By the tombs of your sires and brothers, And hark! the deep voices replying On mounds which are wet with the weeping By the blood of our murdered McCook, And hark! the deep voices replying THE MAIN TRUCK, OR A LEAP FOR LIFE.-COLTON. Old Ironsides at anchor lay, In the harbor of Mahon; A dead calm rested on the bay,- In sport, up shroud and rigging ran, A shudder shot through every vein,- No hold had he above, below; Alone he stood in air: To that far height none dared to go,— We gazed, but not a man could speak,— In groups, with pallid brow and cheek, As riveted unto the spot, Stood officers and crew. The father came on deck:-he gasped, "Jump, far out, boy, into the wave! "That only chance your life can save; He sunk,-he rose, he lived, he moved,― On board we hailed the lad beloved, With many a manly shout. His father drew, in silent joy, Those wet arms round his neck, And folded to his heart his boy,- DRIVING HOME THE COWS.-KATE P. OSGOOD. Out of the clover and blue-eyed grass, Under the willows and over the hill, Only a boy! and his father had said He never could let his youngest go: Two already were lying dead Under the feet of the trampling foe. But after the evening work was done, And the frogs were loud in the meadow swamp, Over his shoulder he slung his gun, And stealthily followed the foot-path damp, Across the clover and through the wheat, Thrice since then had the lanes been white, For news had come to the lonely farm That three were lying where two had lain; And the old man's tremulous palsied arm Could never lean on a son's again. The summer day grew cool and late; He went for the cows when the work was done; But down the lane, as he opened the gate, He saw them coming, one by one, Brindle, Ebony, Speckle, and Bess, Shaking their horns in the evening wind, The empty sleeve of army blue; The great tears sprang to their meeting eyes; For the heart must speak when the lips are dumb, And under the silent evening skies Together they followed the cattle home. THE CONFESSION. There's somewhat on my breast, father, "Tis not the lack of gold, father, My lands are broad and fair to see, "Tis not that Janet's false, father, DAMON AND PYTHIAS; OR, TRUE FRIENDSHIP. WILLIAM PETER. Here, guards!" pa.e with fear, Dionysius cries, "Here, guards, yon intruder arrest! ་ 'Tis Damon-but ha' speak, what means this disguise? And the dagger which gleams in thy vest?" ""Twas to free," says the youth, "this dear land from its chains!" "Free the land! wretched fool, thou shalt die for thy pains." “I am ready to die-1 ask not to live. Yet three days of respite, perhaps thou mayst give, For to-morrow, my sister will wed, And 'twould damp all her joy, were her brother nor there Then let me, I pray, to her nuptials repair, While a friend remains here in my stead." With a sneer on his brow, and a curse in his breast, "Thou shalt have," cries the tyrant, "shalt have thy request To thy sister repair, and her nuptials attend, Enjoy thy three days, but-mark well what I say Then to Pythias he went, and he told him his case, And now, as if winged with new life from above. To his sister he flew, did his errand of love, And, ere a third morning had brightened the grove But the heavens interpose, Stern the tempest arose. And when the poor pilgrim arrived at the shore, Rushed in foam from the hills, And crash went the bridge in the whirlpool's wild roar. Wildly gazing, despairing, half frenzied he stood; And he shouted for aid, but no aid was at hand, And the waves sprang, like woods, o'er the lessening land, Now with knees low to earth, and with hands to the skies, "Still the storm, God of might, God of mercy!" he cries'Oh, hush with Thy breath this loud sea; The hours hurry by,-the sun glows on high; And should he go down, and I reach not yon town, Yet the wrath of the torrent still went on increasing, Then by anguish impelled, hope and fear alike o'er, But new perils await him; scarce 'scaped from the flood As onward he sped, lo! from out a dark wood, A band of fierce robbers encompassed his way. "What would ye ?" he cried, "save my life, I have nought; Nay, that is the king's."--Then swift having caught A club from the nearest, and swinging it round With might more than man's, he laid three on the ground, While the rest hurried off in dismay. But the noon's scorching flame Soon shoots through his frame, And he turns, faint and way-worn, to Heaven with a sighFrom the flood and the foe, Thou'st redeemed me, and oh! Thus, by thirst overcome, must I effortless lie, And leave him, the beloved of my bosom to die?" Scarce uttered the word, When startled he heard Purling sounds, sweet as silver's, fall fresh on his ear; Trickled down from the hill! He heard, and he saw, and, with joy drawing near, E* |