s: The hand the doctor held drops down like lead.


s: A looking-glass receives no fading mist,


s: My eyes are fixed; I glare upon them all.


s: Grace twines her widowed arms about my neck,


s: Kissing my sallow cheeks, with hopeless tears,


s: Calling my name, and begging me come back;


s: So, thinking me dead, they close my staring eyes,


s: And put the face-cloth over my white face,


s: And go with silent tread about the room.


s: I hear each whisper uttered, and the sighs


s: That heave the desolate bosom of my Grace.


s: All is so dark since they have shut my eyes;


s: Shut out the light of day and every chance


s: And strive to part my lips to say some word;


s: But all in vain; the mind has lost control


s: Thinking me dead? To wake up in the grave,


s: Or a chance footstep passing near the spot,


s: And know the cold mould smothers up all cries,


s: Is bitter thought. To lie back then and die,


s: Suffocating slowly while I tear my hair,


s: The hour is borne distinctly by the wind.


s: My Grace sits near me; now comes to my side,


s: She, kneeling down, puts up her hands, and prays.


s: "O Father of all mercies, still be merciful,


s: And raise me from the gulf of this despair.


s: I cannot think nor feel my love is dead.


s: If he yet lives, and lingers in a trance,


s: Give me some sign that I may know the truth."


s: I slowly raise my hand, and let it fall.


s: Grace springs up all delight, and draws the cloth,


s: Kissing my lips, and begging me to wake.


s: The trance still lasts. My eyes will not unclose;


s: My lips refuse the functions of their place.


s: But Grace has this delayed for one week more;


s: Yet all in vain, I neither wake nor move.


s: And straight within my coffin long to rise.


s: I hear the pastor's prayer, and then his words,


s: Simple and good, and full of tender praise.


s: They come at last to take a parting look,


s: I hear them quickly screwing down the lid;


s: And now the bearers take me from the house,


s: And push me, feet first, in the black plumed hearse.


s: And Grace is choked with sobs, and follows on.


s: We reach the grave. They slowly lower me down.


s: Some gravel on the side is loose, and falls


s: I look back on the words here written down,


s: Comparing them with what has happened since,


s: That some day I might be entombed alive,


s: My trance was broken, and I called and screamed,


s: Until they drew me up from out the grave,


s: Craving forgiveness for his wrongs to me;


s: Saying that he repents for all his past,


s: And with Christ's help, will lead a better life.


s: He found his wife and children overjoyed


s: To have him back again to their embrace.


s: To-morrow Grace Bernard and I shall wed.


s: The bell that tolled my bitter funeral knell,


s: Will ring, glad of my wedding and my bride--


s: Ring merrily round and round a jubilant peal.


s: There comes no premonition now to show to me


s: What the long future has in store for us;


s: But from my door I watch the sunset skies,


s: And see blue mountains tower o'er golden plains,


s: Clothed with pure beauty stretching far away.


s: While yet upon his couch our father lay,


s: Sick unto death, my brothers, with one mind,


s: I did not tell the king, because I feared


s: To lessen by one heat the throbbing of his heart.


s: Beside his couch I knelt, and bowed my head--


s: I, his first-born, whom all the people loved.


s: His hot, weak hand he laid upon my hair,


s: And blessed me with his blessing, then said on:


s: "Thou hast beheld in Spring the dark green blade


s: That stabs up through the unresisting earth;


s: At last the Summer crowns it with a flower.


s: So thou, when I am passed away, and gone to dust,


s: Shalt wear a crown, but grander than the shrubs--


s: But take thee now this lesson to thy heart,


s: And from the grass learn wisdom; wear thy crown


s: As doth the shrub half hidden under leaves."


s: So he bent down with pain, and kissed my cheek,


s: As though, having issued a great law, he


s: Had set his seal upon it--the king's seal.


s: I cared not for the crown, save as a means


s: To give my soul a higher and a nobler life.


s: This my old tutor taught me--a strange man he,


s: With careless garb, and heavy hairy brows


s: Bridged over eyes that shone like furnace fire.


s: My will was lost in his. I grew like him.


s: And he it was who, standing in the night


s: Between two pillars on the palace porch,


s: The hateful whisper of their black design.


s: I drew my long, keen dagger from its sheath,


s: And stole on down the marble stair-way, past


s: The throne-room, to the curtained arch wherein


s: The guilty Dead-Sea of their rest. They lay


s: Engulfed in pillows, like two ships mid waves.


s: I saw their faces, and the one was fair.


s: Long dark brown hair fell from his noble brow,


s: And on the silken billow of the couch lay curled


s: Like spray. The other face was cold and dark


s: For this, the older brother of the twain.


s: Yet he it was who always praised me most.


s: Praise is a dust of diamond that, if thrown


s: Will blind them to a host of flagrant faults.


s: The moon was full, and 'twixt two silvered clouds


s: Looked forth, like any princess from between


s: The vagrant wind came through the opened blind,


s: And whispered of the desert; with its hand


s: Fanning the flame that in the silver urn


s: Mimicked a star. Beneath the rays I wrote:


s: _I should have slain you both for your intent


s: So, take the kingdom, and ride long and well._


s: Between them there I laid the paper down,


s: Then thrust my dagger, to the golden hilt,


s: Through it, deep in the couch. So passing on,


s: I came to that high room wherein my sire,


s: The king, lay sick, and drifting near to death.


s: Embraced by needed sleep, lay like a dog.


s: I came to see the king's face once again,


s: Ere, like a maid who in her lover trusts,


s: To the great desert and the world beyond.


s: How sweetly slept the king! His long white beard,


s: By even the breezy motion of his breath.


s: Surely, I thought, the fever must have passed.


s: How cold! God help me, can the king be dead?


s: My heart gave one wild bound, driving a wave


s: Of grief, vast as a mountain, up the sands


s: I longed to moan out my despair, but paused,


s: Checking my sobs to kiss the face once more;


s: Then moved from the strange room, parting with care


s: The massive silken curtains, fearful then


s: Their rustle might attract some wakeful ear.


s: And hung about my neck, beneath my robe.


s: And down the stair-way wrought of sandal-wood


s: Along the alcoves where the maidens slept,


s: A lady stood before me. She outstretched


s: Her white and naked arms, and round my neck


s: Entwined them. She was the captive, Veera,


s: Once held for ransom from some Bedouin tribe;


s: But when the coin was brought she would not go;


s: At this the king was pleased, for thus she made


s: Perpetual peace between him and her kin.


s: No maid in Mesched up and down, was found


s: Were apt and good, and all her ways were sweet.


s: By her white arms, was restless for release.


s: The place whereat my journey would be done.


s: I did not wait to pay her back her kiss.


s: My coal-black steed. He neighed and pawed the floor.


s: I bound the saddle firmly, grasped the reins,


s: And shot out on the desert, where the wind


s: Made race with us, but lagged behind at last.


s: New paths were opened to me, and my days


s: Seemed cramped and meagre in these wider ways


s: Of thought and science. Better far, I said,


s: To know, than be a king. There is no crown


s: That so becomes the brow as knowledge does.


s: To solve two problems, now engrossed my life.


s: Determined, though he failed, that I might yet


s: Toil on when he was compassed round by death.


s: These sister problems were, _How make pure gold?_


s: Among the books that I had bought myself,


s: Behold! I found the door behind which lay


s: The answers to my problems. Locked and barred


s: The door was, yet I knew it was the door.


s: For here I read of Eden, and that in the midst


s: The Tree of Life stood, while through the land


s: And one was Pison, the great crystal tide


s: Which floods Havilah, where fine gold is found,


s: The other. All the long night through I pored


s: Above the words, and kissed the unconscious page


s: With reverent lips. My heart was like a sponge


s: Soaked in the water of the mystic words.


s: As one who in the night, passing a street


s: Deserted, finds a lost key rusted and old,


s: Yet knows that it will fit some great iron door


s: Behind which countless treasures are concealed,


s: So I, when first I came to Mesmer's works,


s: Knew I had found the key to move the door


s: Of my twin problems. Then, day after day,


s: I made them all my study. Much I mourned


s: The sad disheartened life that Mesmer led.


s: He never knew that one good thing, success;


s: But yet his strong, persistent genius, to the end


s: Endured. Yet such the rule in every age.


s: The one true man appears, and gives his thought,


s: At which the whole world rail or basely sneer.


s: The next man comes and makes a thankless use


s: Of what the other knew, and wins the praise


s: The first man lost by being ripe too soon.


s: Down the long street, upon my iron-black steed,


s: I rode and pondered. Where shall I seek to find


s: A sweet soul pure as dawn, who to my will shall be


s: Both malleable and ductile; who can soar


s: Over the whole earth, or go back in the past?


s: While yet I mused, lo, up a garden walk,


s: Stood in the vine-clad cottage-window near.


s: The bird was like some sweet elusive thought;


s: Then turned and ran towards me, her large eyes


s: With gladness scintillant. It was the maid,


s: Veera. Her hand upon my shoulder, up the walk


s: We went, my steed following, while her bird,


s: Tired of his liberty, had found his cage.


s: Strange news had Veera. Here she lived in peace;


s: But through the city she had sought me long.


s: When I was gone from Mesched, and my brothers read


s: The paper I had written, their wrath rose


s: Against my tutor whom they deemed the spy.


s: The baseless charge of murder. Through the streets


s: They sent their criers to proclaim the deed.


s: So, clamorous for his life, the people came


s: And dragged him forth, and led him to the block


s: And slew him. On a spear they set his head,


s: The eastern gate. The birds pecked at the eyes,


s: The rain beat on it, and the active wind


s: Crowned it with desert dust. Always the sun


s: Until it seemed more ghastly than before.


s: But after this mad crime the older brother grew


s: Jealous of him, the younger. One dark morn


s: They found the last-born lifeless in the street,


s: Stabbed by a long, sharp poniard in the back.


s: Misrule followed misrule, and justice fled.


s: Laws were abolished, and pleasure's lewdest voice


s: Hawked in the market-place, and through the streets.


s: To set my face for Mesched with the dawn.


s: "Not yet," I said, "not yet." And then I made


s: Strange passes with my hands, and braced my will,


s: To sway her will; then with a questioning glance


s: She passed out to a calm Mesmeric sleep.


s: So, well I knew that I had found the soul


s: I sat and pondered in my room that night


s: Until the towers and steeples, near and far,


s: Like sentries of the sky, issued the hour


s: Of midnight. Then I wrought magnetic force


s: With waving hands; and set my swerveless will


s: That Veera should approach me, and that none


s: Should harm or see her as she passed the streets.


s: At last I heard her footstep on the stair--


s: And then she turned the hinge and entered in.


s: A long white wrapper made of satin, bound


s: With lace of gold, and fastened at the throat


s: With buttons of cut diamond, clad her form.


s: A hundred little worlds with central fires.


s: Her feet were naked, and her hair was down.


s: Her large eyes, wide and staring, took no heed


s: Of anything before them; thus she slept.


s: The Bible on her knee, and laid her hand


s: Upon the verse that names the tree of life.


s: "Tell me," I said, "where may this tree be found."


s: "The way is long," she answered me at last,


s: "And I am worn and weary. I have tracked


s: The shore of one long river, many a mile.


s: The sun scorches like fire. I am athirst.


s: I cannot find the tree; my search is done."


s: "Look down the past, and find if any knew


s: Where grows this tree, or how it might be found."


s: Long dead, who bends above a written scroll,


s: And therein makes strange characters, which hold


s: Some hidden sense pertaining to this tree.


s: In Milan, in the Ambrosian library there,


s: I see this scroll to-night; 'tis worn with age."


s: "Now seek thy home again," I said, "sweet soul.


s: Thou art as meek and pure as him whose hand


s: First wrote God's words." So she arose, and passed


s: Followed her closely, till I saw her cross


s: The threshold of her cottage; then I turned,


s: And found my home, and calmly slept till dawn.


s: Among Pinellian writings seared with age,


s: I found a prophet's palimpsest--a scroll


s: And on the margin of this scroll, I found


s: Mysterious signs which baffled me at first.


s: After a full week's search I chanced to find


s: A perfect soul may find long life and gold._


s: Surely, I thought, Veera the maid is pure.


s: Her life's blue sky has not one cloud of sin.


s: If her feet press the soil where Eve first trod,


s: And prayed her to go with me in my search.


s: She smiled assent. To be near me, she said,


s: Detained her from her kinsmen. Her heart's book


s: So we were wed, and both lives ran to one.


s: Now for the Nile we journeyed, gaining first


s: Thence we passed on, and with the savage kings


s: To rest our weary feet, or in their huts


s: Escape the sun's fierce glare. At last we found


s: The sources of the Nile; two lakes that now


s: I had but paused, and had retraced my steps,


s: The whole world would have known and praised my name,


s: But then I cared not for it, journeying on.


s: Veera was pale and worn, although she bore


s: Fatigue with generous patience for my sake.


s: Our feet were swollen, and with the hot sand scorched,


s: Our garments were in tatters, and we seemed


s: Like beggars, in a land where there were none to give.


s: At night we slept beside a wide, cool stream,


s: Whereat we quenched our thirst, and bathed our feet.


s: My beard was grown, and all my hair hung down


s: I saw was sick, and languished hour by hour.


s: Replied with brilliant lustre; as I brushed


s: The dust away, I saw that it was gold!--


s: Was I, I could not move it from its place.


s: To buy a crust, but could not. So we passed,


s: And came where five great rivers went their ways.


s: Led to the tree of life, but all the rest


s: Went back to death. Here a dead bird we found,


s: Upon occasional trees grew strange sparse fruits,


s: And these sustained us as we wandered on.


s: By each of these five rivers, then returned.


s: So all my hope was dead, and long I prayed


s: The night came on, and unto sleep we gave


s: Our spirits. When the golden day was born


s: "Lo, in the night three men have talked with me--


s: Three strange good men who said the kindest words,


s: And said that only those who were released


s: From sin, could find the garden of the Lord.


s: And this release was bought upon a cross


s: By One, a Nazarene, with priceless blood.


s: If He would bear our sins, then we might reach


s: The garden; but we must not touch or eat


s: The tree of life that flourished in the midst."


s: Then I abased my soul, and prayed again,


s: Tearing my strange ambition from my heart.


s: And Veera, too, embraced the Christian Faith.


s: And journeying eastward, Eden found at last!


s: The trees were housed with nests, and every one


s: Was like a city of song. The streams too


s: Were voluble; they laughed and gurgled there


s: Like men who, at a banquet, sit and drink


s: And chatter. All the grass was like a robe


s: Of velvet, and there was no need of rain.


s: In their long, branchy arms. Even the sun


s: Was tempered, and the sky was always blue.


s: Corpulent grapes along the crystal rocks,


s: Made consorts of the long-robed lady leaves.


s: The butterfly and bee, from morn till eve,


s: Which grew in rank profusion. They at times


s: Dared to invade the empire of the grass,


s: And overthrew its green-robed, spear-armed hosts.


s: And every night they struck their snowy tents,


s: To please their great commander, the round moon--


s: As to the heliotrope comes fluttering down


s: The peacock-butterfly, who sips and flies,


s: So each glad day gold-winged came to the land


s: And sipped its sip of time and fled away.


s: Now in an evil hour I hungered, and I saw


s: The tree of life that grew forbidden fruit.


s: What harm, I thought, is there to always live?


s: To live is happiness; but to die is pain.


s: The rental claimed by death falls due too soon.


s: So I reached forth, and took the fruit, and ate.


s: Then all the sky grew dark, and from the land


s: Malignant terrors drove me shrieking forth;


s: My hair turned gray, my shoulders stooped, my blood


s: Grew colder, and my perfect form was changed.


s: A weak old man with wrinkled face, I fled,


s: To wander in the wastes. Once I looked back


s: Was soft and clear; and midway in the air


s: I came at last to Mesched. It was night.


s: The moon, half-shadowed, trailed its silver robe


s: And there revealed the outlines of a skull


s: Set on a spear. The portals were unbarred.


s: I passed the arch, but in the shadow kept,


s: While on the flinty wall I edged my knife.


s: Then I crept on until I gained the porch


s: Of the great palace. There I smote the guard,


s: And entering in, sought out the sleeping king.


s: Deep in his heart I plunged my thirsty knife.


s: And begged, and heard the rumors of the town;


s: Then, standing forth, I claimed to be their king,


s: No pity while he lived. So I was king at last;


s: Are dust and ashes, knowing that God's frown


s: There is no kindlier spirit than content.


s: And there is nothing better in the world


s: Than to do good, and trust in God for all.


s: O friends of mine, whose kindly words come to me


s: Voiced only in lost lisps of ink and pen,


s: If I had power to tell the good you do me,


s: And how the blood you warm goes laughing through me,


s: And I would toddle round the world to meet you--


s: Fall at your feet, and clamber to your knees


s: And with glad, happy hands would reach and greet you,


s: And twine my arms about you, and entreat you


s: For leave to weave a thousand rhymes like these--


s: A thousand rhymes enwrought of nought but presses


s: And pats of honeyed palms, and rare caresses,


s: And all the sweets of which as Fancy guesses


s: She folds away her wings and swoons therein.


s: It robs pretty maids of their heart's delight--


s: It causes them to weep and it causes them to mourn


s: For the life of a hobo, never to return.


s: Though it's Sweethearts all, farewell, to thee!--


s: In the morning bright, or the dusk so dim,


s: For to meet his fate with a valiant heart.


s: Oh, it's beauty mops out the sidetracked-car,


s: And it's beauty-beaut' at the pigs-feet bar;


s: But when his drinks and his eats is made


s: Then the hobo shunts off down the grade.


s: He camps near town, on the old crick-bank,


s: And he cuts his name on the water-tank--


s: (Oh, it's I like friends that he'ps me through,


s: And the friends also that he'ps you, too,--


s: Oh, I like all friends, 'most every kind


s: But I don't like friends that don't like mine.)


s: There's friends of mine, when they gits the hunch,


s: Comes a swarmin' in, the blasted bunch,--


s: And the dandiest of the whole blame push.


s: When I took my chance with all the rest,


s: And hogged fried chicken and roastin' ears, too,


s: And sucked cheroots when the feed was through.


s: Oh, the hobo's way is the railroad line,


s: And it's little he cares for schedule time;


s: There's beauties there just thick for him--


s: There's beauty at "The Queen's Taste Lunch-stand," sure,


s: Or "The Last Chance Boardin' House" back-door.


s: But the laundry circles he moves in there


s: So it's Good-by gals! and he takes his chance


s: And wads hisself through the workhouse-fence:


s: He sheds the town and the railroad, too,


s: And strikes mud roads for a change of view.


s: And so likewise does the farmhands stare--


s: Or the winter's cold, with its snow and sleet--


s: But he likes the best, when the days is warm,


s: A tin o' black coffee, and a rhuburb pie--


s: They're hot-stuff enough for the pore hobo,


s: And it's "Thanks, kind lady, for to treat me so!"


s: Then he fills his pipe with a stub cigar


s: And swipes a coal from the kitchen fire,


s: And the hired girl says, in a smilin' tone,--


s: "It's good-by, John, if you call that goin'!"


s: It robs pretty maids of their heart's delight--


s: It causes them to weep and it causes them to mourn


s: For the life of a hobo, never to return.


s: And wrapped in shrouds of drifting clouds


s: So close in his own that his touch was a prayer


s: The same that the Savior's arms were wound


s: Like some good ghost, and went the same;


s: That brought you snatched you back again


s: He's jes' a great, big, awk'ard, hulkin'


s: How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood


s: The old meeting-house at the edge of the wildwood,


s: The rail fence, and horses all tethered thereto;


s: The low, sloping roof, and the bell in the steeple,


s: The doves that came fluttering out overhead


s: As it solemnly gathered the God-fearing people


s: To hear the old Bible my grandfather read.


s: The leathern-bound Bible my grandfather read.


s: The blessed old volume!  The face bent above it--


s: Though the reverent eye that droops downward to love it


s: Makes grander the text through the lens of a tear,


s: And, as down his features it trickles and glistens,


s: The cough of the deacon is stilled, and his head


s: Like a haloed patriarch's leans as he listens


s: Ah! who shall look backward with scorn and derision


s: And scoff the old book though it uselessly lies


s: In the dust of the past, while this newer revision


s: Lisps on of a hope and a home in the skies?


s: Shall the voice of the Master be stifled and riven?


s: Shall we hear but a tithe of the words He has said,


s: When so long He has, listening, leaned out of Heaven


s: To hear the old Bible my grandfather read?


s: Here's my song, and there's your sigh.--


s: I pledge thee, through the chill sunshine


s: (My uncle, of course, though he seemed to be


s: And the things he knew that _I_ should know!--


s: The stage, the "drop," and the frescoed wall;


s: With his pale, bleak forehead and long, black hair;


s: And the "B-Flat," pouting and puffing his face


s: And he coined me names of them, each in turn,


s: Some comical name that I laughed to learn,


s: Who hides away at the end of the string,


s: Till it seemed that my very soul spun round,


s: As I leaned, in a breathless joy, toward my


s: And said, with the courtliest wave of his hand,


s: "Why, that little master of all the band


s: And _yours_--and _theirs_--your lifetime through!


s: Though _I've_ heard melodies, boy and man,


s: Since first "the show" of my life began,


s: To all the fervor the boy's heart feels--


s: His bravest hopes, and his brightest tears;


s: And so, with his first bouquet, he kneels


s: Played with hearts like jugglers' balls.--


s: O it's good to ketch a relative 'at's richer and don't run


s: When you holler out to hold up, and'll joke and have his fun;


s: It's good to hear a man called bad and then find out he's not,


s: Er strike some chap they call lukewarm 'at's really red-hot;


s: It's good to know the Devil's painted jes' a leetle black,


s: And it's good to have most anybody pat you on the back;--


s: But jes' the best thing in the world's our old friend Neverfail,


s: When he wags yer hand as honest as an old dog wags his tail!


s: I like to strike the man I owe the same time I can pay,


s: And take back things I've borried, and su'prise folks thataway;


s: I like to find out that the man I voted fer last fall,


s: That didn't git elected, was a scoundrel after all;


s: I like the man that likes the pore and he'ps 'em when he can;


s: I like to meet a ragged tramp 'at's still a gentleman;


s: But most I like--with you, my boy--our old friend Neverfail,


s: With a walk that for grace is clear out of the case,


s: His little bow-legs had forgotten the pace


s: He is forty, at least; and the top of his head


s: And his nose and his two chubby cheeks are as red


s: His mouth is a grin with the corners tucked in,


s: That it ripples his features and dimples his chin


s: He is fond of declaring he "don't care a straw"--


s: Are blisses, compared with a mother-in-law


s: So he smokes and he drinks, and he jokes and he winks,


s: With a thumb ever ready to snap as he thinks


s: But up in his den--(Ah, my bachelor chum!)--


s: When the laugh of his lips died away to become


s: And to look on him there you would love him, for all


s: As the little girl-face that smiles down from the wall


s: I' be'n down to the Capital at Washington, D. C.,


s: Where Congerss meets and passes on the pensions ort to be


s: Allowed to old one-legged chaps, like me, 'at sence the war


s: Don't wear their pants in pairs at all--and yit how proud we are!


s: Old Flukens, from our deestrick, jes' turned in and tuck and made


s: The more I kep' a-wantin' jes' to kind o' git away,


s: And yit a-feelin' sociabler with Flukens ever' day.


s: You see I'd got the idy--and I guess most folks agrees--


s: 'At men as rich as him, you know, kin do jes' what they please;


s: A man worth stacks o' money, and a Congerssman and all,


s: And livin' in a buildin' bigger'n Masonic Hall!


s: Now mind, I'm not a-faultin' Fluke--he made his money square:


s: We both was Forty-niners, and both bu'sted gittin' there;


s: I weakened and onwindlassed, and he stuck and stayed and made


s: But I was goin' to tell you--er a-ruther goin' to try


s: To tell you how he's livin' now: gas burnin' mighty nigh


s: In ever' room about the house; and ever' night, about,


s: Some blame reception goin' on, and money goin' out.


s: And girls, you know, jes' dressed in gauze and roses, I declare,


s: And even old men shamblin' round a-waltzin' with 'em there!


s: And bands a-tootin' circus-tunes, 'way in some other room


s: Jes' chokin' full o' hothouse plants and pinies and perfume;


s: And fountains, squirtin' stiddy all the time; and statutes, made


s: And Fluke he coaxed and begged and pled with me to take a hand


s: And sashay in amongst 'em--crutch and all, you understand;


s: But when I said how tired I was, and made fer open air,


s: He follered, and tel five o'clock we set a-talkin' there.


s: "My God!" says he--Fluke says to me, "I'm tireder'n you!


s: Don't putt up yer tobacker tel you give a man a chew.


s: Set back a leetle furder in the shadder--that'll do;


s: I'm tireder'n you, old man; I'm tireder'n you.


s: "You see that-air old dome," says he, "humped up ag'inst the sky?


s: And then it stays jes' thataway--jes' anchored high and dry


s: Betwixt the sky up yender and the achin' of yer eye.


s: "Night's purty; not so purty, though, as what it ust to be


s: When my first wife was livin'.  You remember her?" says he.


s: I nodded-like, and Fluke went on, "I wonder now ef she


s: Knows where I am--and what I am--and what I ust to be?


s: "That band in there!--I ust to think 'at music couldn't wear


s: A feller out the way it does; but that ain't music there--


s: That's jes' a' _imitation_, and like ever'thing, I swear,


s: I hear, er see, er tetch, er taste, er tackle anywhere!


s: "It's all jes' _artificial_, this-'ere high-priced life of ours;


s: The theory, it's sweet enough, tel it saps down and sours.


s: "And all I want, and could lay down and sob fer, is to know


s: The homely things of homely life; fer instance, jes' to go


s: And set down by the kitchen stove--Lord! that 'u'd rest me so,--


s: Jes' set there, like I ust to do, and laugh and joke, you know.


s: "Jes' set there, like I ust to do," says Fluke, a-startin' in,


s: 'Peared-like, to say the whole thing over to hisse'f ag'in;


s: Then stopped and turned, and kind o' coughed, and stooped


s: Somepin' o' 'nuther in the grass--I guess his handkercher.


s: Well, sence I'm back from Washington, where I left Fluke a-still


s: A-leggin' fer me, heart and soul, on that-air pension bill,


s: I've half-way struck the notion, when I think o' wealth and sich,


s: "If I die first," my old chum paused to say,


s: "Mind! not a whimper of regret:--instead,


s: Laugh and be glad, as I shall.--Being dead,


s: But that our mirth shall mingle.--So, the day


s: The word comes, joy with me."  "I'll try," I said,


s: Though, even speaking, sighed and shook my head


s: And turned, with misted eyes.  His roundelay


s: Rang gaily on the stair; and then the door


s: Opened and--closed. . . .  Yet something of the clear,


s: Hale hope, and force of wholesome faith he had


s: Abided with me--strengthened more and more.--


s: Then--then they brought his broken body here:


s: And I laughed--whisperingly--and we were glad.


s: Er twice in my life,--and first time was


s: When the army broke out, and Jim he went,


s: The old man backin' him, fer three months;


s: And likin' him all to hisse'f-like, see?--


s: The old man come and stood round in the way


s: And down at the deepo a-heerin' him say,


s: In the whole dern rigiment, white er black,


s: And his fightin' good as his farmin' bad--


s: Bored through his thigh, and carried the flag


s: Through the bloodiest battle you ever seen,--


s: 'At Cap. read to us, 'at said: "Tell Jim


s: 'At he'd like to go back in the calvery--


s: Jim 'lowed 'at he'd had sich luck afore,


s: Guessed he'd tackle her three years more.


s: And the old man give him a colt he'd raised,


s: And last he heerd was the old man say,--


s: 'At stirred him up like the tap of a drum--


s: And tuk 'em, and p'inted 'em t'other way,


s: As they scooted fer timber, and on and on--


s: And the old man's words in his mind all day,--


s: Think of him--with the war plum' through,


s: His father's, the old voice in his ears,--


s: It's mighty good to git back to the old town, shore,


s: Considerin' I've be'n away twenty year and more.


s: Sence I moved then to Kansas, of course I see a change,


s: A-comin' back, and notice things that's new to me and strange;


s: Especially at evening when yer new band-fellers meet,


s: In fancy uniforms and all, and play out on the street--


s: Air brother of him played the drum as twic't as big as Jim;


s: And old Hi Kerns, the carpenter--say, what's become o' him?


s: I make no doubt yer _new band_ now's a _competenter_ band,


s: And plays their music more by note than what they play by hand,


s: And stylisher and grander tunes; but somehow--anyway,


s: And a dozent others of 'em--"Number Nine" and "Number 'Leven"


s: Was favo-_rites_ that fairly made a feller dream o' Heaven.


s: And when the boys 'u'd saranade, I've laid so still in bed


s: I've even heerd the locus'-blossoms droppin' on the shed


s: When "Lilly Dale," er "Hazel Dell," had sobbed and died away--


s: . . . I want to hear the _old_ band play.


s: Yer _new_ band ma'by beats it, but the _old band's_ what I said--


s: And, whilse I'm no musicianer, when my blame' eyes is jes'


s: Nigh drownded out, and Mem'ry squares her jaws and sort o' says


s: She _won't_ ner _never_ will fergit, I want to jes' turn in


s: And take and light right out o' here and git back West ag'in


s: And _stay_ there, when I git there, where I never haf to say


s: Could I pour out the nectar the gods only can,


s: And drink the success of the Traveling Man,


s: And could I but tincture the glorious draught


s: With his smiles, as I drank to him then,


s: And the jokes he has told and the laughs he has laughed,


s: And drink to the sweetheart who gave him good-by


s: Very hour, as he thinks of the tear in her eye


s: To her truest of hearts and her fairest of hands


s: I would drink, with all serious prayers,


s: Since the heart she must trust is a Traveling Man's,


s: I would drink to the wife, with the babe on her knee,


s: Who breaks his brave letters so tremulously


s: And I'd drink to the feeble old mother who sits


s: And murmurs and weeps o'er the stocking she knits,


s: I would drink a long life and a health to the friends


s: Who have met him with smiles and with cheer--


s: To the generous hand that the landlord extends


s: And I pledge, when he turns from this earthly abode


s: Three parts right, and three parts wrong,


s: Old John's jes' made o' the commonest stuff--


s: He's tough, I reckon,--but none too tough--


s: Too tough though's better than not enough!


s: He does his best, and when his best's bad,


s: He don't fret none, ner he don't git sad--


s: His doctern's jes' o' the plainest brand--


s: And they hain't no shine on them shoes o' his,


s: And his hair hain't cut--but his eye-teeth is:


s: He feeds hisse'f when the stock's all fed--


s: And sleeps like a babe when he goes to bed--


s: And dreams o' Heaven and home-made bread,


s: Ner his clothes don't fit him--but _he_ fits _me_:


s: Somebody's sent a funny little valentine to me.


s: It's a bunch of baby-roses in a vase of filigree,


s: And hovering above them--just as cute as he can be--


s: Is a fairy Cupid tangled in a scarf of poetry.


s: And the prankish little fellow looks so knowing in his glee,


s: With his golden bow and arrow, aiming most unerringly


s: At a pair of hearts so labeled that I may read and see


s: That one is meant for "One Who Loves," and one is meant for me.


s: But I know the lad who sent it!  It's as plain as A-B-C!--


s: Can not breathe the lightest whisper of his burning love for me.


s: Heard when the star bloomed forth and lit


s: The world's face, with God's smile on it.


s: His mouth, like his pipe, 's allus goin',


s: And his thoughts, like his whiskers, is flowin',


s: And what he don't know ain't wuth knowin'--


s: But he's never yet pictured him cheerless


s: Skeert stiff at some "Rambler" er "Rover"


s: It's a purty steep climate old Brown's in;


s: And the rains there his ducks nearly drowns in


s: Like the mumps had him 'most so well throttled


s: But best of 'em all's the fool-breaks 'at


s: Which makes him--clean back of the power


s: Like a ground-vine blossom, so low in the weeds


s: Was a heart brimmed o'er with tears of shame,


s: And maybe its creed is the worst of creeds--


s: That friend would tell it that all it needs


s: Is the little old poem that nobody reads.


s: Was trying to read, and to swing you, too;


s: And the green of the sward was so kind to the eye,


s: And the shade of the maples so cool and blue,


s: That often I looked from the book to you


s: You in the hammock.  The book we'd brought


s: From the parlor--to read in the open air,--


s: I droned and droned through the rhythmic stuff--


s: But, with always a half of my vision gone


s: To caressingly gaze at you, swathed in the fluff


s: You in the hammock--and that was a year--


s: And her Launcelot and their lordliness!--


s: Herr Weiser!--Threescore years and ten,--


s: As the cool green glen of his calm retreat,


s: Whose fret and fever, and stress and strife,


s: Through the orchard ways of his quaint abode.--


s: With lumps of ripeness and lush delight,


s: Till the stream, as it maunders on till dawn,


s: And the gentle blue of his eyes, and grace


s: And what though the toil of the farm be stopped


s: And the tireless plans of the place be dropped,


s: While the prayerful master's knees are set


s: As sweet as the soul of a babe, bloom-wise


s: Mother, O mother! forever I cry for you,


s: Even in slumber I murmur and sigh for you.--


s: Sleep, for thy mother bends over thee yet!"


s: Mother, O mother! the years are so lonely,


s: Filled but with weariness, doubt and regret!


s: Can't you come back to me--for to-night only,


s: One wish denied me, nor trouble to fret;


s: Now--must I cry out all vainly forever,--


s: Mother, O mother! must longing and sorrow


s: Leave me in darkness, with eyes ever wet,


s: And never the hope of a meeting to-morrow?


s: When Old Jack died, we stayed from school (they said,


s: At home, we needn't go that day), and none


s: And that was Papa--and his eyes were red


s: When he came round where we were, by the shed


s: Where Jack was lying, half-way in the sun


s: And half-way in the shade.  When we begun


s: To cry out loud, Pa turned and dropped his head


s: Into the kitchen.  Then, for a long while,


s: All to ourselves, like, we stood there and cried.


s: We thought so many good things of Old Jack,


s: And funny things--although we didn't smile--


s: We couldn't only cry when Old Jack died.


s: When Old Jack died, it seemed a human friend


s: Had suddenly gone from us; that some face


s: Our chubby fingers o'er him, romp and race,


s: Plead with him, call and coax--aye, we might send


s: The old halloo up for him, whistle, hist,


s: (If sobs had let us) or, as wildly vain,


s: Snapped thumbs, called "Speak," and he had not replied;


s: We might have gone down on our knees and kissed


s: The tousled ears, and yet they must remain


s: Deaf, motionless, we knew--when Old Jack died.


s: When Old Jack died, it seemed to us, some way,


s: That all the other dogs in town were pained


s: With our bereavement, and some that were chained,


s: Even, unslipped their collars on that day


s: To visit Jack in state, as though to pay


s: A last, sad tribute there, while neighbors craned


s: Their heads above the high board fence, and deigned


s: To sigh "Poor Dog!" remembering how they


s: Had cuffed him, when alive, perchance, because,


s: For love of them he leaped to lick their hands--


s: Now, that he could not, were they satisfied?


s: We children thought that, as we crossed his paws,


s: And o'er his grave, 'way down the bottom-lands,


s: Wrote "Our First Love Lies Here," when Old Jack died.


s: You and I, and that night, with its perfume and glory!--


s: The scent of the locusts--the light of the moon;


s: And the violin weaving the waltzers a story,


s: Enmeshing their feet in the weft of the tune,


s: While under the trellis we drank in the June.


s: Soaked through with the midnight the cedars were sleeping,


s: Their shadowy tresses outlined in the bright


s: Crystal, moon-smitten mists, where the fountain's heart, leaping


s: Forever, forever burst, full with delight;


s: Whose love like a lily bloomed out in the night.


s: O your glove was an odorous sachet of blisses!


s: The breath of your fan was a breeze from Cathay!


s: And the rose at your throat was a nest of spilled kisses!--


s: And the music!--in fancy I hear it to-day,


s: My rival who found us, and waltzed you away.


s: All else,--long years, lost hopes, regret;


s: And the song of the birds, and the old camp too,


s: You give us not only the bird that sings,


s: With this our universal voice of prayer--


s: Wouldst have Thee hear no lightest sob of pain--


s: Nor drip of tears, though soft as summer rain.


s: And, Father, give us first to comprehend,


s: No ill can come from Thee; lean Thou and lend


s: Since all Thy deeds are blessings, in the end.


s: And let us feel and know that, being Thine,


s: So, let us thank Thee, with all self aside,


s: Nor any lingering taint of mortal pride;


s: We thank Thee that our land is loved of Thee


s: The blessed home of thrift and industry,


s: E'en thus we thank Thee for the wrong that grew


s: Beneath the red and white and starry blue.


s: Ay, thanks--though tremulous the thanks expressed--


s: Thanks for the battle at its worst, and best--


s: Of _all_ the States' whole forty-four:--


s: She's first in ever'thing, that's shore!--


s: Her, them's the ones that's dribbled out.


s: _"He that high growth on cedars did bestow,


s: Gave also lowly mushrumps leave to grow."_


s: How white the sun comes through the pane!


s: Their barks are fiercer than their bites!


s: I thank, for leave to print these rhymes,


s: But _Life_ and _Collier's_ I thank most.


s: Dear sweet, when dusk comes up the hill,


s: And then, dear books, dear waiting chairs,


s: "The boy for whom Barrie wrote Peter Pan--the original of Peter


s: Those prayer-time eyes, so deep and still--


s: Early in the morning, when the dawn is on the roofs,


s: You hear his wheels come rolling, you hear his horse's hoofs;


s: You hear the bottles clinking, and then he drives away:


s: You yawn in bed, turn over, and begin another day!


s: The old-time dairy maids are dear to every poet's heart--


s: I'd rather be the dairy _man_ and drive a little cart,


s: And bustle round the village in the early morning blue,


s: And hang my reins upon a hook, as I've seen Casey do.


s: The solemn glow of sunsets, the hidden silver pool!


s: The fountains on the terrace against the summer heats--


s: I had my youthful plenty of sour apple trees!


s: Her yachts upon the water with the wind among their spars--


s: When I'm grown up and can have what I please


s: I think I shall always insist upon these.


s: What do _you_ choose when you're offered a treat?


s: When Mother says, "What would you like best to eat?"


s: Is it waffles and syrup, or cinnamon toast?


s: It's cocoa and animals that _I_ love most!


s: The kitchen's the cosiest place that I know:


s: The kettle is singing, the stove is aglow,


s: And there in the twilight, how jolly to see


s: With Mary to cook for them, Susan to wait;


s: But they don't have nearly as much fun as I


s: Who eat in the kitchen with Nurse standing by;


s: And Daddy once said, he would like to be me


s: Having cocoa and animals once more for tea!


s: How blue the moonlight and how still the night.


s: Silent I ramble through the whole dear house


s: And put her little brown nasturtium bowl


s: Where she can see it when she telephones.


s: And do my work neglected.... Tiptoe then


s: Dark hair across the moon-blanched pillow slip.


s: Her eyes are sealed with peace, but as I touch


s: The girlish cheek, her lips are tremulous


s: With secret knowing smiles. In her boudoir


s: (Her "sulking room" I call it: did you know


s: It means that?) I wind up the tiny clock


s: And stand at her Prayer Window where the fields


s: Lie listening to the crickets and the stars....


s: That echoes from the moonlit fields of France.


s: Straighten the spoons against our break of fast,


s: Share secrets with our dog, the drowsy-eyed,


s: Surprise the kitten with some midnight milk.


s: The pantry cupboard, full of pleasant things,


s: Attracts me: there I love to place in line


s: Then, as I fixed the cushions on the porch,


s: Through his big house, the World, householderwise,


s: Gives sleep to sleepless wives in Germany


s: And gently smooths the battlefields of France?


s: Dear Father God, the children in their play


s: Have tossed their toys in saddest disarray--


s: Wilt Thou not, like a kindly nurse at dusk,


s: Pass through the playroom, make it neat again?


s: At night the gas lamps light our street,


s: More bright than lights that money buys,


s: Pure as the moonlight, sweet as midnight air,


s: Simple as the primrose, brave and just and fair,


s: To kiss the little hand of her by whom I lie.


s: New words, true words, need I to make you see


s: The gallantry, the graciousness, that she has brought to me;


s: How humble and how haughty, how quick in thought and deed,


s: How loyally she comrades me in every time of need.


s: To-night she is not with me. I kiss her empty dress.


s: Here I kneel beside it, not ashamed to bless


s: Each dear bosom-fold of it that bears a breath of her,


s: Makes my heart a house of pain, and my eyes a blur.


s: Here I kneel beside it, humble now to pray


s: That God will send her back to me on the morrow day.


s: New words, true words, only such could praise


s: The blessed, blessed magic of her dear and dauntless ways.


s: Fled is the glamour, fled the royal dream,


s: Fled is the joy. They work no more by night


s: Deep in that cave of dazzling amber light,


s: In pools of darkness, under plumes of steam.


s: Gone are the laughing drills that sting and hiss


s: Gone are the torches and the great red cranes


s: That swung their arms with such resistless might;


s: Gone are the flags and drums of that great fight,


s: No more they swink with rocks and autumn rains;


s: Give hint of all the struggle that was here.


s: We too, mad zealots of the hardest craft,


s: Striving to build a word-house fair and tall,


s: Have wept to see our dear erections fall;


s: Have wept--then flung away our tools, and laughed.


s: Fled is the dream, but working year by year


s: We see our buildings rising, tier on tier.


s: I have no hope to make you live in rhyme


s: Or with your beauty to enrich the years--


s: Enough for me this now, this present time;


s: The greater claim for greater sonneteers.


s: Dear human minutes, marred by human pains--


s: I want to know your lips, your cheek, your brow,


s: And all the miracles your heart contains.


s: Your eyes, divinely hurt with tenderness;


s: For these blunt rhymes and what they would express.


s: Then may you say, when others better prove:--


s: "_Theirs for their style I'll read, his for his love._"


s: When all my trivial rhymes are blotted out,


s: Vanished our days, so precious and so few,


s: If some should wonder what we were about


s: I wish that they might know how, night by night,


s: Sought vainly for some gracious way to write


s: How much this love is ours, and only ours.


s: How many evenings, as you drowsed to sleep,


s: And watched you down the valley dim and deep


s: Where poppies and the April flowers grow.


s: Then knelt beside your pillow with a prayer,


s: And loved the breath of pansies in your hair.


s: My thoughts beat out in sonnets while I walk,


s: And every evening on the homeward street


s: Throbs into verses (though the rhyme may balk.)


s: I think the sonneteers were walking men:


s: The form is dour and rigid, like a clamp,


s: But with the swing of legs the tramp, tramp, tramp


s: Lo! while you seek a rhyme for _hook_ or _crook_


s: Vanished your shabby coat, and you are kith


s: To all great walk-and-singers--Meredith,


s: Free verse is poor for walking, but a sonnet--


s: O marvellous to stride and brood upon it!


s: Along our street all dappled with rich sun,


s: Time rhymes to footfalls, planning how they run;


s: And yet, when midnight comes, and paper lies


s: Clean, white, receptive, all that one can ask,


s: And traitor hand that fails the well loved task!


s: Who ever learned the sonnet's bitter craft


s: But he had put away his sleep, his ease,


s: The wine he loved, the men with whom he laughed,


s: To brood upon such thankless tricks as these?


s: And yet, such joy does in that craft abide


s: He greets the paper as the groom the bride!


s: "O. Henry" once worked in a drug-store in Greensboro, N. C.


s: Where once he measured camphor, glycerine,


s: That druggists keep in rows of stoppered jars--


s: Now, blender of strange drugs more volatile,


s: Dispenses sadness tinctured with a smile


s: And laughter that dissolves in tears again.


s: And yet with friendly face resolved to brew


s: These sparkling potions for your customers--


s: In each prescription your Physician writ


s: You poured your rich compassion and your wit!


s: "On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer."


s: Student of tensile strengths and calculus,


s: My friend believed that poets all were queer,


s: But one night, when it chanced that three of us


s: Were reading Keats aloud, he stopped to hear.


s: His eager mind reached for it and took hold.


s: Ten years are by: I see him now and then,


s: He mumbles gravely, to the cheering men:--


s: _Much have I travelled in the realms of gold_.


s: Night after night goes by: and clocks still chime


s: And stars are changing patterns in the dark,


s: And watches tick, and over-puissant Time


s: Benumbs the eager brain. The dogs that bark,


s: The trains that roar and rattle in the night,


s: The very cats that prowl, all quiet find


s: And leave the darkness empty, silent quite:


s: Sleep comes to chloroform the fretting mind.


s: So all things end: and what is left at last?


s: Some scribbled sonnets tossed upon the floor,


s: A run-down watch, a pipe, some clothes we wore--


s: How warm her dreamless breath does pause and flow.


s: Ah very sweet! If news should come to you


s: Some afternoon, while waiting for our eve,


s: That the great Manager had made me leave


s: And that, whatever homeward winds there blew,


s: I could not touch your hand again, nor heave


s: The logs upon our hearth and bid you weave


s: Some wistful tale before the flames that grew....


s: Then, when the sudden tears had ceased to blind


s: Your pansied eyes, I wonder if you could


s: Forgetting when he failed in spleen or spite?


s: When our first love was April-sweet and new,


s: How fair it blossomed and deep-rooted grew


s: At moon and stars and beauty beyond praise


s: That burgeoned all about us: gold and blue


s: The heaven arched us in, and all we knew


s: Was gentleness. We walked on happy ways.


s: They said by now the path would be more steep,


s: The sunsets paler and less mild the air;


s: We will not tell the secret--let it keep.


s: I know not how I thought those days so fair


s: These being so much fairer, spent with you.


s: When we were parted, sweet, and darkness came,


s: I used to strike a match, and hold the flame


s: Before your picture; and would breathless mark


s: That brought to life the magic of your eyes,


s: Their wistful tenderness, their glad surprise.


s: Holding that mimic torch before your shrine


s: I used to light your eyes and make them mine;


s: Watch them like stars set in a lonely sky,


s: Whisper my heart out, yearning for reply;


s: Summon your lips from far across the sea


s: Bidding them live a twilight hour with me.


s: Then, when the match was shrivelled into gloom,


s: Lo--you were with me in the darkened room.


s: Suppose one knew that never more might one


s: Put pen to sonnet, well loved task; that now


s: These fourteen lines were all he could allow


s: How he would scan the word, the line, the rhyme,


s: The windy trees, the beauty of his days,


s: Life's pride and pathos in one verse sublime.


s: How bitter then would be regret and pang


s: For every verse that was not crystalline....


s: And if belike this last one feebly rang,


s: Honour and pride would cast it to the floor


s: Facing the judge with what was done before.


s: So War hath still some ruth? some sense of shame?


s: The Crown of Thorns hath reverence even now?


s: For when the summons to that village came,


s: Spurn Christ of Galilee, but (O sublime!)


s: What pang of beauty is in all these songs,


s: Flooding the heart with painful bliss within--


s: Was this the folk to which Von Kluck belongs,


s: Most gifted race the world has ever known,


s: Now bleeding in the dust of rank despairs,--


s: Kant wrote at midnight, Schumann dreamed his airs?


s: Their young and ardent hearts were coined


s: Above their graves two flags are joined;


s: Above the stately roofs, wind-lifted, high,


s: This is your flag: none other: yours alone:


s: Yours then to honour: and where it is flown


s: By your devotion let your heart be known.


s: Feeble the man who dare not bow the knee


s: Before some symbol greater far than he--


s: Emblem of youth, and hope, and strength held true


s: By honour, and by wise forbearance, too--


s: The fields, the vineyards and the lathe,


s: One whispered word--curt, bitter, brief,


s: You who put faith in your banks and brigades,


s: Drank and ate largely, slept easy at night,


s: Hoarded your lyddite and polished the blades,


s: Let down upon us this blistering blight--


s: You who played grandly the easiest game,


s: Now can you shoulder the weight of the same?


s: Who profits a copper? Who garners the fruit?


s: From bloodiest ending to futile beginning


s: Ours is the blood, and the sorrow to boot.


s: Ours are the hunger, the wounds, and the rags.


s: Down in the muck and despair of the trenches


s: Over the sweat and the groans and the stenches


s: You and your ribbons and d----d epaulettes--


s: This is _your_ game: it was none of our choosing--


s: We are the pawns with whom you have played.


s: Yours is the winning and ours is the losing,


s: But, when the penalties have to be paid,


s: We who are left, and our womenfolk, too,


s: Rulers of Europe, will settle with you--


s: Of days that made the friendship strong--


s: Yet love must needs come breaking through,


s: Dies like a mist, ... and there will come


s: Our Cotswold tramps? And will there still


s: The valves of all our hearts when young--


s: Your songs have fanned the Imperial fire.


s: No man in England slept, the night he died:


s: The harsh, stern spirit passed without a pang,


s: And freed of mortal clogs his message rang.


s: In every wakeful mind the challenge cried:


s: _Think not of me: one servant less or more


s: Means nothing now: hold fast the greater thing--


s: Strike hard, love truth, serve England and the King!_


s: Servant of England, soldier to the core,


s: What does it matter where his body fall?


s: What does it matter where they build the tomb?


s: Five million men, from Calais to Khartoum,


s: Of many horrors all our hearts are quick.


s: We are not ready writers, with the trick


s: Of rhyming just to see our words in print.


s: Nor are we fast forgetters: there remain


s: And tinged clean water with a red, red stain.


s: _Titanic_: she went down for love of speed;


s: The _Eastland_--curse her!--just for dirty greed;


s: But there are ships whose names are yet more rank.


s: The years have passed, but still our hearts are sick


s: Such men to drink, to bike, to smoke with,


s: Where men have dreamed such gallant things


s: What words can tell, what words can praise


s: Where are the bells, the gowns, the voices,


s: How young we were, and how close to Truth!


s: Setting a stone for those who have died,


s: "If the trumpet speak with an uncertain sound,


s: Who shall prepare himself for the battle?"


s: Our hearts are thicker with distrust....


s: We would, should, could, can, may--we must!


s: Leads straight at last, and blithe to tread:


s: If you can face a ragweed without sneezing


s: If you can find a field of daisies pleasing,


s: And not require ten handkerchiefs a day;


s: If you can stroll in meadowland and orchard


s: And greet the goldenrod with gay surprise,


s: By swollen nose and bloodshot, flaming eyes;


s: Nor look with envy on each passing hearse;


s: And not lay plans to drown yourself in drink,


s: Then your career is something to remember,


s: I feel a light, airy, prurient, menacing tickling,


s: Dainty as the pattering toes of nautch girls


s: With a crescendo like an approaching express train,


s: Whirl and spin before my bloodshot eyes--


s: Violet, puce, ochre, nacre, euchre ... all the other


s: Tickled I, prickled I, groaned and moaned I,


s: Camphored, menthol'd, and cold creamed I


s: Because I wrote better poetry than he did.


s: Along the river bank, to keep as far as possible


s: One day Ed and his brother crept up behind me


s: And carried me into a hayfield and left me.


s: At the funeral the church was full of goldenrod,


s: Who sowed that ragweed all round my grave.


s: Round many miles of planking have I been


s: Where dynamite had swept the traffic clean,


s: Or flying rocks would lay him stiff and cold.


s: As I was crossing Broadway, with surprise


s: I held my breath and improvised a prayer:


s: I gazed into the pit with doubtful eyes,


s: That still the Dutchmen ease their souls


s: A well-sharp'd pencil leads one on to write:


s: When guns are cocked, the shot is guaranteed;


s: The primed occasion puts the deed in sight:


s: Who steals a book who knows not how to read?


s: A maid, who would not dream her ta'en to wife?


s: Men looking down from some sheer dizzy steep


s: Have (quite impromptu) leapt, and ended life.


s: _From too much cheese the night before!_


s: Vast spaces where the great winds shout,


s: His eye must pierce, his hand must try....


s: The furnace tolls the knell of falling steam,


s: And at this price, indeed it does not seem


s: Now fades the glossy, cherished anthracite;


s: The "short and simple flannels of the poor."


s: Though in the ice-box, fresh and newly laid,


s: The rude forefathers of the omelet sleep,


s: No eggs for breakfast till the bill is paid:


s: We cannot cook again till coal is cheap.


s: The dark unfathomed tanks of Standard Oil


s: Shall furnish me, and with their aid I mean


s: The village collier (flinty-hearted beast)


s: May soon be numbered with the dear deceased:


s: "There's nothing worth the wear of winning


s: Still barred thy doors! The far east glows,


s: All look for thee, Love, Light, and Song,


s: In 1876, as we have said, appeared that obscure first volume at


s: a-ti-il d'héroine plus touchante, plus aimable que Sîta? Je ne le


s: chants de notre pays, je pleure presque toujours._ La plainte de


s: Sîta, quand, bannie pour la séconde fois, elle erre dans la vaste


s: obligée de faire cesser mes traductions de Sanscrit, il y a six


s: mois. Ma santé ne me permet pas de les continuer.


s: entering with interest into the questions raised by the Société


s: Il est beau en effet. Sa taille est haute, mais quelques-uns la


s: experience, to be the bane of modern India.


s: The light-leaved tamarind spreading wide,--


s: With flowers that have the ruby's gleam.


s: discordant echo of the music welling in Toru's brain. For it must


s: Thy generous fruits, though gathered ere their prime,


s: Still showed a quickness, and maturing time


s: But mellows what we write to the dull sweets of Rime.


s: Stern warriors, when they saw her, smiled,


s: She roamed the woods for fruit or flower,


s: By prayers, made morning, night, and noon


s: She wished, and feared and doubted never.


s: For one so pure?--His thoughts long dwelt


s: "Ah, whom, dear wife, should we select?"


s: She looked and looked,--then gave a sigh,


s: When hark a step,--there comes no crash,--


s: Shot down from heaven, appeared to tinge


s: The cornfields looked more green and bright.


s: The sun's, the moon's, the planets' birth


s: Whose radiance lights the chamber's gloom--


s: Make haste, O king,"--he said, and smiled.


s: This fancy, hence may spring despair."--


s: "Friend should to friend his mind speak out,


s: Pure, wise, and brave,--the Fates I thank


s: Than hopeless life,--the while it lasts.


s: My child shall wed the youth she loves."


s: With gay festoons of leaves and flowers;


s: Past fields, where sinuous brooklets small


s: Past frowning hills, past pastures wild,


s: But this thought brought with it no fear.


s: Would not their hard life press her sore;--


s: Good signs in features, limbs, and eyes,


s: And palms whose plumes wave in the breeze.


s: She sickened not, nor sighed, nor pined;


s: And brought no change;--should she rejoice?


s: When hark!--She hears her husband's voice!


s: His sire she seeks,--the blind old king,


s: Thou might'st embarrass him, dear heart,


s: The self-same thoughts in words as kind,


s: "Go then, my child,--we give thee leave,


s: Lo! By that hill which palm-trees crown,


s: Which would have fain its stress forgot;


s: Marked with his heart-blood oft comes back


s: This thought its horrid presence thrust.


s: My hands wax cold, and fails my breath."


s: Breathing his last.... The branches flap


s: Thus lies he. Hours pass. Still the same,


s: "Why hath the Prince not been brought here?


s: But glowed so bright, they filled with fear.


s: And looked surprised. "Go back, my child!"


s: More weird the scene had grown and wild;


s: What thou shouldst do, the Shasters show.


s: All that thou _canst_ do, thou hast done


s: No friends can help,--his sins are facts


s: The right, and run straight for the goal;


s: The hour wears late, the wind feels cold,


s: Thy feet are torn, there's blood, behold!


s: And the strange landscape awes my sense;


s: The Truth which thou wouldst aye instil.


s: They would not shrink in childlike fright


s: With parchèd tongue moves faint and slow,


s: For ah, poor child, thou art not strong."


s: The earth its plenteous treasure yields,


s: Wise, brave, and valiant." "From thy stock


s: Thenceforth, and that they both should live


s: And running swift, soon reached her goal,


s: That bound her breast which hope new-fired,


s: His breath came low at first, then deep,


s: "Who was it, Love, through regions black


s: Sleep which had bound thee fast, hath left


s: Thou, dear, who watchedst beside me,--say


s: "O Love, look round,--how strange and dread


s: Lo, wild fierce eyes through bushes scowl,


s: Now guides, methinks, the tottering feet


s: They swept their barriers weak and vain,


s: Help us, this night, and them, for sooth


s: More firm his step, more clear his view,


s: For Hope's fair light before them burns.


s: Where two paths met, the north they chose,


s: No more hast thou, dear friend, a choice.


s: That wail,--it means death's final throes!


s: Who on their wrongs and vengeance brood,


s: Where flew the death-fraught arrows keen,


s: What makes thee loth to leave this spot?


s: When first thou heardst that well-known voice


s: Flames from her eyes shot forth and burned,


s: That grief and fear have made thee wild,


s: All dangers. Hoarse the vulture screamed,


s: "Shell-bracelets ho! Shell-bracelets ho!


s: "Shell-bracelets ho! Shell-bracelets ho!"


s: The roadside trees still dripped with dew,


s: The field from which he hopes the wheat;


s: Bound for the school; these heard and past,


s: Which fruit-trees shadowed at their will;


s: Just try them on!"--She stretched her hand,


s: And asked the price, which when she heard


s: Will guide thee o'er the tract between."


s: "That is the temple spire."--"Yes, there


s: When thou hast knocked, and seen him, say,


s: Shell-bracelets bought from thee to-day,


s: "Within the small box, marked with streaks


s: Untouched, he'll find some coin,--'tis mine.


s: The bracelet's price, now fare thee well!"


s: Charmed with her voice, as by some spell;


s: Huge straw ricks, log huts full of grain,


s: Come, wash thy feet, and break thy fast,


s: The price is high."--"How! Sold to mine?


s: Who bought them, I should like to know."


s: "Thy daughter, with the large black eyne,


s: That's near the shrine.'" "Well, wait, friend, wait!"


s: "How strange! how strange! Oh blest art thou


s: "How strange! How strange! Oh happy thou!


s: Than thy poor bracelet's price? That brow


s: Whose eyes were they,--those eyes of flame?


s: They reached the Ghat but could not find


s: Stood by the bank. They called,--in vain,


s: _From the Vishnu Purana. B. II. Chap. XIII._


s: MAITREYA. Of old thou gav'st a promise to relate


s: The deeds of Bharat, that great hermit-king:


s: Long reigned in Saligram of ancient fame,


s: The mighty monarch of the wide, wide world.


s: Chief of the virtuous, never in his life


s: Harmed he, or strove to harm, his fellow-man,


s: His kingdom in the forest-shades to dwell,


s: And changed his sceptre for a hermit's staff,


s: And with ascetic rites, privations rude,


s: And constant prayers, endeavoured to attain


s: Fuel, and flowers, and fruit, and holy grass,


s: He gathered for oblations; and he passed


s: Of the world heedless, and its myriad cares,


s: And heedless too of wealth, and love, and fame.


s: Once on a time, while living thus, he went


s: To bathe where through the wood the river flows:


s: Upon the shelving bank to muse and pray.


s: Thither impelled by thirst a graceful hind,


s: Big with its young, came fearlessly to drink.


s: Sudden, while yet she drank, the lion's roar,


s: Feared by all creatures, like a thunder-clap


s: Burst in that solitude from a thicket nigh.


s: Startled, the hind leapt up, and from her womb


s: Her offspring tumbled in the rushing stream.


s: Whelmed by the hissing waves and carried far


s: By the strong current swoln by recent rain,


s: The tiny thing still struggled for its life,


s: While its poor mother, in her fright and pain,


s: Fell down upon the bank, and breathed her last.


s: Full of keen anguish; with his pilgrim staff


s: He drew the new-born creature from the wave;


s: 'Twas panting fast, but life was in it still.


s: Now, as he saw its luckless mother dead,


s: He would not leave it in the woods alone,


s: But with the tenderest pity brought it home.


s: There, in his leafy hut, he gave it food,


s: And daily nourished it with patient care,


s: Until it grew in stature and in strength,


s: And to the forest skirts could venture forth


s: Thenceforth it used to leave the hermitage


s: And with the shades of evening come again,


s: Lie down in peace, unless the tigers fierce,


s: Earlier at noon. But whether near or far,


s: Wandering abroad, or resting in its home,


s: The monarch-hermit's heart was with it still,


s: Bound by affection's ties; nor could he think


s: His nursling. Though a kingdom he had left,


s: And children, and a host of loving friends,


s: Almost without a tear, the fount of love


s: Sprang out anew within his blighted heart,


s: And so, whene'er it lingered in the wilds,


s: Or at the 'customed hour could not return,


s: His thoughts went with it; "And alas!" he cried,


s: "Who knows, perhaps some lion or some wolf,


s: Lo, how the earth is dinted with its hoofs,


s: To see my face? The shaven stalks of grass,


s: Kusha and kasha, by its new teeth clipped,


s: Like pious boys who chant the Samga Veds


s: Shorn by their vows of all their wealth of hair."


s: Thus passed the monarch-hermit's time; in joy,


s: With smiles upon his lips, whenever near


s: And fear, and trouble, when it wandered far.


s: And he who had abandoned ease and wealth,


s: And friends and dearest ties, and kingly power,


s: Thrown in his way by chance. Years glided on....


s: And Death, who spareth none, approached at last


s: The hind was at his side, with tearful eyes


s: Watching his last sad moments, like a child


s: Beside a father. He too, watched and watched


s: His favourite through a blinding film of tears,


s: And could not think of the Beyond at hand,


s: So keen he felt the parting, such deep grief


s: O'erwhelmed him for the creature he had reared.


s: To it devoted was his last, last thought,


s: Thus far the pious chronicle, writ of old


s: By Brahman sage; but we, who happier, live


s: With what the Brahman sage would fain imply


s: To love his nursling. What! a sin to love!


s: Whatever Brahmans wise, or monks may hold,


s: That he had sinned in _casting off_ all love


s: And, like a recreant soldier, leave the post


s: This little hind brought strangely on his path,


s: This love engendered in his withered heart,


s: This hindrance to his rituals,--might these not


s: Have been ordained to teach him? Call him back


s: To ways marked out for him by Love divine?


s: And with a mind less self-willed to adore?


s: But in the heat and bustle of the world,


s: 'Mid sorrow, sickness, suffering and sin,


s: Who strives to enter through the narrow gate.


s: Sprung from great Brahma, Manu had two sons,


s: Married two wives, Suruchee, his adored,


s: Was Dhruva. Seated on his throne the king


s: His brother in that place of honour, longed


s: Led on by Love he came, but found, alas!


s: Scant welcome and encouragement; the king


s: With stately step,--aye, every inch a queen,


s: And dared not smile upon her co-wife's son.


s: Observing him,--her rival's boy,--intent


s: To mount ambitious to his father's knee,


s: Where sat her own, thus fair Suruchee spake:


s: "Why hast thou, child, formed such a vain design?


s: Born from another's womb and not from mine?


s: Oh thoughtless! To desire the loftiest place,


s: The throne of thrones, a royal father's lap!


s: And not within thy reach. What though thou art


s: Born of the king; those sleek and tender limbs


s: Hold of my blood no portion; I am queen.


s: Were in thee vain ambition. Know'st thou not,


s: Fair prattler, thou art sprung,--not, not from mine,


s: But from Suneetee's bowels? Learn thy place."


s: Repulsed in silence from his father's lap,


s: Indignant, furious, at the words that fell


s: From his step-mother's lips, poor Dhruva ran


s: To his own mother's chambers, where he stood


s: Beside her with his pale, thin, trembling lips,


s: (Trembling with an emotion ill-suppressed)


s: And hair in wild disorder, till she took


s: And raised him to her lap, and gently said:


s: "Oh, child, what means this? What can be the cause


s: Of this great anger? Who hath given thee pain?


s: He that hath vexed thee, hath despised thy sire,


s: For in these veins thou hast the royal blood."


s: Thus conjured, Dhruva, with a swelling heart


s: That proud Suruchee spake, from first to last,


s: His speech oft broken by his tears and sobs,


s: Helpless Suneetee, languid-eyed from care,


s: Heard sighing deeply, and then soft replied:


s: "Oh son, to lowly fortune thou wert born,


s: And what my co-wife said to thee is truth;


s: No enemy to Heaven's favoured ones may say


s: Such words as thy step-mother said to thee.


s: Yet, son, it is not meet that thou shouldst grieve


s: Or vex thy soul. The deeds that thou hast done,


s: Or who the good works not done, supplement!


s: The sins of previous lives must bear their fruit.


s: Who has deserved them by his virtuous acts


s: In times long past. Oh think on this, my son,


s: And be content. For glorious actions done


s: Not in this life, but in some previous birth,


s: Women, unfortunate like myself, who bear


s: Only the name of wife without the powers,


s: But pine and suffer for our ancient sins.


s: Suruchee raised her virtues pile on pile,


s: Suneetee heaped but evil,--hence her son


s: Dhruva the luckless! But for all this, child,


s: It is not meet that thou shouldst ever grieve


s: Who is content with what he has, and seeks


s: Lowly or great, God placed him, works in faith;


s: My son, my son, though proud Suruchee spake


s: Harsh words indeed, and hurt thee to the quick,


s: Yet to thine eyes thy duty should be plain.


s: Collect a large sum of the virtues; thence


s: Be meek, devout, and friendly, full of love,


s: And to all creatures sentient made of God;


s: Descends prosperity, even as water flows


s: Who patiently had listened, thus replied:--


s: Nor resting-place, nor echo in this heart


s: That timidly approached to worship. Hear


s: The highest good, the loftiest place to win,


s: Which the whole world deems priceless and desires.


s: There is a crown above my father's crown,


s: Of toil, or penance, or unceasing prayer.


s: Not born of proud Suruchee, whom the king


s: Favours and loves, but grown up from a germ


s: I yet shall show thee what is in my power.


s: Receive the throne and royal titles,--all


s: I grudge them not. Not with another's gifts


s: But with my own work would acquire a name.


s: And I shall strive unceasing for a place


s: Such as my father hath not won,--a place


s: That would not know him even,--aye, a place


s: Far, far above the highest of this earth."


s: He said, and from his mother's chambers past,


s: And went into the wood where hermits live,


s: And never to his father's house returned.


s: Well kept the boy his promise made that day!


s: By prayer and penance Dhruva gained at last


s: The highest heavens, and there he shines a star!


s: Up Time's fair stream far back,--oh far,


s: "Then know him from this time, my dear."


s: The light-leaved tamarind spreading wide,


s: With flowers that have the ruby's gleam,


s: All these, and thousands, thousands more,


s: Their tops still bright with sunset glows.--


s: Stirred in the breeze the crowding boughs,


s: Are gemmed with pearls, and day declines.


s: Some young ones with large eyes and sweet


s: Came close, and rubbed their foreheads smooth


s: From beast, and fish, and bird with wings,


s: And rock, and stream, and tree, and fern."


s: Of hurt, though tongue and lip were bound.


s: Come, let us see the dog,"--and straight


s: Glanced the sharp knife one moment high,


s: Blind, gray-haired, weak, they hourly felt


s: He roamed the woods for luscious fruits,


s: Rang trump, and conch, and piercing fife,


s: Like fiery darts, that lengthening swell,


s: Leant down,--and 'mid the pale green sedge


s: Pleased with the scene,--and knowing not


s: Straight to the stretch his bow he drew,


s: Struck with these words, and doubly grieved


s: Thus while she spake, the king drew near


s: Weighed down with grief, and pale with fear,


s: Rolled sightless orbs to learn the cause,


s: "Our hearts are broken. Come, dear wife,


s: Their gods, their wonted gods, they praised,


s: They read the Veds, they prayed and mused,


s: Full well they knew that Time would bring


s: Of vows, and prayers, and rites revered,


s: "O Prince, what mean'st thou?" In his fright


s: What _are_ they?--Themes of poets' lays!


s: "The coward calls black white, white black,


s: The fourth remained: then spake the king,


s: Which men take such great pains to learn?"


s: "Where hast thou learnt this nonsense, boy?


s: Where live these gods believed so great?


s: What gods with me their strength will try!"


s: Straight answered him; his head bent low,


s: With their bright presence and their state.


s: Heaven, earth and hell, they hold in thrall,


s: "Thanks," said the prince,--"I have revolved


s: Which known, the steel can work no harm,


s: Dark frowned the king.--"Enough of this,--


s: Dared raise against the prince his hand.


s: Some said they had,--but soon they learn


s: The brave young prince had not yet died.


s: Brings in the youth,--bare skin and bone.


s: "Will they come down, to prove their strength?


s: Let them come down, for once, at length,


s: The monarch placed his steel-gloved hand


s: And ripped him down; and last, he hailed


s: One king lay stiff, and stark, and dead,


s: Three happy children in a darkened room!


s: What do they gaze on with wide-open eyes?


s: A dense, dense forest, where no sunbeam pries,


s: And in its centre a cleared spot.--There bloom


s: Gigantic flowers on creepers that embrace


s: Tall trees; there, in a quiet lucid lake


s: The white swans glide; there, "whirring from the brake,"


s: The peacock springs; there, herds of wild deer race;


s: There, patches gleam with yellow waving grain;


s: There, blue smoke from strange altars rises light,


s: There, dwells in peace, the poet-anchorite.


s: She weeps,--for lo! at every tear she sheds


s: Tears from three pairs of young eyes fall amain,


s: And bowed in sorrow are the three young heads.


s: Is by a mother sung.... 'Tis hushed at last


s: And melts the picture from their sight away,


s: Yet shall they dream of it until the day!


s: When shall those children by their mother's side


s: Who shall stanch me this sanguine flood?


s: Range the brown hair, it blinds her eyne,


s: Drowned in her blood, she makes no sign,


s: Thought, Freedom, Truth, quenched ominous,


s: No, she stirs!--There's a fire in her glance,


s: Gleams bright the star, that from her brow


s: Broad daylight, with a sense of weariness!


s: Mine eyes were closed, but I was not asleep,


s: His presence near me. Thus we often past


s: In silence, hour by hour. What was the need


s: Of interchanging words when every thought


s: That in our hearts arose, was known to each,


s: And every pulse kept time? Suddenly there shone


s: A strange light, and the scene as sudden changed.


s: Illimitable,--stretching, stretching--oh, so far!


s: And o'er it that strange light,--a glorious light


s: Like that the stars shed over fields of snow


s: In a clear, cloudless, frosty winter night,


s: And in the midst of that vast plain, I saw,


s: A tree with spreading branches and with leaves


s: Of divers kinds,--dead silver and live gold,


s: Shimmering in radiance that no words may tell!


s: Beside the tree an Angel stood; he plucked


s: A few small sprays, and bound them round my head.


s: Oh, the delicious touch of those strange leaves!


s: No longer throbbed my brows, no more I felt


s: The fever in my limbs--"And oh," I cried,


s: "Bind too my father's forehead with these leaves."


s: One leaf the Angel took and therewith touched


s: His forehead, and then gently whispered "Nay!"


s: More beautiful than that Angel's, or more full


s: Wondering I looked awhile,--then, all at once


s: Opened my tear-dimmed eyes--When lo! the light


s: Was gone--the light as of the stars when snow


s: Lies deep upon the ground. No more, no more,


s: And holding in his own, close-prest, my hand.


s: Wavered the foremost soldiers,--then fell back.


s: Fallen was their leader, and loomed right before


s: The sullen Prussian cannon, grim and black,


s: With lighted matches waving. Now, once more,


s: Patriots and veterans!--Ah! 'Tis in vain!


s: Back they recoil, though bravest of the brave;


s: No human troops may stand that murderous rain;


s: But who is this--that rushes to a grave?


s: It is a woman,--slender, tall, and brown!


s: She snatches up the standard as it falls,--


s: In her hot haste tumbles her dark hair down,


s: To beat the charge; then forwards on the _pont_


s: They dash together;--who could bear to see


s: A woman and a child, thus Death confront,


s: I read the story and my heart beats fast!


s: Well might all Europe quail before thee, France,


s: Battling against oppression! Years have past,


s: Yet of that time men speak with moistened glance.


s: _Va-nu-pieds!_ When rose high your Marseillaise


s: Man knew his rights to earth's remotest bound,


s: And tyrants trembled. Yours alone the praise!


s: Ah, had a Washington but then been found!


s: A sea of foliage girds our garden round,


s: Sharp contrasts of all colours here are seen;


s: The light-green graceful tamarinds abound


s: Amid the mangoe clumps of green profound,


s: And palms arise, like pillars gray, between;


s: And o'er the quiet pools the seemuls lean,


s: Red,--red, and startling like a trumpet's sound.


s: But nothing can be lovelier than the ranges


s: Of bamboos to the eastward, when the moon


s: Looks through their gaps, and the white lotus changes


s: Drunken with beauty then, or gaze and gaze


s: That would of flowers be undisputed queen,


s: The lily and the rose, long, long had been


s: Rivals for that high honour. Bards of power


s: Had sung their claims. "The rose can never tower


s: Like the pale lily with her Juno mien"--


s: "But is the lily lovelier?" Thus between


s: Flower-factions rang the strife in Psyche's bower.


s: "But of what colour?"--"Rose-red," Love first chose,


s: Then prayed,--"No, lily-white,--or, both provide;"


s: And Flora gave the lotus, "rose-red" dyed,


s: And "lily-white,"--the queenliest flower that blows.


s: Like a huge Python, winding round and round


s: The rugged trunk, indented deep with scars


s: A creeper climbs, in whose embraces bound


s: The giant wears the scarf, and flowers are hung


s: In crimson clusters all the boughs among,


s: Whereon all day are gathered bird and bee;


s: With one sweet song that seems to have no close,


s: Sung darkling from our tree, while men repose.


s: When first my casement is wide open thrown


s: Sometimes, and most in winter,--on its crest


s: Watching the sunrise; while on lower boughs


s: And to their pastures wend our sleepy cows;


s: And in the shadow, on the broad tank cast


s: By that hoar tree, so beautiful and vast,


s: The water-lilies spring, like snow enmassed.


s: Beneath it we have played; though years may roll,


s: O sweet companions, loved with love intense,


s: For your sakes, shall the tree be ever dear!


s: In memory, till the hot tears blind mine eyes!


s: What is that dirge-like murmur that I hear


s: Like the sea breaking on a shingle-beach?


s: It is the tree's lament, an eerie speech,


s: That haply to the unknown land may reach.


s: Unknown, yet well-known to the eye of faith!


s: Ah, I have heard that wail far, far away


s: In distant lands, by many a sheltered bay,


s: When slumbered in his cave the water-wraith


s: And the waves gently kissed the classic shore


s: When earth lay trancèd in a dreamless swoon:


s: I saw thee, in my own loved native clime.


s: Who now in blessed sleep, for aye, repose,


s: Dearer than life to me, alas! were they!


s: Mayst thou be numbered when my days are done


s: With deathless trees--like those in Borrowdale,


s: Under whose awful branches lingered pale


s: "Fear, trembling Hope, and Death, the skeleton,


s: And Time the shadow;" and though weak the verse


s: That would thy beauty fain, oh fain rehearse,


s: May Love defend thee from Oblivion's curse.


s: The Butterfly's Ball and the Grasshopper's Feasts


s: Excited the spleen of the Birds and the Beasts:


s: For their mirth and good cheer--of the Bee was the theme,


s: And the Gnat blew his horn, as he danc'd in the beam.


s: 'Twas humm'd by the Beetle, 'twas buzz'd by the Fly,


s: And sung by the myriads that sport through the sky.


s: The Quadrupeds listen'd with sullen displeasure,


s: But the tenants of air were enraged beyond measure.


s: The PEACOCK display'd his bright plumes to the Sun,


s: And, addressing his Mates, thus indignant begun:


s: Sit tamely at home, hum drum with our Spouses,


s: While Crickets and Butterflies open their houses?


s: Shall such mean little insects pretend to the fashion?


s: Cousin Turkey-cock, well may you be in a passion!


s: If I suffer such insolent airs to prevail,


s: May Juno pluck out all the eyes in my tail?


s: So a Fête I will give, and my taste I'll display,


s: And send out my cards for St. Valentine's Day."


s: --This determin'd, six fleet Carrier-pigeons went out,


s: To invite all the birds to Sir Argus's Rout.


s: The nest-loving TURTLE-DOVE sent an excuse;


s: DAME PARTLET lay in, as did good Mrs. GOOSE.


s: The TURKEY, poor soul! was confined to the rip:


s: For all her young brood had just fail'd with the pip.


s: The PARTRIDGE was ask'd; but a Neighbour hard by


s: Had engag'd a snug party to meet in a Pye;


s: And the WHEAT-EAR declin'd recollecting her Cousins,


s: Last year, to a feast were invited by dozens,


s: The WOODCOCK preferr'd his lone haunt on the moor;


s: And the Traveller, SWALLOW, was still on his tour.


s: While the CUCKOO, who should have been one of the guests


s: Was rambling on visits to other Birds' Nests.


s: But the rest all accepted the kind invitation,


s: And much bustle it caused in the plumed creation:


s: Such ruffling of feathers, such pruning of coats;


s: Such chirping, such whistling, such clearing of throats;


s: Such polishing bills and such oiling of pinions


s: Had never been known in the biped dominions.


s: The TAYLOR BIRD offer'd to make up new clothes


s: For all the young Birdlings, who wish'd to be Beaux:


s: And a new velvet cap for the GOLDFINCH'S head;


s: He added a plume to the WREN'S golden crest,


s: And spangled with silver the GUINEA-FOWL'S breast;


s: While the HALCYON bent over the streamlet to view,


s: How pretty she look'd in her boddice of blue!


s: From all points of the compass, flock'd Birds of all feather;


s: And the PARROT can tell who and who were together.


s: There was Lord CASSOWARY and General FLAMINGO,


s: And Don PEROQUETO, escap'd from Domingo;


s: From his high rock built eyrie the EAGLE came forth,


s: And the Duchess of PTARMIGAN flew from the North.


s: The GREBE and the EIDER DUCK came up by water,


s: With the SWAN, who brought out the young CYGNET, her daughter.


s: From his woodland abode came the PHEASANT to meet


s: Two kindred, arrived by the last India fleet;


s: The one, like a Nabob, in habit most splendid,


s: Where gold with each hue of the Rainbow was blended:


s: In silver and black, like a fair pensive Maid,


s: Who mourns for her love, was the other array'd.


s: The CHOUGH came from Cornwall, and brought up his Wife;


s: The GROUSE travell'd south, from his Lairdship in Fife;


s: Sir John HERON, of the Lakes, strutted in a _grand pas_,


s: But no card had been sent to the pilfering DAW,


s: As the Peacock kept up his progenitor's quarrel,


s: Which Æsop relates, about cast-off apparel;


s: For Birds are like Men in their contests together,


s: And, in questions of right, can dispute for a feather.


s: The PEACOCK, Imperial, the pride of his race,


s: Receiv'd all his guests with an infinite grace,


s: Wav'd high his blue neck, and his train he display'd,


s: Embroider'd with gold, and with em'ralds inlaid.


s: Then with all the gay troop to the shrubb'ry repair'd,


s: Where the musical Birds had a concert prepar'd;


s: A holly bush form'd the Orchestra, and in it


s: Sat the Black-bird, the Thrush, the Lark, and the Linnet;


s: A BULL-FINCH, a captive! almost from the nest,


s: Now escap'd from his cage, and, with liberty blest,


s: In a sweet mellow tone, join'd the lessons of art


s: With the accents of nature, which flow'd from his heart.


s: While the NIGHTINGALE warbled and quaver'd so fine,


s: That they all clapp'd their wings, and pronounc'd it divine!


s: The SKY LARK, in extacy, sang from a cloud,


s: And CHANTICLEER crow'd, and the YAFFIL laugh'd loud.


s: The dancing began, when the singing was over;


s: A DOTTERELL first opened the ball with the PLOVER;


s: Baron STORK, in a waltz, was allowed to excel,


s: With his beautiful partner, the fair DEMOISELLE;


s: And a newly-fledg'd GOSLING, so fair and genteel,


s: A London-bred SPARROW--a pert forward Cit!


s: Danc'd a reel with Miss WAGTAIL, and little TOM TIT.


s: And the Sieur GUILLEMOT next performed a _pas seul_,


s: While the elderly bipeds were playing a Pool.


s: With old Doctor BUZZARD and Adm'ral PENGUIN,


s: From Ivy bush tow'r came Dame OWLET the Wise,


s: And Counsellor CROSSBILL sat by to advise.


s: Sat by, and remark'd that the prudent and sage


s: Were quite overlook'd in this frivolous age,


s: When Birds, scarce pen-feathered, were brought to a rout,


s: Forward Chits! from the egg-shell but newly come out:


s: In their youthful days, they ne'er witness'd such frisking,


s: And how wrong! in the GREENFINCH to flirt with the SISKIN.


s: So thought Lady MACKAW, and her Friend COCKATOO,


s: And the RAVEN foretold that no good could ensue!


s: They censur'd the BANTAM for strutting and crowing


s: In those vile pantaloons, which he fancied look'd knowing:


s: And a want of decorum caus'd many demurs


s: Against the GAME CHICKEN, for coming in spurs.


s: Old Alderman CORMRANT, for supper impatient,


s: At the Eating-room door, for an hour had been station'd,


s: Till a MAGPYE, at length, the banquet announcing,


s: Gave the signal, long wish'd for, of clamouring and pouncing;


s: At the well-furnish'd board all were eager to perch,


s: But the little Miss CREEPERS were left in the lurch.


s: Each delicate viand that taste could denote,


s: Wasps _a la sauce piquante_, and Flies _en compôte_;


s: Worms and Frogs _en friture_, for the web-footed Fowl;


s: And a barbecu'd Mouse was prepar'd for the Owl;


s: Nuts, grains, fruit, and fish, to regale ev'ry palate,


s: And groundsel and chickweed serv'd up in a sallad,


s: The RAZOR-BILL carv'd for the famishing group,


s: And the SPOON-BILL obligingly ladled the soup;


s: So they fill'd all their crops with the dainties before 'em,


s: And the tables were clear'd with the utmost decorum.


s: When they gaily had caroll'd till peep of the dawn,


s: The Lark gently hinted, 'twas time to be gone;


s: And his clarion, so shrill, gave the company warning,


s: That Chanticleer scented the gales of the morning.


s: So they chirp'd, in full chorus, a friendly adieu;


s: And, with hearts beating light as the plumage that grew


s: On their merry-thought bosoms, away they all flew.


s: His praise let the TRUMPETER loudly proclaim,


s: And the GOOSE lend her quill to transmit it to Fame.


s: orange-coloured feathers; which it loses in winter for a plumage


s: There was a crooked man, and he went a crooked mile,


s: And he found a crooked six-pence against a crooked stile;


s: He bought a crooked hat, which caught a crooked mouse,


s: And they all lived together in a little crooked house.


s: That Tommy laughed, and found his face much better.


s: Said the cat to the dog, "What d'ye think of the weather?"


s: "I think, Ma'am, the rain will come down."


s: "But don't be alarmed, for I've an umbrella


s: That will shelter us both," said this amiable fellow.


s: I'll not change my wife for gold or siller.


s: Electrotyped by VINCENT DILL, Jr., 94 Beekman St., N. Y.


s: Here, for the infant minds, fair spring,


s: Robinson Crusoe, he offered to be his servant; he was accepted as


s: acquainted with the forms and customs of the neighboring


s: inhabitants, as well as with all the secret caverns and other


s: He also relieved the solitude of poor Crusoe much; for man, even


s: When they should think of something better.


s: Here is Elizabeth dressed in her new frock, given to her by her


s: mother, for doing what she is bid like a good girl.


s: She looks as if she was dressed to pay a visit to some of her


s: His country, friends, all, all are gone,


s: Still taught me lessons bright and true,


s: Which will you have, the doll, or Noah's Ark? said


s: The doll, if you please, I think I will take, for


s: He'll soon have the name of old butter fingers.


s: 'Tis nine o'clock, and school time's near,


s: Large and Showy Painted Toy Books.--12 kinds.


s: Elegant Edition of Colored Toys.--18 kinds.


s: Golden Edition of Quarto Toys.--12 kinds.


s: Brilliant Edition of Colored Toys.--12 kinds.


s: --> The above are beautifully colored, and got up in a superior


s: Books about Insects, Birds, Quadrupeds, &c.


s: Books about Flowers, Shells, Fishes, &c.


s: The entire variety at the lowest cash prices.


s: The html version of this text includes the illustrations.


s: Since all pages are illustrated, they are not separately


s: the dignity of a popular Nursery Tale in


s: represent some object in connection with


s: have proved rather puzzling, to Juvenile


s: But the moment she felt ill, and before you


s: For she climbed up the apple-tree before


s: Except a little gruel, but she burns a great


s: while she hobbles across the room on her


s: My brother Ben has gone to sea. He has gone in a big Ship. Mother


s: This little girl is having a ride. She has a nice carriage, and a


s: You're three years old; you must, indeed,


s: "Mother, I am so hungry," said Charley Gray, as he returned from


s: Here is a poor boy; he is going to have a wash at the pump. His


s: Who gave me life, and health, and strength,


s: Wail! for the Law has scattered into flight


s: Those Drinks that were our sometime dear Delight;


s: And still the Morals-tinkers plot and plan


s: New, sterner, stricter Statutes to indite.


s: Methought a Voice within the Tavern cried:


s: "Drink coffee, Lads, for that is all that's left


s: Since our Land of the Free is washed--and dried."


s: _And still the Morals-tinkers plot and plan


s: New, sterner, stricter Statutes to indite._]


s: The Haigs indeed are gone, and on the Nose


s: That bourgeoned once with color of the rose


s: A deathly Pallor sits, while down the lane


s: Where once strode Johnny Walker--Water goes.


s: Come, fill the Cup, and in the Coffee-house


s: We'll learn a new and temperate Carouse--


s: The Bird of Time flies with a steadier wing


s: But roosts with sleepless Eye--a Coffee Souse!


s: Yes, but where match the beer of Yesterday?


s: And those Spring Months that used to bring the Bock


s: _The Bird of Time flies with a steadier wing


s: But roosts with sleepless Eye--a Coffee Souse!_]


s: A Book of Blue Laws underneath the Bough,


s: A pot of Tea, a piece of Toast,--and Thou


s: Some for a Sunday without Taint, and Some


s: While Moonshine takes the Cash (no Credit goes)


s: _A Book of Blue Laws underneath the Bough,


s: A pot of Tea, a piece of Toast,--and Thou ..._]


s: It lights us for an hour and then--is gone.


s: Ah, my Beloved, fill the Cup that clears


s: TODAY of past Regrets and future Fears--


s: Yes, make the most of what we still may spend;


s: The last Drop's lingering Taste may yet transcend


s: Anticipation's Bliss--though we are left


s: Sans Wine, Sans Song, Sans Singer, and--Sans End.


s: _The Scanty Stock we set our hearts upon ..._]


s: Alike for those who for the Drouth prepared


s: And those who, like myself, more poorly fared,


s: Fond Memory weaves Roseate Shrouds to dress


s: Departed Spirits we have loved--and shared.


s: The legal Finger writes; and having writ,


s: When He takes my last Cent for just a Smell


s: One half so precious as the Stuff they sell.


s: Oh Bill, Who dost with White Mule and with Gin


s: _And Bill the Bootlegger--the Infidel!--_]


s: Yon rising Moon that looks for us again--


s: How oft hereafter will she wax and wane;


s: _Six_ Moons arise--who now seek _Two_ in vain.


s: And when Thyself at last shall come to trip


s: Down that dim Dock where Charon loads his Ship,


s: I'll meet Thee on the other Wharf if Thou


s: Wilt promise to have Something on thy Hip.


s: file was produced from images generously made available


s: JOHN McLOUGHLIN, Publisher, 24 Beekman Street.


s: And she cut off their tails with a carving knife,


s: Did you ever see such a thing in your life


s: They romp and sport all through the day,


s: They wheel and race and leap and prance,


s: These big carthorses and these little children are great friends.


s: Will kick and squeal, will show much spite,


s: Perhaps they'll meet at the stable door.


s: With all their four feet off the ground.


s: And how to keep their seats all through.


s: And now we'll see the Green-house Plants:


s: Tho' robb'd of half their native charms,


s: But tell me now, who made these flow'rs,


s: Who taught them, with such rich perfume,


s: Who fill'd their cups with drops of dew,


s: Who tinged their leaves with brightest hue,


s: Who framed each star that lights the sky.


s: With thankful hearts, each day, each night,


s: They both turned tail, and scampered off,


s: And said, "Next time we'll tease the hens,


s: But Tiny yelled till the cock marched off,


s: _Tiny and Toodles behave worse than ever._


s: From bad to worse went these naughty pups--


s: In quest of which they scampered upstairs,


s: But Betty, the cook, was scrubbing the stairs,


s: And Tiny ran off, with his head in the pot,


s: _How Tiny hunted the Cat, and what he got by it._


s: Whose tail was long, and whose eyes were blue,


s: He said, "I'll frighten her out of her wits:


s: So he ran at Puss, with a yelp and a snap,


s: Across the paddock, and through the yard,


s: But Puss turned suddenly, scratched his nose,


s: Punishment follows folks who play tricks,


s: And the farmyard was safe from robbers by night,


s: So he said: "To cure you of pranks like these,


s: To stand and look on for three whole days,


s: "And to show you I mean to mend your ways,


s: You shall both learn, 'How doth the busy bee


s: Particular attention is called to the following


s: Many novelties in preparation, which will be superior to


s: For they have nice thin clothes to wear.


s: There's a funny little kitten that tries to look like me,


s: But though I'm round and fluffy, he's as flat as flat can be;


s: And when I try to mew to him he never makes a sound,


s: And when I jump into the air he never leaves the ground.


s: He has a way of growing, I don't understand at all.


s: Sometimes he's very little and sometimes he's very tall.


s: And once when in the garden when the sun came up at dawn


s: He grew so big I think he stretched half-way across the lawn.


s: The world is so full of a number of Mice


s: I'm sure that we all should be happy and nice.


s: And think they've made it dark as night,


s: And shed their skins and said their prayers,


s: "You can't catch me!" they seem to say--


s: And those queer specks of black and brown


s: And here's the Cow, calm-eyed stands she,


s: (To catch one's tail, 'twixt me and you,


s: And like a cheese grows less each night,


s: His claws peep through like Rays of Light,


s: And when he strokes the Earth's green fur


s: Where 'neath the Hat-tree's shadows deep


s: First it goes this way, then it goes that,


s: And all of a tremble I crouch on the mat


s: And just when I think I have torn it in two


s: Stereotyped by VINCENT DILL, Nos. 29 & 31 Beekman Street, N. Y.


s: The lamp, and cried “straight bring me food;”


s: From that hour sealed their lasting bliss


s: NEW 12mo. TOY BOOKS.—Price 6¼ Cents each.


s: A very fine MAMMOTH ALPHABET printed in colors. 6¼ Cents.


s: COLORED, PRICE 12½ Cents. PLAIN, 6¼ Cents.


s: _A New Series of_ TOY BOOKS, _Twelve kinds consisting of_


s: _Embellished with neat coloured Engravings._


s: See, see, what a sweet little prize I have found!


s: A Robin that lay half-benumbed on the ground:


s: Well hous'd and well fed, in your cage you will sing,


s: And make our dull winter as gay as the spring.


s: But stay,--sure 'tis cruel, with wings made to soar,


s: To be shut up in prison, and never fly more--


s: And I, who so often have long'd for a flight,


s: Shall I keep you prisoner?--mamma, is that right?


s: No, come, pretty Robin, I must set you free--


s: For your whistle, though sweet, would sound sadly to me.


s: Poor Susan was old and too feeble to spin,


s: Her forehead was wrinkled, her hands they were thin;


s: And she must have starv'd, as so many have done,


s: If she had not been bless'd with a good little son.


s: He went every morning, as gay as a lark,


s: And work'd all day long in the fields till 'twas dark,


s: Then came home again to his dear mother's cot,