window down,
intending to remain only one single minute. Minutes run very fast away
when people are amused, and nothing could be more diverting than the
sight they now beheld, for at this moment a grand crash exploded of
squibs and rockets from the Castle-hill, which looked so beautiful in
the dark, that it seemed impossible to think of anything else. Some flew
high in the air, and then burst into the appearance of twenty fiery
serpents falling from the sky, others assumed a variety of colours, and
dropped like flying meteors, looking as if the stars were all learning
to dance, while many rushed into the air and disappeared, leaving not a
trace behind. Harry and Laura stood perfectly entranced with admiration
and d
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