the light that failed by rudyard kipling

Jennett and this is not a wholesome frame of mind for the young. At such times as she herself was not personally displeased with Dick, she left him to understand that he had a heavy account to settle with his Creator wherefore Dick learned to loathe his God as intensely as he loathed Mrs. Her religion, manufactured in the main by her own intelligence and a keen study of the Scriptures, was an aid to her in this matter. The many hours that she could spare from the ordering of her small house she devoted to what she called the home-training of Dick Heldar. Where he growing older had sought a little sympathy, she gave him ridicule. Where he had looked for love, she gave him first aversion and then hate. Dick had been under her care for six years, during which time she had made her profit of the allowances supposed to be expended on his clothes, and, partly through thoughtlessness, partly through a natural desire to pain,–she was a widow of some years anxious to marry again,–had made his days burdensome on his young shoulders. Revolvers did not lie in the scheme of their daily life as decreed for them by the guardian who was incorrectly supposed to stand in the place of a mother to these two orphans. Besides, boys ought to do these things.’ĭick grumbled a little at the arrangement, but went out and made the purchase, which the children were then on their way to test. You can save better than I can, Dick,’ she explained I like nice things to eat, and it doesn’t matter to you. Maisie could only contribute half a crown to the syndicate for the purchase of a hundred cartridges. After much forethought and self-denial, Dick had saved seven shillings and sixpence, the price of a badly constructed Belgian revolver. The children had discovered that their lives would be unendurable without pistol-practice. Dick followed with a small pin-fire revolver. 'I’m not afraid.’ Maisie strode forward swiftly, a hand in her pocket and her chin in the air. Take the revolver, if you are afraid, and let me carry them.’ Do pin-fire cartridges go off of their own accord?’

'Yes they’re in my pocket, but they are joggling horribly. 'WHAT do you think she’d do if she caught us? We oughtn’t to have it, you know,’ said Maisie.īeat me, and lock you up in your bedroom,’ Dick answered, without hesitation.

So we settled it all when the storm was doneĪnd Teddy would run to the rainbow’s foot,

The light that failed by rudyard kipling