DAVID IN THE CAVE OF ADULLAM.
And quietly he floated down
Among the rushes wild.
"Just then the king's own daughter
Came to the water's edge,
And saw the basket floating
Among the grass and sedge.
"She drew it from the water,
And called the babe her own,
And kept him till to be a man
That little boy had grown.
"And when you read the Bible,
Which you will learn to do,-
You'll see how great and good he was,
And how God loved him, too."
DAVID IN THE CAVE OF ADULLAM.
DAVID and his three captains bold
Kept ambush once within a hold.
It was Adullam's cave,
Nigh which no water they could have,
Nor spring, nor running brook was near
To quench the thirst that parched them there.
Then David, king of Israel,
Straight bethought him of a well,
DAVID IN THE CAVE OF ADULLAM.
Which stood beside the city gate,
At Bethle'm; where, before his state
Of kingly dignity, he had
Oft drunk his fill, a shepherd lad;
But now his fierce Philistine foe
Encamped before it he does know.
Yet ne'er the less, with heat opprest,
Those three bold captains he addrest;
And wished that one to him would bring
Some water from his native spring.
His valiant captains instantly
To execute his will did fly.
The mighty three the ranks broke through
Of armed foes, and water drew
For David, their beloved king,
At his own sweet, native spring.
Back through their arméd foes they hase,
With the hard-earned treasure graced.
But when the good king David found
What they had done, he on the ground
The water poured. "Because," said he,
"That it was at the jeopardy
Of your three lives this thing ye did,
That I should drink it, God forbid."
ONCE on a charger there was laid,
And brought before a royal maid,
As price of attitude and grace,
A guiltless head, a holy face.
It was on Herod's natal day,
Who o'er Judæa's land held sway.
He married his own brother's wife,
Wicked Herodias. She the life
Of John the Baptist long had sought,
Because he openly had taught
That she a life unlawful led,
Having her husband's brother wed.
This was he, that saintly John,
Who in the wilderness alone
Abiding, did for clothing wear
A garment made of camel's-hair;
Honey and locusts were his food,
And he was most severely good.
He preachéd penitence and tears,
And waking first the sinner's fears,
Prepared a path, made smooth a way,
For his diviner Master's day.
Herod kept in princely state
His birthday. On his throne he sate,
After the feast, beholding her
Who danced with grace peculiar ;
Fair Salomé, who did excel
All in that land for dancing well.
The feastful monarch's heart was fired,
And whatsoe'er thing she desired,
Though half his kingdom it should be,
He in his pleasure swore that he
Would give the graceful Salomé.
The damsel was Herodias' daughter.
She to the queen hastes, and besought her
To teach her what great gift to name.
Instructed by Herodias, came
The damsel back; to Herod said,
"Give me John the Baptist's head;
And in a charger let it be
Hither straightway brought to me.'
Herod her suit would fain deny,
But for his oath's sake must comply.
When painters would by art express
Beauty in unloveliness,
They, Herodias' daughter, thee
The fittest subject take to be.
They give thy form and features grace;
But ever in thy beauteous face
They show a steadfast, cruel gaze,
An eye unpitying; and amaze
In all beholders deep they mark,
That thou betrayest not one spark
Of feeling for the ruthless deed,
That did thy praiseful dance succeed.
For on the head they make you look,
As if a sullen joy you took
A cruel triumph, wicked pride,
That for your sport a saint had died.
WHEN I the memory repeat
Of the heroic actions great,
Which, in contempt of pain and death,
Were done by men who drew their breath
In ages past, I find no deed
That can in fortitude exceed
The noble boy, in Sparta bred,
Who in the temple ministered.
By the sacrifice he stands,
The lighted incense in his hands;
Through the smoking censer's lid
Dropped a burning coal, which slid
Into his sleeve, and passéd in
Between the folds, e'en to the skin.
Dire was the pain which then he proved ;
But not for this his sleeve he moved,
Or would the scorching ember shake
Out from the folds, lest it should make
Any confusion, or excite
Disturbance at the sacred rite;
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