"AND I could weep; "-the Oneyda chief His descant wildly thus begun;
· But that I may not stain with grief The death-song of my father's son! Or bow his head in wo;
For, by my wrongs and by my wrath! To-morrow Areouski's breath,
That fires yon heaven with storms of death, Shall light us to the foe:
And we shall share, my Christian boy, The foeman's blood, the avenger's joy!
"But thee, my flower, whose breath was given By milder genii o'er the deep,
The spirits of the white man's heaven Forbid not thee to weep:-
Nor will the Christian host, Nor will thy father's spirit grieve, To see thee, on the battle's eve, Lamenting, take a mournful leave Of her who loved thee most:
She was the rainbow to thy sight! Thy sun-thy heaven-of lost delight!
"To-morrow let us do or die!
But when the bolt of death is hurl'd, Ah! whither then with thee to fly, Shall Outalissi roam the world?– Seek we thy once-loved home?— The hand is gone that cropp'd its flowers! Unheard their clock repeats its hours! Cold is the hearth within their bowers! And should we thither roam,
Its echoes, and its empty tread,
Would sound like voices from the dead!
"Or shall we cross yon mountains blue, Whose streams my kindred nation quaff'd, And by my side, in battle true,
A thousand warriors drew the shaft?- Ah! there, in desolation, cold,
The desert-serpent dwells alone,
Where grass o'ergrows each mouldering bone, And stones themselves to ruin grown,
Like me, are death-like old!
Then seek we not their camp-for there— The silence dwells of my despair!
“But hark, the trump!-to-morrow thou In glory's fires shalt dry thy tears! Even from the land of shadows now My father's awful ghost appears Amidst the clouds that round us roll! He bids my soul for battle thirst- He bids me dry-the last!-the first! The only tears that ever burst From Outalissi's soul!
Because I may not stain with grief The death-song of an Indian chief."
SHE listens; “ ”Tis the wind," she cries: The moon, that rose so full and bright Is now o'ercast: she looks, she sighs, She fears 'twill be a stormy night.
Not long was Anna wed. Her mate, A fisherman, was out at sea:
The night is dark, the hour is late,
The wind is high-and where is he?
Oh! who would love! oh! who would wed A wandering fisherman, to be
A wretched, lonely wife, and dread.
Each breath that blows, when he's at sea!
Not long was Anna wed. One pledge Of tender love her bosom bore:
The storm comes down! the billows rage! Its father is not yet on shore!
"Oh! who would think her portion bless'd A wandering seaman's wife to be, To hug the infant to her breast, Whose father's on a stormy sea!"
The thunder bursts! the lightning falls! The casement rattles with the rain! And, as the gusty tempest bawls,
The little cottage quakes again!
She doesn't speak; she doesn't sigh; She gazes on her infant dear— A smile lights up the cherub's eye, Which dims its mother's with a tear: "Oh! who would be a seaman's wife!
Oh! who would bear a seaman's child! To tremble for her husband's life!
To weep--because her infant smiled!" Ne'er hadst thou borne a seaman's boy- Ne'er had thy husband left the shore-- Thou ne'er hadst felt the frantic joy To see-thy Robin at the door!-
To press his weather-beaten cheek, To kiss it dry and warm again, To weep
the joy thou couldst not speak- So pleasure's in the debt of pain.
Thy cheerful fire, thy plain repast, Thy little couch of love, I ween, Were ten times sweeter than the last- And not a cloud that night was seen!
O happy pair! the pains you know Still hand in hand with pleasure come; For often does the tempest blow,
And Robin still is safe at home!
No eye beheld when William plunged Young Edmund in the stream; No human ear, but William's, heard Young Edmund's drowning scream.
Submissive all the vassals own'd The murderer for their lord; And he, as rightful heir, possess'd The house of Erlingford.
The ancient house of Erlingford Stood in a fair domain, And Severn's ample waters near Roll'd through the fertile plain.
And often the wayfaring man Would love to linger there, Forgetful of his onward road,
To gaze on scenes so fair.
But never could Lord William dare To gaze on Severn's stream; In every wind that swept its waves He heard young Edmund scream. In vain, at midnight's silent hour,
Sleep closed the murderer's eyes; In every dream, the murderer saw Young Edmund's form arise!
In vain, by restless conscience driver, Lord William left his home,
Far from the scenes that saw his guilt In pilgrimage to roam.
To other climes the pilgrim fled— But could not fly despair;
He sought his home again—but peace Was still a stranger there.
Slow were the passing hours, yet swift The months appear'd to roll; And now the day return'd, that shook With terror William's soul-
A day that William never felt Return without dismay;
For well had conscience kalendar'd Young Edmund's dying day.
A fearful day was that! the rains Fell fast with tempest roar,
And the swoln tide of Severn spread Far on the level shore.
In vain Lord William sought the feast, In vain he quaff'd the bowl,
And strove with noisy mirth to drown The anguish of his soul
The tempest, as its sudden swell In gusty howlings came,
With cold and deathlike feelings seem'd To thrill his shuddering frame. Reluctant now, as night came on, His lonely couch he press'd; And wearied out, he sunk to sleep,- To sleep-but not to rest.
Beside that couch his brother's form, Lord Edmund, seem'd to stand; Such and so pale, as when in death He grasp'd his brother's hand. Such and so pale his face, as when, With faint and faultering tongue, To William's care, a dying charge, He left his orphan son.
"I bade thee with a father's love
My orphan Edmund guard— Well, William, hast thou kept thy charge! Now take thy due reward!"
He started up, each limb convulsed
With agonizing fear:
He only heard the storm of night,— "Twas music to his ear.
When, lo! the voice of loud alarm His inmost soul appals; "What, ho! Lord William, rise in haste! The water saps thy walls!"
He rose in haste, beneath the walls He saw the flood appear;
It hemm'd him round, 'twas midnight now No human aid was near!
He heard the shout of joy, for now A boat approach'd the wall; And, eager to the welcome aid,
They crowd for safety all.
My boat is small," the boatman cried,
"Twill bear but one away;
Come in, Lord William! and do ye
In God's protection stay."
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