Little one, be not frightened : Side by side, through the long, long night His wet fur pressed against me; And when the falling forest No longer crashed in warning, Darling, kiss me in payment! Hark, how the wind is roaring; Father's house is a better place When the stormy rain is pouring! -Bayard Taylor. LOST ON THE PRAIRIE. Он, my baby, my child, my darling! Lost, lost! gone forever! Gay snakes rattled, and charmed, and sung; On thy head the sun's fierce fever, Dews of death on thy white lip hung! Dead and pale in the moonlight's glory, Cold and dead by the black oak-tree; Only a small shoe, stained and gory, Blood-red, tattered, comes home to me. Over the grass that rolls, like ocean, 'Here, here! not dead, but living!" God! Thy goodness what can I pray? Oh, my baby, my child, my darling! Still are rustling, hissing, snarling; LUCY GRAY. OFT I had heard of Lucy Gray; No mate, no comrade Lucy knew ; Rose Terry. You yet may spy the fawn at play, Will never more be seen. "To-night will be a stormy night, - "That, father, will I gladly do ; "T is scarcely afternoon,-The minster-clock has just struck two, And yonder is the moon!" At this the father raised his hook, And snapped a faggot-band. He plied his work; and Lucy took The lantern in her hand. Not blither is the mountain roe: With many a wanton stroke Her feet disperse the powdery snow, That rises up like smoke. The storm came on before its time; The wretched parents all that night At daybreak on the hill they stood And thence they saw the bridge of wood, They wept, and, turning homeward, cried, The print of Lucy's feet. Then downwards from the steep hill's edge And then an open field they crossed They followed from the snowy bank Into the middle of the plank; And further there were none ! Yet some maintain that to this day That you may see sweet Lucy Gray O'r rough and smooth she trips along, THE CAPTAIN'S DAUGHTER. WE were crowded in the cabin, 'Tis a fearful thing in winter, So we shuddered there in silence, For the stoutest held his breath, As thus we sat in darkness, Each one busy with his prayers, "We are lost!" the captain shouted, As he staggered down the stairs. But his little daughter whispered, Just the same as on the land?" Then we kissed the little maiden, - James 1. Fields. |