188 SIMPLE STORIES

knocking at the door of her mother’s house. On
opening the door some friends came in and
said: ‘The King is dead! Long live the
Queen!’ It was quite true, for the girl was now
to be Queen of England.

When they told her the news she asked God
to help her to do her duty by her people. She
felt that she was not well fitted for such a proud
position, but she made up her mind that, as far
as it lay in her power, she would do her duty.
And nobly she has done so for more than fifty
years. She has had many children, and to them
she has been as good a mother as she has been a
good queen to her people.

England is a better country to live in for all
classes of people than it was when Queen.
Victoria began her reign.

Many wonderful things have been found out.
The country has been covered from end to end
with railways, so that things can be quickly and
cheaply moved from one part of the country to
another. By this means fruit and food of all
kinds ean be taken to the large towns, and men
who have things to sell can send their goods to
any place where there is a market for them.

Large steamships have been built, which
carry people and goods to all parts of the world.
They can travel so fast that a man can go all
round the world in about three months. Many
things that we cannot grow are brought from
lands far over the sea.