ON LENDING A PUNCH BOWL. 75 ON LENDING A PUNCH BOWL. O. W. HOLMES. THIS ancient silver bowl of mine, — it tells of good old times, Of joyous days, and jolly nights, and merry Christmas times; They were a free and jovial race, but honest, brave, and true, That dipped their ladle in the punch when this old bowl was new. A Spanish galleon brought the bar-so runs the ancient tale; "I was hammered by an Antwerp smith, whose arm was like a flail ; And now and then, between the strokes, for fear his strength should fail, He wiped his brow, and quaffed a cup of good old Flemish ale. I was purchased by an English squire to please his loving dame, Who saw the cherubs, and conceived a longing for the same; And oft as on the ancient stock another twig was found, 'Twas filled with caudle spiced and hot, and handed smoking round. 76 ON LENDING A PUNCH BOWL. But, changing hands, it reached at length a Puritan divine, Who used to follow Timothy, and take a little wine, But hated punch and prelacy; and so it was, perhaps, He went to Leyden, where he found conventicles and schnaps. And then, of course, you know what's next- - it left the Dutchman's shore, With those that in the Mayflower came souls and more— a hundred Along with all the furniture, to fill their new abodes To judge by what is still on hand, at least a hundred loads. 'Twas on a merry winter's eve, the night was closing dim, When old Miles Standish took the bowl, and filled it to the brim, The little captain stood and stirred the posset with his sword, And all his sturdy men at arms were ranged about the board. He poured the fiery Hollands in the man that never feared He took a long and solemn draught, and wiped his yellow beard: And one by one the musketeers, the men that fought and prayed, All drank as 'twere their mothers' milk, and not a man afraid! ON LENDING A PUNCH BOWL. 77 That night, affrighted from his nest, the screaming eagle flew ; He heard the Pequot's ringing whoop, the soldier's wild halloo; And there the sachem learned the rule he taught to kith and kin, 66 "Run from the white man when you find he smells of Hollands gin." A hundred years, and fifty more, had spread their leaves and snows; A thousand rubs had flattened down each little cherub's nose; When once again the bowl was fixed, but not in mirth or joy; 'Twas mingled by a mother's hand to cheer her parting boy. "Drink, John," she said; "twill do you good — poor child, you'll never bear This working in the dismal trench, out in the midnight air; And if God bless me-you were hurt,' twould keep away the chill." So John did drink — and well he wrought that night at Bunker's Hill! I tell you, there was generous warmth in good old English cheer; I tell you, 'twas a pleasant thought to bring its sym bol here; 'Tis but the fool that loves excess hast thou a drunken soul, Thy bane is in thy shallow skull, not in my silver bowl! I love the memory of the past - its pressed yet fragrant flowers! The moss that clothes its broken walls — the ivy on Nay, this poor bauble it bequeathed — my eyes grow moist and dim, To think of all the vanished joys that danced around its brim. Then fill a fair and honest cup, and bear it straight to me; The goblet hallows all it holds, whate'er the liquid be; And may the cherubs on its face protect me from the sin, That dooms me to those dreadful words—" My dear, where have you been?” SONG. T. B. ALDRICH. THE chestnuts shine through the cloven rind, The scarlet fuchsias burn in the wind Funeral plumes for the year. A CANADIAN BOAT-SONG. The year which has brought me so much woe, I should wish the fuchsia's fire might glow A CANADIAN BOAT-SONG. 79 THOMAS MOORE. Written on the River St. Lawrence. Et remigem cantus hortatur. — Quintilian. FAINTLY as tolls the evening chime, Why should we yet our sail unfurl? Oh! sweetly we'll rest our weary oar. Utawas' tide! this trembling moon Shall see us float over thy surges soon. |