"But as soon as he gets to the bank of the Rhine,

He'll be met by the great German army." Then the Chancellor laughed, and he said, "I will dine,

For I see nothing much to alarm me."

Yet still as he went out he paused by the door

(For his mind was in truth heavy laden), And he saw a stout fellow, equipped for the war,

Embracing a fair-haired young maiden.

Io! ho!" said the Chancellor, "this will not do,

For Mars to be toying with Venus, When these Frenchmen are coming-a rascally crew!

And the Rhine only flowing between us."

So the wary old fox, just in order to hear, Strode one or two huge paces nearer; And he heard the youth say, "More than life art thou dear;

But, O loved one, the Fatherland's dearer."

Then the maid dried her tears and looked up in his eyes,

And she said, "Thou of loving art worthy :

When all are in danger no brave man e'er flies,

And thy love should spur on

thee."

- not deter

The Chancellor took a cigar, which he lit,

And he muttered, "Here's naught to alarm me;

By Heaven! I swear they are both of them

fit

To march with the great German army."

THE CYNIC OF THE WOODS1

I COME from busy haunts of men,
With nature to commune,
Which you, it seems, observe, and then
Laugh out, like some buffoon.

You cease, and through the forest drear
I pace, with sense of awe;
When once again upon my ear
Breaks in your harsh guffaw.

I look aloft to yonder place,
Where placidly you sit,
And tell you to your very face,
I do not like your wit.

I'm in no mood for blatant jest,
I hate your mocking song,
My weary soul demands the rest
Denied to it so long.

Besides, there passes through my brain
The poet's love of fame

Why should not an Australian strain
Immortalize my name?

Sweeter than wild bird's throat,
Backward my memory float,
On music's wing my heart convey,
Where southern stars in beauty glow,
And Egmont lifts her brow of snow.

Again I'll see our long lost home
Upon Wairoa's grassy plain;
Among the fern the cattle roam;
With idle rein upon his arm o'erthrown
The shepherd guards his flocks again,
And his shrill whistle with his dog's bark
blends,

As down the hill the woolly stream descends.

Or now, the early "muster" over,
With Jim and Tom I'm slowly riding
Through the home-paddock white with
clover,

And followed close by Nip and Rover,
Their warm allegiance now dividing,
For Tom's fair sisters here we meet,
And welcoming smiles their weary swains
do greet.

Here in the world's great heart abiding,
We two have left the happy isle ;
Australian grass Tom's face is hiding,
Jim in the spirit-land is riding.
From weary thoughts my heart beguile!
Sing, linnet, sing to me,
Sing my soul across the sea.

Yes! now my wings I feel,
Once more the isle I see ;
Let sleep my eyelids seal
While to those scenes I steal,
Borne thus on melody ;

So sweetly you have sung to me,
Sung my soul across the sea.

ADIEU

O SHEPHERDS! take my crook from me,
For I no longer here can stay.
There comes a whisper from the sea,
Calling my soul from you away;
Friends of my heart! long tried and true,
O let me leave my crook with you.
An idle shepherd have I lain,
Dreaming while sheep-dogs barked in
vain,

Or chasing rhymes to wreathe the strain
Which from sweet musing grew.

Above the stars I drift in thought,
Melodious murmurings in my ears;
As though the upborne spirit caught
Soft echoes from the higher spheres.
But see! far up the azure height,
Bright Sirius hails me with his light!
My soul, impatient of delay,

Rides on the wings of thought away,
My heart alone with you can stay:
My Shepherds dear - Good night!

CANADIAN HUNTER'S SONG

THE Northern Lights are flashing
On the rapids' restless flow,
But o'er the wild waves dashing
Swift darts the light canoe :
The merry hunters come,-

"What cheer? What cheer?"
"We've slain the deer!"
“Hurrah! you're welcome home!"

The blithesome horn is sounding,
And the woodman's loud halloo;
And joyous steps are bounding
To meet the birch canoe.
"Hurrah! the hunters come!"
And the woods ring out
To their noisy shout,
As they drag the dun deer home!

The hearth is brightly burning,
The rustic board is spread;

To greet their sire returning
The children leave their bed.
With laugh and shout they come,

That merry band,

Το grasp his hand

And bid him welcome home!

Nor far into the valley

Had I dipped upon my way, When a dusky figure joined me, In a capuchon of gray,

Bending upon the snow-shoes,

With a long and limber stride ;
And I hailed the dusky stranger,
As we travelled side by side.
But no token of communion
Gave he by word or look,
And the fear-chill fell upon me
At the crossing of the brook.

For I saw by the sickly moonlight,
As I followed, bending low,
That the walking of the stranger
Left no footmarks on the snow.

Then the fear-chill gathered o'er me,
Like a shroud around me cast,
As I sank upon the snow-drift
Where the Shadow-hunter passed.

And the otter-trappers found me,
Before the break of day,

With my dark hair blanched and whitened

As the snow in which I lay.

But they spoke not as they raised

me;

For they knew that in the night I had seen the Shadow-hunter, And had withered in his blight.

Sancta Maria speed us!

The sun is falling low, Before us lies the valley Of the Walker of the Snow!

Ah, I remember now, too much remember; But I am better: still methinks I fainted; Or was the whole a fearful, nightmare dream?

Nay, am I yet not dreaming? No; I wake : And, as from dream or as from being born, Without the outery of a mother's travail; Or, as if waking from a revery,

I to myself am ushered by strange music, That, in its solemn gentleness, falls on me Like a superior's blessing. Give me more Of this sweet benefit.

[After having listened again. Who is this stranger? Yes, I know him

now.

T is not a heavenly spirit, though so like one,
With curving arms encompassing the harp,
As clasps the landscape the aërial bow :
It is the minstrel youth from Bethlehem;
In form, indeed, surpassing beautiful.
Methinks he doth address himself to sing:
I'll listen, for I love him as he sits
Rapt, like a statue conjured from the air.
Hist!

David. [Sings, accompanying himself on
his harp.]

O Lord, have mercy on the king;
The evil spirit from him take;
His soul from its sore suffering
Deliver, for thy goodness' sake.

Saul. [Aside.] He for me prays.

O, heal thine own Anointed's hurt;
Let evil from his thoughts be driven ;
And breathe upon his troubled heart
The balmy sense of fault forgiven.

Saul. [Aside.] I would not hide my faults; amen.

Great God, thou art within this place;
The universe is filled with thee:
To all thou givest strength and grace;
O, give the king thy grace to see.

Saul. [Aside.] What have I done de-
served the loss of grace?

I cannot say 66 amen ";-and if I did,
My feeble amen would be blown away
Before it had reached heaven. I cannot
say it:

There disbelief takes prisoner my tongue!

As after winter cometh spring,
Make joy unto his soul return;
And me, in thy good pleasure, bring
To tend my flock where I was born.

Saul. [Aside.] So able, yet so humble ! [Aloud.] David, no; Thou shalt remain and be mine armor bearer.

What, wouldst thou seek again the idle downs,

'Midst senseless sheep, to spend the listless day,

Watching the doings of thy ewes and rams !
Thou shalt go with me to the martial field
And see great deeds thereon.

Myself will teach thee military lessons;
To tell the enemy's numbers; to discover
His vulnerable points; by stratagem
To draw him from his posts of vantage;
how

Swift to advance; how to surprise the foe;