title: The Plague
author:  David Alan Dickens 
description: David Alan Dickens is a 45-year-old novelist now living in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. David loves to terrify his reader audience and each of his books clearly reflect this. David has a degree in History from a Maryland community college and his minor was English Literature. David's other books include: KING OF THE DEAD, ALIEN SIEGE, HITLER'S WOLVES and DEFEATING ADDICTION (non-fiction/addictions recovery).
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  ##### www.blackmask.com
  
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  The Battle of Life
  
  
    
    
  [Chapter I--Part the First  
    
  ](The%20Battle%20of%20Life_split_001.html#filepos1299)[Chapter II--Part the
  Second  
    
  ](The%20Battle%20of%20Life_split_001.html#filepos54332)[Chapter III--Part the
  Third
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  http://www.blackmask.com
  
  
  # The Battle of Life
  
  
  ### Charles Dickens
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### CHAPTER I - Part The First
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Once upon a time, it matters little when, and in stalwart England,
  
  
  it matters little where, a fierce battle was fought. It was fought
  
  
  upon a long summer day when the waving grass was green. Many a
  
  
  wild flower formed by the Almighty Hand to be a perfumed goblet for
  
  
  the dew, felt its enamelled cup filled high with blood that day,
  
  
  and shrinking dropped. Many an insect deriving its delicate colour
  
  
  from harmless leaves and herbs, was stained anew that day by dying
  
  
  men, and marked its frightened way with an unnatural track. T