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and they, finding themselves

descending, fluttered out their pinions instinctively.

6. The boy, too, had on a carter's frock, secured round the neck, which, filling with air from beneath, buoyed him up like a balloon, and he descended smoothly to the ground; when, looking up, he exclaimed to his companion, "Now you shall have none!" and ran away, sound in every limb, to the astonishment of the inhabitants, who, with inconceivable horror, had witnessed his descent.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

TO A SNOW-BIRD.

1. LITTLE "chipping," "chipping" bird,
Why is it thy notes are heard

When the chilling north winds blow,
And the earth is wrapt in snow?

2. Dost thou love this frosty air?

Dost thou love the trees all bare?
How, amid this howling storm,

Dost thou keep thee snug and warm?

3. Much I fear thy tiny feet

Suffer in this driving sleet;

"Chipping,'
‚”“chipping,” — wilt thou say
How thou farest this bitter day?

4. Hark! dost hear the northern blast,
Howling, whirling, rushing past?
See! how fast the storm clouds gather,
Fear'st thou not this wintry weather?

5. "No!" methinks I hear thee say;
"God protects me all the day;
Little sparrows, such as I,

Need not fear; He hears us cry.

6. "When the raging tempests blow,
And the air is filled with snow,

When the restless winds are still,
And the frost chain binds the rill,
Listen! ye may hear our song-
'Chipping,'' chipping,' all day long."

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE BATTLE OF BLENHEIM.

1. It was a summer evening,

Old Kaspar's work was done,
And he, before his cottage door,
Was sitting in the sun;

And by him sported on the green
His little grandchild, Wilhelmine,

2. She saw her brother Peterkin
Roll something large and round,
Which he, beside the rivulet,
In playing there, had found;

He came to ask what he had found,

That was so large, and smooth, and round.

3. Old Kaspar took it from the boy,

Who stood expectant by;

And when the old man shook his head,

And with a natural sigh,

""Tis some poor fellow's skull," said he, "Who fell in the great victory."

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5. "Now tell us what 't was all about,"
Young Peterkin he cries;

And little Wilhelmine looks up
With wonder-waiting eyes,
"Now tell us all about the war,

And what they killed each other for."

6. "It was the English," Kaspar cried,
"Who put the French to rout;
But what they killed each other for,
I could not well make out:
But everybody said," quoth he,
"That 't was a famous victory.

7. "My father lived at Blenheim then,
Yon little stream hard by ;

They burned his dwelling to the ground,
And he was forced to fly.

So with his wife and child he fled,
Nor had he where to rest his head.

8. "With fire and sword the country round Was wasted far and wide,

And many a hapless mother, then,

And many an infant, died;

But things like these, you know, must be
At every famous victory.

9. "They say it was a shocking sight, After the field was won;

For many thousand bodies here

Lay rotting in the sun;

But things like that, you know, must be
After a famous victory.

10. "Great praise the Duke of Marlb'ro' won, And our good Prince Eugene."

"Why, 't was a very wicked thing!"

Said little Wilhelmine.

"Nay, nay, my little girl," quoth he,
"It was a famous victory.

11. "And everybody praised the duke

Who such a fight did win."
"But what good came of it at last?"

Quoth little Peterkin.

'Why, that I cannot tell," said he,
"But 't was a famous victory."

CHAPTER XXXV.

CHARLES II. AND WILLIAM PENN.

Charles. WELL, friend William! I have sold you a noble province in North America; but still I suppose you have no thoughts of going thither yourself.

Penn. Yes, I have, I assure thee, friend Charles; and I am just come to bid thee farewell.

Char. What! venture yourself among the savages of North America! Why, man, what security have you that you will not be in their war-kettle in two hours after setting foot on their shores ?

Penn. The best security in the world.

Char. I doubt that, friend William; I have no idea of any security against those cannibals, but in a regiment of good soldiers, with their muskets and bayonets. And mind I tell you beforehand, that, with all my good will for you and your family, to whom I am under obligations, I will not send a single soldier with you.

Penn. I want none of thy soldiers, Charles; I depend on something better than thy soldiers.

Char. Ah! and what may that be?

Penn. Why, I depend upon themselves—on the workings of their own hearts- on their notions of justice—on their moral sense.

Char. A fine thing, this same moral sense, no doubt; but I fear you will not find much of it among the Indians of North America.

Penn. And why not among them, as well as others?

Char. Because, if they had possessed any, they would not have treated my subjects so barbarously as they have done.

Penn. That is no proof to the contrary, friend Charles. Thy subjects were the aggressors. When thy subjects first went to North America, they found these poor people the fondest and kindest creatures in the world. Every day they would watch for them to come ashore, and hasten to meet them, and feast them on the best fish, and venison, and corn, which was all that they had. In return for this hospitality of the savages, as we call them, thy subjects, termed Christians, seized on their country and rich hunting grounds, for farms for themselves! Now, is it to be wondered at, that these much injured people should have been driven to desperation by such injustice; and that, burning with revenge, they should have committed some excesses?

Char. Well, then, I hope you will not complain when they come to treat you in the same manner.

Penn. I am not afraid of it.

Char. Ah! how will you avoid it? You mean to get their hunting grounds too, I suppose?

Penn. Yes, but not by driving these poor people away from them.

Char. No, indeed! How, then, will you get the lands? Penn. I mean to buy their lands of them.

Char. Buy their lands of them! Why, man, you have already bought them of me.

Penn. Yes, I know I have, and at a dear rate, too; but I did it only to get thy good will, not that I thought thou hadst any right to their lands.

Char. How, man! no right to their lands!

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