The bloodless stabber calls by night- 7. For those the sculptor's marble bust, The anthems pealing o'er their dust 8. For these the blossom-sprinkled turf, 9. Two paths lead upward from below, Who count each burning life-drop's flow, 10. Though from the Hero's bleeding breast 11. While Valor's haughty champions wait Love walks unchallenged through the gate, O. W. HOLMES. 1. 188. DEATH OF THE OLD YEAR. FULL knee-deep lies the winter-snow, And the winter-winds are wearily sighing: Toll ye the church-bell, sad and slow, And tread softly and speak low; For the old year lies a-dying. You came to us so readily, 2. He lieth still: he doth not move: He will not see the dawn of day: : He hath no other life above. He gave me a friend and a true, true love, So long as you have been with us, Such joy as you have seen with us, 3. He frothed his bumpers to the brim; Old year, you shall not die; We did so laugh and cry with you, 4. He was full of joke and jest; But all his merry quips are o'er. Every one for his own. The night is starry and cold, my friends, And the new year, blithe and bold, my friends, 5. How hard he breathes! o'er the snow I heard just now the crowing cock. The shadows flitter to and fro: The cricket chirps-the light burns low- Shake hands before you die! 6. His face is growing sharp and thin;- up his chin Step from the corpse; and let him in That standeth there alone, And waiteth at the door. There's a new foot on the floor, my friends, And a new face at the door, my friends, The new year's at the door. ALFRED TENNYSON 1. 189. THE CLOSING SCENE. WITHIN this sober realm of leafless trees, The russet' year inhaled the dreamy air, When all the fields are lying brown and bare. 3. All sights were mellow'd and all sounds subdued, 4. The embattled forests, erewhile arm'd in gold, 5. On slumberous wings the vulture tried his flight; The village church-vane seem'd to pale and faint. 6. The sentinel cock upon the hill-side crewCrew thrice, and all was stiller than before 1 Růs' set, of a reddish-brown color.-2 Al tern' ate, by turns; one after another. Silent till some replying wanderer blew His alien' horn, and then was heard no more. 7. Where erst the jay within the elm's tall crest, Made garrulous trouble round the unfledged young; 8. Where sang the noisy masons of the eaves, The busy swallows circling ever near, Foreboding, as the rustic mind believes, An early harvest and a plenteous year, 9. Where every bird which charm'd the vernal feast Shook the sweet slumber from its wings at morn, To warn the reapers of the rosy east,——— All now was songless, empty, and forlorn. 10. Alone, from out the stubble piped the quail, And croak'd the crow through all the dreamy gloom, 11. There was no bud, no bloom upon the bowers; the porch 12. Amid all this, in this most cheerless air, 13. Amid all this, the center of the scene, The white-hair'd matron, with monotonous tread, 3 'Alien (àl' yen), foreign; distant; belonging to another country.-'Går' ru loůs, talkative; prating continually. Drum' ming, the pheas ant is a bird similar to the partridge; and the latter bird, at certain seasons of the year, makes a drumming noise, which is heard at a great distance. In poetry, the partridge is frequently called a pheasant.-In vårt' ed, turned upside down. Plied her swift wheel, and with her joyless mien 14. She had known sorrow,--he had walk'd with her, Of his black mantle trailing in the dust. 15. While yet her cheek was bright with summer bloom, 16. Regave the swords-but not the hand that drew, 17. Long, but not loud, the droning wheel went on, 18. At last the thread was snapp'd,-her head was bow'd; |