Yet beautiful and bright he stood, A proud, though childlike form ! The flames rolled on - he would not go He knew not that the chieftain lay Unconscious of his son. Speak, father!" once again he cried, "If I may yet be gone! And"-but the booming shots replied, And fast the flames rolled on. Upon his brow he felt their breath, And in his waving hair ; And looked from that lone post of death In still, yet brave despair! And shouted but once more aloud, 66 'My father, must I stay?" While o'er him fast, through sail and shroud, The wreathing fires made way. They caught the ship in splendour wild, And streamed above the gallant child Then came a burst of thunder sound - THE SOLDIER'S DREAM. BY THOMAS CAMPBELL. OUR bugles sang truce-for the night-cloud had lowered, And the sentinel stars set their watch in the sky; And thousands had sunk on the ground overpowered, The weary to sleep, and the wounded to die. When reposing that night on my pallet of straw, Methought from the battle-field's dreadful array, Far, far I had roamed on a desolate track : 'Twas autumn- and sunshine arose on the way To the home of my fathers, that welcomed me back. I flew to the pleasant fields traversed so oft In life's morning march, when my bosom was young; I heard my own mountain goats bleating aloft, sung. Then pledged we the wine cup, and fondly I swore, From my home and my weeping friends never to part; My little ones kissed me a thousand times o'er, And my wife sobbed aloud in her fulness of heart. Stay, stay with us-rest, thou art weary and worn, And fain was their war-broken soldier to stay ;But sorrow return'd with the dawning of morn, And the voice in my dreaming ear melted away. A LITTLE GIRL'S LAMENT FOR THE FAIRIES. BY MRS. GORDON. АH! where are all the fairies flown? 'Mid lawns and bowers, when daylight's done, You weary me, you tiresome doll! Then you and I, so merrily, Had sported all the day; But now, oh dear! that cannot be, Now, there are none of them to ask No diamonds now reward the task, No toads the naughty lips disgrace, That say a sulky nay; This world is quite a stupid place, Now fairies are away. We cannot meet them at a spring, By leaden pipe or spout. One still finds toads; I've seen them crawl About, at close of day; But diamonds,—none; they vanished all When fairies went away. There's puss sits purring by the fire, Or chases mice and rats; The stupid thing! I do so tire A cleverer one my fancy suits, The bean-stalks in our gardens all, And nought save beans upon 'em ; No wealthy giants at the top, No gold, -no harps to play,— We'll ne'er see such another crop, Now fairies are away! |