98

THE HEROIC BOY,

Yet beautiful and bright he stood,

As born to rule the storm;
A creature of heroic blood,
A brave though childlike form.

The flames roll'd on-he would not go
Without his father's word;
That father, faint in death below,
His voice no longer heard.

He call'd aloud-"Say, father, say
If yet my task is done!"
He knew not that the chieftain lay
Unconscious of his son.

"Speak, father!" once again he cried,
"If I may yet be gone;"
And but the booming shots replied,
And fast the flames roll'd on.

Upon his brow he felt their breath,

And in his waving hair,

And look'd from that lone post of death

In still yet brave despair.

And shouted but once more aloud,

"My father, must I stay ?"

While o'er him fast, through sail and shroud,

The wreathing fires made way.

THE CHOSEN TREE.

They wrapp'd the ship in splendour wild,
They caught the flag on high,

And stream'd above the gallant child,
Like banners in the sky.

There came a burst of thunder-sound-
The boy-oh, where was he?
Ask of the winds, that far around
With fragments strewed the sea,

With mast, and helm, and pennon fair,
That well had borne their part;
But the noblest thing that perish'd there
Was that young faithful heart.

99

HEMANS.

THE CHOSEN TREE.

A BIRD built her nest in a fair green tree,
In the midst of a beautiful wood:

She lined it with feathers and made it so soft,
As only a mother could.

Primroses grew

in the long green grass

At the foot of the chosen tree;

And the scent of sweet violets filled the air,

Like odours from Araby.

100

THE CHOSEN TREE.

There the daisy, that modest simple flower,'
With its eye of golden hue,

The cowslip sweet, and the wind-flower light,
And the graceful harebell grew.

And the dragon-fly, and the painted moth,
And the musical-winged bee,

And the grasshopper came with its chirping voice,

To play 'neath the chosen tree.

Not long ere three tiny heads were seen
Peeping out from their downy nest,
And, oh! what a happy mother was she
That warmed them beneath her breast.

She loved them as only a mother loves,
And she sang them her songs of glee;
There were no little birds more happy than they,
In their nest in the chosen tree!

But one of this little family

Grew tired of his mother's care,

He sat all day in sullen mood,

And nought to him looked fair.

For the heart of this little bird was changed, And he thought he should like to roam Away o'er the fields and the high green hills, In search of a brighter home.

THE CHOSEN TREE.

Ah me! there is not a brighter home
Than that which is lighted by love;
There is no other light so divinely sweet,
Not the moon nor the stars above.

101

But he fled away, and he sported awhile
Amid flowers of each perfume and hue,
And when night came on he was weary and cold,
And it rained and the storm-wind blew.

Ah! then, how he thought of his mother's wing,
Which had covered him tenderly;

And his little brothers so happy and good,
In their home in the chosen tree!

Then he lifted his voice, but none to hear
The sound of his sorrow were nigh;

So he covered his head with his half-fledged wing,

And he sat on a stone to die.

Oh! never more in that beautiful wood
Was the song of his gladness heard;
And for many a day did his brothers weep
For the loss of the truant bird.

And for many a day no song of joy
Came up from his mother's breast;
She mourned for him with drooping wings,
But he came not again to his nest.

102

THE CHOSEN TREE.

And thus, little children, from this you may learn

How even one child may be

The cause of sorrow which nought may remove From a little family.

You each have a home in a chosen tree,

Which

your parents have lit with love;

Oh, cause not the shadows of grief to descend, The beautiful light to remove.

But seek for that wisdom which comes from on high,

And that truth which shall never decay:

That heaven-born peace which the world cannot give,

Nor the world in its pride take away.

And your Heavenly Father, who dwelleth above,
Will guard you wherever you be;

He will send down the light of celestial love
То your home in the chosen tree!

JERRAM.