Behind, the long procession came
Of hoary men, and chiefs of fame,
With heavy hearts, and eyes of grief,
Leading the war-horse of their chief.
Stripped of his proud and martial dress,
Uncurbed, unreined, and riderless,
With darting eye and nostril spread,
And heavy and impatient tread,
He came; and oft that eye, so proud,
Asked for his rider in the crowd.
They buried the dark chief; they freed
Beside the grave his battle steed;
And swift an arrow cleaved its way
To his stern heart! one piercing neigh
Arose; and on the dead man's plain
The rider grasps his steed again.
ONCE I saw a rose-bud blowing,
"Twas the garden's fairest flower;
Crimson lines were richly glowing,
Deeper, brighter, every hour.
Summer's sun his beams revealing,
Shone the favoured rose,
And the dew-drops softly stealing,
Freshened it at evening's close.
No wild storm came beating o'er it,
No rough wind the branches tossed,
No unthinking fingers tore it;
Yet the beauteous flower was lost.
Deep within its bosom hiding
Dwelt a canker all unseen,
Slowly those fair leaves dividing
From their parent stem of green.
Youthful blossoms, hear my story,
Ah! beware the canker sin;
Cleave to CHRIST, your life and glory,
Watch lest evil lurk within.
CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH.
It was a glorious summer's day;
The flowers bloomed, the air was mild,
The little birds poured forth their lay,
And every thing in nature smiled.
In pleasant thought I wandered on
Beneath the deep wood's simple shade,
Till suddenly I came upon
Two children who had hither strayed.
Just at an aged beech tree's foot
A little boy and girl reclined;
His hand in her's she gently put;
And then I saw the boy was blind.
The children knew not I was near;
A tree concealed them from my
view :
But all they said I well could hear,
And I could see all they might do.
"Dear Mary," said the poor blind boy,
"That little bird sings very long;
So do you see him in his joy,
And is he pretty as his song?"
"Yes, Edward, yes," replied the maid, "I see the bird on yonder tree."
The poor boy sighed, and gently said, "Sister, I wish that I could see.
“The flowers, you say, are very fair, And bright green leaves are on the trees; And pretty birds are singing there :
How beautiful for one who sees!
"Yet I the fragrant flowers can smell,
And I can feel the green leaf's shade,
And I can hear the notes that swell
From those dear birds that GOD has made.
"So, sister, GOD to me is kind,
Though sight, alas! He has not given :
But tell me, are there any blind
Among the children up in heaven?"
"No, dearest Edward, there all see;
But why ask me a thing so odd?”
"O Mary, He's so good to me,
I thought I'd like to look at GOD."
Ere long, disease his hand had laid
On that dear boy so meek and mild:
His widowed mother wept, and prayed
That GOD would spare her sightless child.
He felt her warm tears on his face,
And said, "O never weep for me;
I'm going to a bright, bright place,
Where, Mary says, I GOD shall see.
"And you'll come there, dear Mary, too;
But, mother dear, when you come there,
Tell Edward, mother, that 'tis you :
You know I never saw you here."
He spoke no more, but sweetly smiled,
Until the final call was given;
When God took up that poor blind child,
And opened first his eyes in heaven.
NEVER sick and never weary,
What a land wherein to dwell!
Never cold, nor dark, nor dreary:
Why then try to make me well?
Not another pain or sorrow,
More of joy than earth can give! Mother, in your prayer to-morrow, Do not ask for me to live.
Poor our lot, and though we find it
Sad, and sometimes hard to bear;
GOD in mercy hath assigned it,
As our safest portion here.
Now He calls me from this station,
Begging at the rich man's gate,
To a heavenly habitation:
Mother, ask me not to wait.
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