XXIV A FINE DAY Clear had the day been from the dawn, Thin clouds like scarfs of cobweb lawn The wind had no more strength than this, To make one leaf the next to kiss That closely by it grew. M. Drayton XXV CASABIANCA A True Story The boy stood on the burning deck The flame that lit the battle's wreck The flames roll'd on. He would not go He called aloud: 'Say, father, say He knew not that the chieftain lay 'Speak, father!' once again he cried, And but the booming shots replied, Upon his brow he felt their breath, And look'd from that lone post of death In still, yet brave despair; And shouted but once more aloud, 'My father! must I stay?' While o'er him fast through sail and shroud, The wreathing fires made way. They wrapt the ship in splendour wild, And streamed above the gallant child Then came a burst of thunder-sound- With mast, and helm, and pennon fair, F. Hemans XXVI SIGNS OF RAIN The hollow winds begin to blow, The frog has changed his yellow vest, Though June, the air is cold and still, Quits mutton-bones on grass to feast; Our jaunt must be put off to-morrow. E. Jenner XXVII HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX I sprang to the stirrup, and Joris, and he; I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three; 'Good speed!' cried the watch, as the gate-bolts undrew; 'Speed!' echoed the wall to us galloping through; Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest, And into the midnight we galloped abreast. Not a word to each other; we kept the great pace Neck by neck, stride by stride, never changing our place; I turned in my saddle and made its girths tight, Then shortened each stirrup, and set the pique right, Rebuckled the cheek-strap, chained slacker the bit, Nor galloped less steadily Roland a whit. 'Twas moonset at starting; but, while we drew near Lokeren, the cocks crew and twilight dawned clear; At Boom, a great yellow star came out to see; At Düffeld, 'twas morning as plain as could be; And from Mecheln church-steeple we heard the half-chime, So Joris broke silence with, ‘Yet there is time!' At Aerschot, up leaped of a sudden the sun, And his low head and crest, just one sharp ear bent back For my voice, and the other pricked out on his track; And one eye's black intelligence,-ever that glance O'er its white edge at me, his own master, askance ! And the thick heavy spume-flakes which aye and anon His fierce lips shook upwards in galloping on. By Hasselt, Dirck groaned; and cried Joris, 'Stay spur ! Your Roos galloped bravely, the fault's not in her, We'll remember at Aix'-for one heard the quick wheeze Of her chest, saw the stretched neck, and staggering knees, And sunk tail, and horrible heave of the flank, As down on her haunches she shuddered and sank. |