*

stars

on

*

Round about them orchards sweep,

Apple and peach-tree fruited deep; Famished, very

Fair as a garden of the Lord hungry.

To the eyes of the famished * rebel * horde.* Rebel, one who shakes off, or fights against, On that pleasant morn of the early fall,* lawful authority.

When Lee* marched over the mountain wall, 10 Horde, company. The early fall, the Over the mountains winding down, beginning of autumn. Horse and foot, into Frederick town, Lee, the heroic leader of the Southern forces in the American

civil Forty flags * with their silver stars, war, which

com Forty flags with their silver bars, menced in 1861 and continued till 1865.

Flapped in the morning wind : the sun 15 Forty flags, &c. The Of noon looked down and saw not one. American flag

is composed of thirteen Up rose old Barbara Fritchie then, bars or stripes alterDately red and white,

Bowed with her fourscore years and ten, and thirteen white Bravest of all in Frederick town,

a. blue ground in the upper

She took up the flag the men hauled * down; 20 corner next the staff. Hence the allusion to In her attic window the staff she set, stars, and bars or To show that one heart was loyal * yet. stripes. Hauled, pulled,

Up the street came the rebel tread, dragged with vio- Stonewall Jackson * riding ahead; lence. Loyal, to be faithful

Under his slouched * hat, left and right, and obedient to the

25 laws of one's country.

He glanced, the old flag met his sight. Stonewall Jackson, “Halt!"_the dust-brown ranks stood fast; an able general, famous for his bravery.

“ Fire !”_out blazed the rifle blast. He received the nickname of "Stonewall' It shivered * the window, pane and sash ; firmness

It rent the banner with seam and gash, with which his men

30 resisted every attack. Quick, as it fell from the broken staff, He was accidentally Dame Barbara snatched the silken scarf ; killed by a bullet fired by one of ais

She leaned far out on the window sill own soldiers at the battle of Chancellors- And shook it forth with a royal will. ville, May 2, 1863. Slouched, turned

“Shoot, if you must, this old grey head, 35

But spare your country's flag," she said. Shiver, shatter, to into

small A shade of sadness, a blush of shame, pieces by sudden

Over the face of the leader came;
violence.
Silken scarf, the ban. The noble nature within him stirred
Der, which was made
To life that woman's deed and word.

40 of silk.

“Who touches a hair of yon grey head,
Dies like a dog. March on!” he said.
All day long through Frederick street
Sounded the tread of marching feet;

*

from the

down.

break

Rebel host, the South. ern or Confederata Army.

45 All day long the free flag tossed

Over the heads of the rebel host ;*
Ever its torn folds rose and fell
On the loyal winds, that loved it well ;

And through the hill-gaps sunset light 50 Shone over it with a warm good-night

Barbara Fritchie's work is o'er,
And the rebel rides on his raid * no more.
Honour to her! and let a tear

Fall, for her sake, on Stonewall’s bier !* 55 Over Barbara Fritchie's grave,

Flag of Freedom and Union, wave !
Peace, and order, and beauty draw
Round thy symbol * of light and law;

And ever the stars above look down
60 On thy stars below, in Frederick town!

Raid, invasion, expedition.

a

*

Symbol, emblem, siga.

and is remarkable for its beautiful flowers and

*

THE STAR AND THE WATER-LILY.-0. W. Holmes. OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES (1809- ) was born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. He is a doctor of medicine, and a professor at Harvard College. Among his chief works may be mentioned The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table. THE Sun stepped* down from his golden throne, The sun stepped, &c.,

the sun set. And lay in the silent sea, And the Lily * had folded her satin leaves, Lily, a water-lily is a

water plant like a lily, For a sleepy thing was she; 5 What is the Lily dreaming of ?

large floating Why crisp the waters blue?

leaves. See, see, she is lifting her varnished lid !

Her white leaves are glistening * through ! Glistening, shining. The Rose is cooling his burning cheek

In the lap of the breathless tide ;
The Lily hath sisters fresh and fair,

That would lie by the Rose's side;
He would love her better than all the rest,

And he would be fond and true; 15 But the Lily unfolded her

weary

lids And looked at the sky so blue. Remember, remember, thou silly one, How fast will thy summer glide, *

Glide, pass by. And wilt thou wither a virgin pale, 20 Or flourish a blooming bride ?

IO

*

*

Ruffle, to make rough add stormy.

“Oh, the Rose is old, and thorny, and cold,

And he lives on earth,” said she;
“But the Star is fair, and he lives in the air,

And he shall my bridegroom be.”
But what if the stormy cloud should come, 25

And ruffle * the ver sea ?
Would he turn his eye from the distant sky,

To smile on a thing like thee ?
Oh no, fair Lily, he will not send
One ray from his far-off throne;

30 The winds shall blow and the waves shall flow,

And thou wilt be left alone.
There is not a leaf on the mountain top,

Nor a drop of evening dew,
Nor a golden sand on the sparkling shore, 35

Nor a pearl in the waters blue,
That he has not cheered with his fickle* smile,

And warmed with his faithless beam-
And will he be true to a pallid * flower,
That floats on the quiet stream ?

40 Alas, for the Lily! she would not heed, *

But turned to the skies afar,
And bared her breast to the trembling ray

That shot from the rising Star ;
The cloud came over the darkened sky, 45

And over the waters wide ;
She looked in vain through the beating rain,

And sank in the stormy tide.

Fickle, inconstant,
changeable.
Pallid, pale, white.

Ileed, pay attention.

THE PARTING OF MARMION AND DOUGLAS.-Scott. Marmion, English Not far advanced was morning day envoy to the court of

When Marmion * did his troop array,*
King James IV. of
Scotland.

To Surrey's * camp to ride ;
Array, arrange; to

He had safe-conduct * for his band, place in order of battle. Beneath * the royal seal and hand,

5 Surrey, Earl Surrey And Douglas * gave a guide. was lieutenant general of the Northern

The ancient earl, with stately grace, counties, and com- Would Clara * on her palfrey * place; manded the English

And whispered, in an under-tone, army at Flodden. Safe-conduct, a pass- “Let the hawk stoop, his prey is flown." IO port granted to a per- The train from out the castle drew; son to enable him to pass safely through But Marmion stopped to bid adieu : ang place.

.

*

*

*

a

“Though something I might plain,"* he said, Beneath, &c., written “Of cold respect to stranger guest,

by the king, and hav.

ing his seal affixed to 15 Sent hither by your king's behest, *

it. While in Tantallon's * towers I stayed,

Douglas, Archibald

Douglas, Earl of Part we in friendship from your land,

Augus, was remark. And, noble earl, receive * my hand.”

able for his strength

of body and mind. But Douglas round him drew his cloak,

Clara, an English 20 Folded his arms, and thus he spoke :

heiress, whose hand

Marmion had sought “My manors, halls, and bowers, shall still

in marriage, but had Be open, at my sovereign's will,

heen unsuccessful. To each one whom he lists,* howe'er

He had tried to ruin Unmeet * to be the owner's peer :

her lover, De Wilton,

but had failed in this 25 My castles are my king's alone,

also. From turret * to foundation * stone ;

Palfrey, small

horse for a lady. The hand of Douglas is his own,

His prey is flown, De And never shall in friendly grasp

Wilton, who, in the The hand of such as Marmion clasp."

disguise of a pilgrim from the Holy Land,

had guided Lord Mar30 Burned Marmion's swarthy * cheek like fire,

mion in Scotland, had

left the castle at dayAnd shook his very frame for ire,*

break. And_ This to me!” he said ;

Adieu, farewell. “ An 'twere not for thy hoary * beard,

Plain, complain.

Behest, command. Such hand as Marmion's had not spared Tantallon, the castle

the

of Douglas on 35 To cleave * the Douglas' head !

coast of East Lothian. And, first, I tell thee, haughty * peer,

Receive, accept.
He who does England's message here,

He lists, he pleases

or chooses. Although the meanest * in her state,

Unmeet, unworthy. May well, proud Angus, be thy maté!

Peer, an equal. 40 And, Douglas, more I tell thee here,

Turret, a tower on a

building. Even in thy pitch of pride,

Foundation, baseHere in thy hold, thy vassals * near,

ment.

Swarthy, tawny,dark, (Nay, never look upon your lord,

Ire, wrath. And lay your hands upon your sword),-- Hoary, white or grey 45

I tell thee thou'rt defied !
And if thou saidst I am not peer

Cleave, to split.

Haughty, proud. To any lord in Scotland here,

Meanest, poorest,

lowliest. Lowland or Highland, far or near,

Vassal, one who holds Lord Angus, thou hast lied !"

lands from, and pays 50 On the earl's cheek the flush of rage

homage to a superior.

Defied, dared.
O’ercame the ashen hue* of age. [then, Ashen hue, pale in
Fierce he broke forth :-"And darest thou, colour.
To beard the lion in his den,

Unscathed, unharmed.

Variler, a watch man, The Douglas in his hall ?

Portcullis, a sliding

door of cross timbers 55 and hop'st thou hence unscathed * to go ?—

pointed with iron, No! by Saint Bride of Bothwell, no !

hung over a gateway Up drawbridge, grooms !-what, warder,* ho ! so as to be let down

in a moment to keep Let the portcullis * fall.”—

*

with age.

*

*

Rovels, spurs.

60

Lord Marmion turned,,well was his need, -
And dashed the rowels * in his steed,
Like arrow through the archway sprung-
The ponderous * gate behind him rung:
To pass there was such scanty room,
The bars, descending, razed * his plume!

Ponderous, heavy.

Razed, levelled.

THE CLOUD.-Shelley.

*

IO

PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY (1792–1822) was an English poet of great genius, and a man of very pure life and loving nature ; but it was not till after his death that he received the high place which he now holds among the poets. Chief works : The Cenci, and odes to The Cloud, and The Skylark.

I BRING fresh showers for the thirsting flowers,

From the seas and the streams;
I bear light shade for the leaves when laid

In their noon-day dreams;
From my wings are shaken the dews that 5

waken

The sweet buds every one, Mother's breast, the When rocked to rest on their mother's breast, * earth's surface, which is the parent of all

As she dances * about the sun. plants.

I wield the flail of the lashing * hail, As she dances, &c., the motion of the earth

And whiten the green plains under; round the sun. And then again I dissolve * it in rain, Lashing, scourging,

And laugh as I pass in thunder. dashing against. Dissolve, melt.

I sift the snow on the mountains below,

And their great pines groan aghast ;
And all the night 'tis my pillow white,

15 While I sleep in the arms of the blast, Sublime, imposing, Sublime * on the towers of my skyey bowers, very grand. Fettered, fastened Lightning, my pilot, sits ; down.

In a cavern under is fettered * the thunder
By fits, at intervals.
Lured, attracted, en-
It struggles and howls by fits.*

20 Over earth and ocean, with gentle motion, Genii, spirits, super- This pilot is guiding me, natural beings. The ancients believed

Lured * by the love of the Genii* that move that

every person In the depths of the purple sea ;

own par: Over the rilīs * and the crags * and the hills, 25

genius guardian spirit.

Over the lakes and the plains, Rill

, a small murmur- Wherever he dream, under mountain or stream, ing brook, a streamlet.

The spirit he loves remains ; Crag, a rough, steep And I, all the while, bask * in heaven's blue rock.

smile, Bask, to lie in the sunshine. Whilst he is dissolving in rains.

30

ticed.

*

had his ticular

or

*