EVENING PRAYER AT A GIRL'S SCHOOL.

B. BARTON.

HUSH! 't is a holy hour! -the quiet room

-

Seems like a temple, while yon soft lamp sheds A faint and starry radiance, through the gloom

And the sweet stillness, down on bright young heads, With all their clustering locks untouched by care,

And bowed as flowers are bowed with night-in prayer.

Gaze on! 't is lovely! - childhood's lip and cheek
Mantling beneath its earnest brow of thought!
Gaze! yet what seest thou in those fair and meek
And fragile things, as but for sunshine wrought?
Thou seest what grief must nurture for the sky,
What death must fashion for eternity!

O joyous creatures! that will sink to rest
Lightly, when those pure orisons are done,
As birds with slumber's honey-dew oppressed,
Midst the dim folded leaves, at set of sun,

Lift
up your hearts! though yet no sorrow lies
Dark in the summer-heaven of those clear eyes.

Though fresh within your breasts the untroubled springs
Of hope make melody where'er ye tread,

And o'er your sleep bright shadows from the wings
Of spirits visiting but youth be spread,
Yet in those flute-like voices, mingling low,
Is woman's tenderness how soon her woe!

Her lot is on you! - silent tears to weep;

A patient smile to wear through suffering's hour;
And sumless riches, from affection's deep,
To pour on broken reeds a wasted shower;
And to make idols, and to find them clay,
And to bewail that worship;

therefore pray!

Her lot is on you!-to be found untired,
Watching the stars out by the bed of pain,
With a pale cheek, and yet a brow inspired,
And a true heart of hope, though hope be vain;
Meekly to bear with wrong, to cheer decay,

And oh to love through all things!-therefore pray!

154

POETICAL DECLAMATIONS

And take the thought of this calm vesper-time,

With its low murmuring sounds, and silvery light,
On through the dark days fading from their prime,
As a sweet dew to keep your souls from blight!
Earth will forsake-oh! happy to have given
The unbroken heart's first fragrance unto heaven!

THE EVENING BEFORE ETERNITY.

J. A. HILLHOUSE.

THE sun his westering car drove low;
Round his broad wheel full many a lucid cloud
Floated, like happy isles, in seas of gold;
Along the horizon castled shapes were piled,
Turrets and towers, whose fronts embattled gleamed
With yellow light: smit by the slanting ray,
A ruddy beam the canopy reflected;
With deeper light the ruby blushed, and thick
Upon the seraphs' wings the glowing spots
Seemed drops of fire. Uncoiling from his staff
With fainter wave, the gorgeous ensign hung;
Or, swelling with swelling breeze, by fits,
Cast off upon the dewy air huge flakes
Of golden lustre. Over all the hill,
The heavenly legions, the assembled world,
Evening her crimson tint forever drew.

Mild twinkling through a crimson-skirted cloud,
The solitary star of evening shone,

While gazing wistful on that peerless light
Thereafter to be seen no more, as oft

In dreams strange images will mix, sad thoughts
Passed o'er my soul. Sorrowing, I cried, "Farewell,
Pale, beauteous planet, that displayest so soft
Amid yon glowing streak thy transient beam,
A long, a last farewell! Seasons have changed-
Ages and empires rolled, like smoke, away
But thou, unaltered, beamest as silver fair

As on thy birth-night! Bright and watchful eyes,
From palaces and bowers, have hailed thy gem
With secret transport! Natal star of love,

Beneath some patriarchal tree - has cheered The peasant's heart, and drawn his benison! Pride of the west! beneath thy placid light The tender tale shall never more be told; Man's soul shall never wake to joy again; Thou set❜st forever,- lovely orb, farewell!"

THE FLIGHT OF XERXES.

M. J. JEWSBURY.

I SAW him on the battle eve,

When like a king he bore him, Proud hosts, in glittering helm and greave, And prouder chiefs, before him; The warrior, and the warrior's deeds, The morrow, and the morrow's meeds, No daunting thoughts came o'er him He looked around him, and his eye Defiance flashed to earth, and sky.

He looked on ocean; its broad breast
Was covered with his fleet;
On earth; and saw, from east to west
His bannered millions meet;
While rocks, and glen, and cave,
and coast,
Shook with the war-cry of that host,

And Xerxes, in a single bark,

Where late his thousand ships were dark, Must all their fury dare:

What a revenge

-

a trophy, this

For thee, immortal Salamis !

I ask not beauty; -'t is a gem

As fleeting as 't is bright;

Even one rough gale may bear it hence,)
And saddening is its flight.

Such fading flowers of earthly ground
Why should I e'er possess?

In them no lasting bliss is found,

No solid happiness.

The soul's calm sunshine I would know;

Be mine religion's trust;

Be mine its precious truth to know

All else is sordid dust.

And hope and faith, as angels bright
Be mine attendants too,

Bear me above earth's sinful might,
Present me heaven's bright view.

For death, ere long, with subtle apt,
Will claim his kindred dust;
How peaceful, then, will be my heart!
How sacred be its trust!

Then I can feel life's troubled road
Has not been passed in vain
And, calmly trusting in my God
Yield back my breath again.

THE KAISER.

W. HOWITT.

Pro!

The Kaiser's hand from all his foes
Had won him glory and repose;
Richly through his rejoicing land
Were felt the blessings of his hand;
And when at eve he sought his rest,
A myriad hearts his slumbers blessed.

In midnight's hush a tempest broke ;-
Throughout his realm its myriads woke ;
And by the lightning's rapid flash,

And 'mid the thunder's bellowing crash,
In faith to heaven their prayers they spake,
For Christ's and for the Kaiser's sake.

But with a start, and with a pang,
Up from his couch the Kaiser sprang;
What!. Feareth he who never feared
When bloody deaths through hosts careered?
What! Can the tempest's passing sound
That heart of battles thus confound?