Down I knelt, and I strove to pray, But never a hope to my soul found way; I have wrestled hard, I have fiercely striven "Behold! how the faëry web shall break; With thee, the dead are blest:-they have gone forth, Thou knowest not whither, but to some fair home, It matters not to thee, that angel-guest What marvel, then, that thou shouldest shed no tear Thyself with flowers, and thy bright beauty wear Thou hast fought the fight-thou hast battled long-Oh! thou undoubting one, who from the tree And the victor here is not the strong; But the gates of heaven are opened wide, Of life hast plucked and eaten, well mayst thou Unknowing evil, walk in spirit free, With thine unclouded brow! Thy faith is knowledge, and without a fear I will not doubt - like thee I will arise, Then may I see the beautiful depart, The fair flowers of my spring-time fade and die, AMERICA. A STORY OF THE INDIAN WAR. "I was at William Penn's country-house, called Pensbury, in Pennsylvania, where I staid some days. Much of my time I spent in seeing William Penn, and many of the chief men among the Indians, in council concerning their former covenant, now renewed on his going away for England. To pass by several particulars, I may mention the following: They never broke covenant with any people,' said one of their great chiefs; and, smiting his hand upon his head, he said, they made not their covenants there, but here,' said he, smiting on his breast three times. "I, being walking in the woods, espied several wig. wams, and drew towards them. The love of God filled my heart; and I felt it right to look for an interpreter, which I did. Then I signified that I was come from a far country with a message from the Great Spirit (as they call God,) and my message was to endeavour to persuade them that they should not I be drunkards, nor steal, nor kill one another, nor fight, nor put away their wives for small faults; for "Hold!" said the matron of the hearth, A woman beautiful in age; "My father was the youngest born "His boyhood was in greenwood spent ; "Quiet was he, and well content, With naught to fret, and none to chide; The woods and streams supplied. "His brethren were of sordid sort, Men with coarse minds, and without range; "And, as he grew, he took to books, "He read of settlers, who went forth "He read of the bold lives they led, "And how the Indians, quaintly gay, Came down in wampum-belt and feather, To welcome them with courteous grace; How they and the free forest race Hunted and dwelt together. "And how they and their chosen mates Led lives so sweet and primitive: Oh! in such land, with one dear heart, What joy it were to live! "So thought he, and such life it were As suited well his turn of mind; "Four needy brothers, coarse and dull; A creature gentle, kind, and fair; "She left an old white-headed sire; A mother loving, thoughtful, good; Out of their need, for many a want Else unforeseen; their daughter's dower In gifts of love, not scant. "His father with cold scorn received So dowered a daughter, without name; Nor could his purposed exile win Either assent or blame. "All was a chill of indifference; And from his father's gate he went, "And in the western world they dwelt; "All that his youth had dreamed he found In that life's freshness; peril strange; Adventure; freedom; sylvan wealth; And ceaseless, blameless change. "And there he, and his heart's true mate, Essay'd and found how sweet to live, 'Mid Nature's store, with health and love, That life so primitive! "But that sweet life came to an end.As falls the golden-eared corn Before the sickle, earthly bliss In human hearts is shorn. "Sickness - bereavement - widowhood - When only two were left! "I and a sister; long had passed The anguish of that time, and we Were living in a home of love, Though in a stranger's family. "Still in the wilderness we dwelt, And were grown up towards womanhood; "By rumours of approaching war, "We heard it first with disbelief; And long time after, when had spread "For they with whom our lot was cast, "The forest round was like a camp, And men were armed day and night; And every morning brought fresh news To heighten their affright. "Through the green forest rose the smoke Of places burn'd the night before; "This was around us, yet we dwelt "For these of Onas are the sons,' Said they, the upright peaceful men!' Nor was harm done to those who held The faith of William Penn. "But I this while thought less of peace, Than of the camp and battle stir; For I had given my young heart's love Unto a British officer. "Near us, within the forest-fort, He lay, the leader of a band Of fierce young spirits, sworn to sweep The Indian from the land "The native Indian from his woods- "But he, to whom I pled, preferr'd "The Indian passed us in the wood, "At length the crisis of the war Approach'd, and he, my soul's beloved, With his hot band, impatient grown, Yet further west removed. "There he was taken by the foe, Ambush'd like tigers 'mid the trees: You know what death severe and dread The Indian to his foe decrees. "A death of torture and of fireProtracted death; I knew too well, Outraged and anger'd, as of late Had been the Indian spirit, fell Would be their vengeance, and, to him, Their hate implacable. When first to me his fate was told, I stood amazed, confounded, dumb; Then wildly wept and wrung my hands, By anguish overcome. "Wait, wait!' the peaceful people said; "I had no fear; the Indian race To me were as my early kin: And then the thought came to my brain, To go forth, and from death and pain, My best-beloved to win. "With me my fair, young sister went, Long journeying on through wood and swamp: Three long days' travel, ere we came To the great Indian camp. "We saw the Indians as we went, Hid 'mong the grass with tiger ken; But we were safe, they would not harm The daughters of the peaceful men. "In thickets of the woods at length We came to a savannah green; "I turned me from that scene of war, "Long looked she on the pictured face, And the great chief is in his grave! "Yet for the father Onas' sake For their sakes who no blood have shed; We will not by his sons be blamed For taking life which they have claimed ;The red man can avenge his dead!' "So saying, with her broken heart She went forth to the council-stone; And when the captive was brought out, 'Mid savage war-cry, taunt and shout, She stepp'd into the fierce array, As the bereaved Indian may, And claim'd the victim for her own. "He was restored. What need of more With our good, peaceful friends abode. "But never more let it be said, The red man is of nature base; Nor let the crimes that have been taught, Be by the crafty teachers brought As blame against the Indian race!" THE DOOMED KING. THE Voice of an archangel spake- Through myriad, myriad shapes of bliss, "I was an earthly king last night," With a hollow voice he spoke; "I drank the wine, I sank to sleepOh! how have I awoke! "Back through the past my soul is urged; Back through each guilty stain; "For, as a leaf before the storm Is bowed and borne away, Though every word condemn my soul, "I see a white, low village-home; And a little child kneels at her knee, "It is the first-born of her love- Think on my sinless youth! Ah, no! thou canst not plead for me! Hath parted us, and death hath oped "I made thy nights a weary watch; And a dark word by which men are cursed, I made my father's name! "I was the eldest of our house; Beside me there were three; Doth cleave like leprosy! "I stood as in a father's place, As the sun before their sight, Beloved of all; and in their eyes Whate'er I did was right. "Alas! my heart was a cursed thing! I lured them on to sin, I lured them to a dark abyss, And plunged them headlong in! "Bodies and souls I ruined them; Yet in men's sight I kept My name unstained- -on their's alone "They were my tools, and subtly "No, no! for me thou canst not plead ! "T was vain I crushed him, scorned him, spurn'd; His was a truth unchanged: Fallen as he was, his steadfast love Kept with me unestranged! "And, in my after misery, When evil days came down, "The third, a spirit like to mine; "He sate with me at the board last night, I sold them to work wickedness, Ever on man bestowed, Were mine; a soft and winning speech, And beauty like a god! "All, all were passion's vilest slaves;All ministered to crime; And now a dark eternity Doth make account with time. "I had a power, an awful power "They were as clay; I moulded them With the light words of my tongue; Old men and wise alike obeyed: And thence ambition sprung. "The sin of angels was my sin; And, bold as was my thought, Men, weak and willing instruments, They gave me what I sought! |