And from out the tree Swung, and leaped, and frolicked, void of fear, While bold blackbird piped, that all might hear, "Little Bell!" piped he. 6. Little Bell sat down amid the fern: Squirrel, squirrel, to your task return Bring me nuts," quoth she. Up, away the frisky squirrel hies, Great ripe nuts, kissed brown by July sun, 66 7. Little Bell looked up and down the glade: 66 Squirrel, squirrel, if you're not afraid, Come and share with me!" Down came squirrel, eager for his fare, 8. And the while these frolic playmates twain Piped and frisked from bough to bough again, 'Neath the morning skies, In the little childish heart below, All the sweetness seemed to grow and grow, And shine out in happy overflow From her blue, bright eyes. 9. By her snow-white cot at close of day Knelt sweet Bell, with folded palms to pray : Rose the praying voice to where, unseen, 10. "What good child is this," the angel said, Low and soft, oh, very low and soft, II. "Whom God's creatures love," the angel fair Murmured, "God doth bless with angels' care; Child, thy bed shall be Folded safe from harm. Love deep and kind Shall watch around, and leave good gifts behind, Little Bell, for thee." T. B. Westwood. THE MINSTREL-BOY. 1. THE Minstrel-boy to the war is gone, "Land of song!" said the warrior bard, 2. The Minstrel fell-but the foeman's chain Thy songs were made for the brave and free, Thomas Moore. THE WATCH ON THE RHINE. 1. THERE swells a cry as thunders crash, Dear fatherland, let peace be thine- 2. To millions swiftly came the cry, And lightnings flashed from every eye: 3. And though my heart should beat no more, No foreign foe will hold thy shore; Is Germany in hero blood. Dear fatherland, let peace be thine— 4. From yon blue sky are bending now The hero-dead to hear our vow: "As long as German hearts are free The Rhine, the Rhine, shall German be." Dear fatherland, let peace be thineBrave hearts and true defend the Rhine! 5. While yet one drop of blood throbs warm, No foeman steps upon the strand. 6. Our oath resounds; the river flows; Dear fatherland, let peace be thine Brave hearts and true defend the Rhine! Translated from the German. DEATH OF HAROLD. I. IN the middle of the month of October, in the year 1066, the Normans and the English came front to front. All night the armies lay encamped before each other, in a part of the country then called Senlac, now called (in remembrance of the event) Battle. With the first dawn of day they arose. There, in the faint light, were the English on a hill, a wood behind them, in their midst the royal banner, representing a fighting warrior, woven in gold thread and adorned with precious stones. 2. Beneath the banner as it rustled in the wind stood King Harold on foot, with two of his remaining brothers by his side; around them, still and silent as the dead, clustered the whole English army, every soldier covered by his shield, and bearing in his hand his dreaded English battle-ax. On an opposite hill, in three lines-archers, footsoldiers, horsemen-was the Norman force. Of a sudden, a great battle-cry, "God's Rood! Holy Rood!" The Normans then came sweeping down the hill to attack the English. 3. The English, keeping side by side in a great mass, cared no more for the showers of Norman arrows than if they had been showers of Norman rain. When the Norman horsemen rode against them, with their battle-axes they cut men and horses down. The Normans gave way. The |