Junior High School Literature, Book 1Elson, William H. (William Harris)
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Junior High School Literature, Book 1
Elson, William H. (William Harris)
American literature; English literature; Readers
The man replied that he was only a servant to a shepherd, and that his
master’s house was just going to be sold, and therefore they would find
but poor entertainment; but that if they would go with him, they should
be welcome to what there was. They followed the man, the near prospect
of relief giving them fresh strength; and bought the house and sheep of
the shepherd, and took the man who conducted them to the shepherd’s house
to wait on them; and being by this means so fortunately provided with a
neat cottage, and well supplied with provisions, they agreed to stay here
till they could learn in what part of the forest the duke dwelt.
When they were rested after the fatigue of their journey, they began to
like their new way of life, and almost fancied themselves the shepherd
and shepherdess they feigned to be; yet sometimes Ganymede remembered he
had once been the same lady Rosalind who had so dearly loved the brave
Orlando, because he was the son of old Sir Rowland, her father’s friend;
and though Ganymede thought that Orlando was many miles distant, even so
many weary miles as they had traveled, yet it soon appeared that Orlando
was also in the forest of Arden; and in this manner this strange event
came to pass.
Orlando was the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys, who, when he died,
left him (Orlando being then very young) to the care of his eldest
brother Oliver, charging Oliver on his blessing to give his brother
a good education, and provide for him as became the dignity of their
ancient house. Oliver proved an unworthy brother; and disregarding the
commands of his dying father, he never put his brother to school, but
kept him at home untaught and entirely neglected. But in his nature
and in the noble qualities of his mind Orlando so much resembled his
excellent father, that without any advantages of education he seemed like
a youth who had been bred with the utmost care; and Oliver so envied the
fine person and dignified manners of his untutored brother, that at last
he wished to destroy him; and to effect this he set on people to persuade
him to wrestle with the famous wrestler, who, as has been before related,
had killed so many men. Now, it was this cruel brother’s neglect of him
which made Orlando say he wished to die, being so friendless.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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