THE MAID OF THE RHONE. WAS in that lovely land | Oh, many an eye had marked it well, But none that warrior's tale could tell, Save that he bore the Red Cross shield And fought in some far Syrian field. that lies Where Alpine shadows fall On scenes that to the pil grim's eyes Might Eden's bloom recall, As when, undimmed by curse or crime, It rose amid the dawn of time That early spring whose blossoms grew While yet the heavens and earth were new. There stood beside the rapid Rhone, That, now from Leman free, By wood and city wall swept on To meet the classic sea, An ancient and a stately hall, And battlements whose bannered pride Had many a hostile host defied. And she, the lady of the tower, Though last of all her line, Of beauty-at whose shrine. And proved their vows by song and sword. But there the maiden's earliest glance So loved the lady of the tower; Though past his manhood's prime; His steps in many a clime; But, ah! what thoughts that wooer's name The idol of her youth was now grown Like him who saw through Alpine woods And climbed the rocks and crossed the floods To find it only snow, So felt the maiden as she said, "My star is set—my rainbow fled! I meet thee now, but not to find The shadow of my dream. And you shall have a mother's thanks, shall In the despatch they told it all, and named have a widow's prayer." "Oh, I've come from the Indies-I've just come from the war; And well I know the Ninetieth, and gallant lads they are; and praised your son; A medal and a pension's his. Good luck to him, I say! And he has not a comrade but will wish him well to-day." From colonel down to rank and file, I know "Now, soldier, blessings on your tongue.-Oh, my comrades well, husband, that you knew And news I've brought for you, mother, your How well our boy pays me this day for all Robert bade me tell." tell me every one: that I've gone through All I have done and borne for him the long years since you're dead. But, soldier, tell me how he looked and all my Robert said." "He's bronzed and tanned and bearded, and you'd hardly know him, dame: You little know how dear to his old mother We've made your boy into a man, but still is my son.' 'Through Havelock's fights and marches the For often, dame, his talk's of you, and always Ninetieth were there; his heart's the same; to one tune. In all the gallant Ninetieth did, your Robert But there! his ship is nearly home, and he'll be with you soon. "Oh, is he really coming home, and shall I really see My boy again, my own boy, home? And when, when will it be? "Oh, thanks unto the living God that heard Did you say soon?"-"Well, he is home. his mother's prayer Keep cool, old dame. He's here." The widow's cry that rose on high-her only "Oh, Robert, my own blessed boy!"-"Oh, son to spare! mother, mother dear!" W. C. BENNETT. THE COMBAT OF ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON. FROM THE FAERIE QUEENE. NA, the heroine of the poem, through the valor of St. George, the knight of the Red Cross, delivers her parents from the imprisonment under which they are held by a great dragon. The following extract from a letter of the poet addressed to Sir Walter Raleigh gives the plot of the poem : “In the beginning of the feast there presented himself a tall clownish young man, who, falling before the Queene of Faeries, desired a boon (as the manner then was), which during that feast she might not refuse; which was that he might have the achievement of any adventure which during that feast should happen. That being granted, he rested him on the floor, unfit through his rusticity for a better place. Soon after entered a fair lady in mourning weeds, riding on a white ass, with a dwarf behind her, leading a warlike steed, that bore the arms of a knight, and his spear in the dwarf's hand. She, falling before the Queene of Faeries, complained that her father and mother, an ancient king and queen, had been by an huge dragon many years shut up in a brazen castle, who thence suffered them not to issue, and therefore besought the Faerie Queene to assign her some one of her knights, to take on him that exploit. Presently that clownish person, upstarting, desired that adventure; whereat the Queene much wondering, and the lady much gainsaying, yet he earnestly importuned his desire. In the end the lady told him that unless that armor which she brought would serve him, that he could not succeed in that enterprise; which being forthwith put upon him with due furnitures thereunto, he seemed the goodliest man in all that company, and was well liked of the lady. And eftesoones1 taking on him knighthood, and mounting on that strange courser, he went forth with her on that adventure." THE COMBAT. The Knight with that old Dragon fights The third, him overthrows; and gains HIGH time now gan it wex2 for Una fair That all these sorrows suffer for my sake, ye for High Heaven behold the tedious toil me take! |