True Stories of Wonderful Deeds | Page 4

to some wounded and
disabled soldiers who had fought very bravely. Some of these men
could not raise their arms to salute their queen; some could not walk,
but had to be wheeled in chairs to her side; but all were proud to
receive their medals of honour from her hands.
"Noble fellows," she wrote of them afterwards, "I feel as if they were
my own children."
[Illustration: QUEEN VICTORIA VISITS HER WOUNDED
SOLDIERS]

=The Relief of Lucknow=
During the time of the terrible Indian Mutiny, when most of the native
troops rose against their British rulers, and vowed to kill every white
person in the land, many cruel deeds were done. A great number of
white people were slain before the British troops could come to their
rescue, but in some places they managed to hold out until help reached
them. This was the case in the city of Lucknow, where the British
governor with a small body of troops, and a great many women and
children, took refuge in the Government House from a vast host of
rebels who came to attack them. Many of the brave defenders were
killed by the shot and shell of the enemy. Many others, and especially
the little children, fell sick and died, for the heat was very great, and
there was no good water to be had. Then, after many days, a small body
of white soldiers fought their way into the city, and brought help and
hope to the rest of the party. They were only just in time. Had they
come a few days later they would have found the Government House a
heap of ruins, and their friends dead, for the rebels were making a mine
under the building and meant to blow it up with gunpowder. But alas!
the newcomers were not strong enough to fight their way out of
Lucknow with a crowd of helpless women and children and sick folk,
so they, too were now shut in. For two months longer they held out.
Then at last, when they had almost lost hope, the great Sir Colin
Campbell with his brave Highlanders and other soldiers defeated the
rebels, and brought the band of sick, starving, and weary people safely
away.
[Illustration: THE HIGHLANDERS ENTERING LUCKNOW]

=Grace Darling=
On a small rocky island, off the north coast of England, there is a
lighthouse. A man named William Darling was once keeper of this
lighthouse, and his daughter Grace lived with him. Every day Grace
Darling helped her father to trim the lamps, so that at night they might
shine brightly, and warn sailors to steer their ships away from the

dangerous rocks, upon which they would have been dashed to pieces.
One stormy night Grace woke with the sound of screams in her ears.
The screams came from the sea, so she knew that some ship must be in
distress. She roused her father, but they could see nothing in the
darkness. When daylight came, they found that a ship had been
wrecked upon the rocks some way off, and a few people were clinging
to the masts. Grace wished to go at once in a boat to save them; but at
first her father hung back, for the wind and sea were wild, and he
feared that the small boat would be overturned by the great waves.
Then Grace ran to the boat, and seized an oar, for she could not bear to
let the poor men die without trying to save them; and the father could
not let his brave, daughter go alone, so he followed, and they rowed off.
It was hard work pulling against the strong sea, and several times the
small boat was almost sunk. But at last it reached the wreck, and
William Darling managed to land upon the rock, and with great care
and skill helped the half-frozen people into the small boat. Then they
were taken to the lighthouse, where Grace warmed and fed them, until
the storm ceased, and they could return to their homes.
[Illustration: GRACE DARLING ROWS OUT TO THE WRECK]

=David Livingstone=
At one time many people believed that the middle of Africa was a
sandy desert, where nothing could live but camels and ostriches. But
they were mistaken. The great traveller, David Livingstone, journeyed
into this unknown country, and he found that it was not a desert but a
beautiful land, where many tribes of black people dwelt. He also saw
that these people were often seized by strangers, and taken away to be
sold as slaves. This sight filled him with sadness, and he made up his
mind to put a stop to this cruel traffic. He worked hard, tracing the
courses of the rivers, finding the best tracts of land, and