The image of eternity,-the throne Of the Invisible; even from out thy slime The monsters of the deep are made: each zone Obeys thee; thou goest forth-dread-fathomless→ alone! www THE SPANISH CHAMPION. THE warrior bow'd his crested head, and tamed his heart of fire, And sued the haughty king to free his long imprison ed sire; "I bring thee here my fortress keys, I bring my captive train, I pledge my faith-my liege, my lord, Oh! break my father's chain." "Rise! rise, even now thy father comes, a ransomed man this day, Mount thy good steed, and thou and I will meet him on his way." Then lightly rose that loyal son, and bounded on his steed, And urged, as if with lance in hand, his charger's foaming speed. And lo! from far as on they press'd, they met a glittering band, With one that 'mid them stately rode, like a leader in the land; 66 'Now, haste, Bernardo, haste, for there in very truth is he, The father-whom thy grateful heart hath yearned so long to see.' His proud breast heaved, his dark eye flashed, his cheeks' hue came and went, He reached that gray-haired chieftain's side, and there dismounting bent; A lowly knee to earth he bent, his father's hand he took, What was there in its touch that all his fiery spirit shook. That hand was cold, a frozen thing, it dropped from his like lead; He looked up to the face above, the face was of the dead; A plume waved o'er the noble brow, the brow was fixed and white, He met at length his father's eyes, but in them saw no sight. Up from the ground he sprung, and gazed, but who can paint that gaze? They hushed their very hearts who saw its horror and amaze; They might have chained him, as before that noble form he stood, For the power was stricken from his arms, and from his cheek the blood. "Father!" at length he murmured low, and wept like children then, "Talk not of grief till thou hast seen the tears of warlike men;" He thought on all his glorious hopes, on all his high renown, Then flung the falchion from his side, and in the dust sat down ; And covering with his steel-gloved hands his darkly mournful brow, "No more, there is no more," he said, "to lift the sword for now; My king is false, my hope betrayed-my father, Oh! the worth, The glory and the loveliness are past away to earth!" Up from the ground he sprung once more, and seized the monarch's rein, Amid the pale and wildered looks of all the courtier train; And with a fierce o'ermastering grasp, the rearing war-horse led, And sternly set them face to face, the king before the dead. "Came I not here on thy pledge, my father's hand to kiss, Be still! and gaze thou on, false king, and tell me what is this; The look, the voice, the heart I sought-give answer, where are they? If thou wouldst clear thy perjured soul, put life in this cold clay. "Into those glassy eyes put light; be still, keep down thine ire, Bid those cold lips a blessing speak, this earth is not my sire. Give me back him for whom I fought, for whom my blood was shed, Thou canst not! and, oh king, his blood be mountains on thy head!" He loosed the rein, his slack hand fell, upon the silent face He cast one long deep mournful glance, then fled from that sad place; His after fate no more was heard amid the martial train, His banner led the spears no more among the hills of Spain. THE DEAD DONKEY. HE was stretched at full length beside the ditch where he died. A half finished house in the background seemed to rejoice in the fate of the poor animal; maliciously displayed on a board, whereon was legibly written "THIS CARCASS TO BE SOLD!" The sturdy thistle boldly reared its head in its vicinity, fearless of the donkey's pluck. The crows, like a knot of lawyers at the funeral of a rich man, were hovering near. They threatened to engross the whole skin, and make away with the personal property by conveyance. The deceased they knew could not resist their charge, nor did they apprehend their bills would be taxed by the master. Alack-alack! that he who had stoutly carried many a bushel, should thus fall beneath their peck. The well-worn saddle, like many a better, had gone to back some other favourite of the race. The reins, too, were gone-yes, his disconsolate master, like a drunken man, had-slipped off the curb! Wo, wo! but what avails it crying "Wo"" to a dead donkey? Were I thy master, I would have thy portrait taken. How many an A-double-S is drawn by an R.A.! There is a placid docility about thy head that might supply Gall or Spurzheim with a lecture. But no cast remains to immortalize thee-albeit thy master, in thy life, made many an impression with whacks! Like a card-player, thou hast cut the pack and left it in the hands of the dealer. Unlike thy ragged brethren that run loose upon the common, exposing their ribs (as vulgar husbands do their wives in general company) there is a plumpness and rotundity in thy appearance, that plainly proves thee no common donkey. The smoothness of thy coat, too, shows thine owner's care He, doubtless, liked thee (as Indians do their food) well curried! Farewell, Edward, I exclaimed-too serious on the occasion to use the familiar epithet of Neddy. I heard footsteps: I saw a man approaching the spot I had just quitted: he was a tall raw-bonedlooking gipsey. Concealed from observation by the intervening hedge, I watched his motions. I saw him stride across the animal. Drawing a clasp-knife from his breast, he looked wistfully around him. I had often heard of famished Russians devouring their horses. What did he meditate? Keen hunger was depicted in his sharp countenance. The vagrant wielded his knife-I stood breathless -the next moment I saw him cut a huge stake. "From the donkey ?" No, Madam: from the adjoining hedge. NOSE AND EYES. BETWEEN Nose and Eyes a strange contest arose, So Tongue was the lawyer, and argued the cause, So famed for his talent in nicely discerning. In behalf of the Nose, it will quickly appear, And your lordship" he said, "will undoubtedly find, That the Nose has had spectacles always to wear, Which amounts to possession time out of mind." |