WHEN life hath run its largest round But when within the narrow space ΤΟ Whose sight was open to embrace When, stricken by the freezing blast, No medal lifts its fretted face, Nor speaking marble cheats your eye, A roof beneath the mountain pines; These are the scenes: a boy appears; Yet pause upon the noontide hour, No gloom that stately shape can hide, 20 30 Dark, calm, large-fronted, lightning-eyed, Earth has no double from its mould! Ere from the fields by valor won The battle-smoke had rolled away, And bared the blood-red setting sun, His eyes were opened on the day. His land was but a shelving strip Black with the strife that made it free; He lived to see its banners dip Their fringes in the Western sea. The boundless prairies learned his name, His words the mountain echoes knew. The Northern breezes swept his fame From icy lake to warm bayou. In toil he lived; in peace he died; When life's full cycle was complete Put off his robes of power and pride, And laid them at his Master's feet. 40 50 Not while the rocking steeples reel Not while the crashing war-notes peal, Or shrieks a cry of warning The lark of Scotia's morning sky! 'Tis not the forts the builder piles 30 40 The wedded crowns, the sister isles, No rest that throbbing slave may ask, But warmed with that unchanging flame See how yon beam of seeming white 20 30 1 Having read our company so much of the Professor's talk about age and other subjects connected with physical life, I took the next Sunday morning to repeat to them the following poem of his, which I have had by me for some time. He calls it-I suppose for his professional friends-The Anatomist's Hymn,' but I shall name it 'The Living Temple.' (HOLMES, introducing the poem, in the Autocrat.) Yet in those lucid globes no ray ear With music it is heaven to hear. Then mark the cloven sphere that holds O Father! grant thy love divine 40 50 1858. THE DEACON'S MASTERPIECE OR, THE WONDERFUL 'ONE-HOSS SHAY' A LOGICAL STORY HAVE you heard of the wonderful one-hoss shay, That was built in such a logical way Frightening people out of their wits,— But the Deacon swore (as deacons do, With an 'I dew vum,' or an 'I tell yeou") He would build one shay to beat the taown 'N' the keounty 'n' all the kentry raoun'; 30 It should be so built that it could n' break daown: 'Fur,' said the Deacon, ''t's mighty plain Thut the weakes' place mus' stan' the strain; 'N' the way t' fix it, uz I maintain, Is only jest And spring and axle and hub encore. And yet, as a whole, it is past a doubt In another hour it will be worn out! 91 First of November, 'Fifty-five! This morning the parson takes a drive. Now, small boys, get out of the way! Here comes the wonderful one-hoss shay, Drawn by a rat-tailed, ewe-necked bay. 'Huddup!' said the parson.-Off went they. 100 |