Beauty sat bathing by a spring,

Around him came, with bow and brand,The red men of the wood.Like one of old, his doom he hears,Rock-bound on Ocean’s brim;The Chieftain’s daughter knelt in tears,And breathed a prayer for him.Above his head, in air,The savage war-club swung:The frantic maid, in wild despair,Her arms around him flung;Then shook the warriors off the shade,Like leaves…

One has passed seventy summers,And the other just seventeen.They rest in a happy silenceAs the shadows deepen fast;One lives in a coming future,And one in a long, long past.Each dreams of a rush of music,And a question whispered low;One will hear it this evening,One heard it long ago.Each dreams of a loving husbandWhose brave heart…

Which on the air their glad refrainRang forth in other happier times?Where now the gladsome youthful throng,Who ‘Merry Christmas’ used to greet,With merry laugh and joyous song,In every house, in every street?Where now that soul-inspiring sightWhen ‘Santa Claus’ disclosed his treasure,Of youthful faces beaming brightWith thankful love, delight and pleasure?Where now the merry ringing laugh,As…

Her lips parted with her greeting smile,Her soul soared out in her song.Now hovering like an imprisoned birdWith is plainings thrilling nigh,Then faintly sweet, as the reapers hearA lark afar in the sky;And forth like thunder the praises broke,And the singer bowed and smiled,And flowers fell fast in a scented storm–But she was not to…

Blow, northerne wynd,Blou, blou, blou!Ichot a burde in bour{.e} bryht,That fully semly is on syht,Menskful maiden of myht,Feir ant fre to fond{.e};In al this wurhlich{.e} won,A burde of blod and of bonNever yete y nust{.e} nonLussomore in lond{.e}.With lokk{.e}s lefliche and long{.e},With frount and fac{.e} feir to fong{.e},With murth{.e}s moni{.e} mote heo mong{.e},That brid so…

Though the sunlight gleams on the outer worldThere the clouds drift cold and gray.‘Only one man killed,’ is the tidings read,‘Our loss was trifling; we triumphed,’ ’twas said –And only here in the home on the hillDid the words breathe aught but of triumph still.They had watched and waited, had prayed and wept,These loving hearts…