FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47  
48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   >>   >|  
e, From waters which alone can save; And murmur for Abana's banks And Pharpar's brighter wave. O Thou, who in the garden's shade Didst wake Thy weary ones again, Who slumbered at that fearful hour Forgetful of Thy pain; Bend o'er us now, as over them, And set our sleep-bound spirits free, Nor leave us slumbering in the watch Our souls should keep with Thee! 1841 THE EXILES. The incidents upon which the following ballad has its foundation about the year 1660. Thomas Macy was one of the first, if not the first white settler of Nantucket. The career of Macy is briefly but carefully outlined in James S. Pike's The New Puritan. THE goodman sat beside his door One sultry afternoon, With his young wife singing at his side An old and goodly tune. A glimmer of heat was in the air,-- The dark green woods were still; And the skirts of a heavy thunder-cloud Hung over the western hill. Black, thick, and vast arose that cloud Above the wilderness, As some dark world from upper air Were stooping over this. At times the solemn thunder pealed, And all was still again, Save a low murmur in the air Of coming wind and rain. Just as the first big rain-drop fell, A weary stranger came, And stood before the farmer's door, With travel soiled and lame. Sad seemed he, yet sustaining hope Was in his quiet glance, And peace, like autumn's moonlight, clothed His tranquil countenance,-- A look, like that his Master wore In Pilate's council-hall: It told of wrongs, but of a love Meekly forgiving all. "Friend! wilt thou give me shelter here?" The stranger meekly said; And, leaning on his oaken staff, The goodman's features read. "My life is hunted,--evil men Are following in my track; The traces of the torturer's whip Are on my aged back; "And much, I fear, 't will peril thee Within thy doors to take A hunted seeker of the Truth, Oppressed for conscience' sake." Oh, kindly spoke the goodman's wife, "Come in, old man!" quoth she, "We will not leave thee to the storm, Whoever thou mayst be." Then came the aged wanderer in, And silent sat him down; While all within grew dark as night Benea
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47  
48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

goodman

 

hunted

 

stranger

 

murmur

 

thunder

 
council
 

farmer

 

Pilate

 
wrongs
 

Master


clothed

 

sustaining

 

moonlight

 
Meekly
 

glance

 
autumn
 

tranquil

 

soiled

 
travel
 

countenance


kindly

 

seeker

 

Oppressed

 

conscience

 

silent

 

Whoever

 

wanderer

 

leaning

 
coming
 

features


meekly

 
Friend
 

shelter

 

Within

 

traces

 

torturer

 

forgiving

 

slumbering

 

spirits

 

foundation


ballad

 

EXILES

 

incidents

 
Pharpar
 

brighter

 

waters

 
fearful
 
Forgetful
 

slumbered

 

garden