Captive! and hear'st thou not the trumpet's blast, The long, victorious note, thy bondage breaking? Thou hear'st, thou answer'st, “God of earth and Heaven! Here am I, with the child whom thou hast given!" THE EXILE'S DIRGE.* Fear no more the heat o' the sun, Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages. Cymbeline. I attended a funeral where there were a number of the German settlers present. After I had performed such service as is usual on similar occasions, a most venerable-looking old man came forward, and asked me if I were willing that they should perform some of their peculiar rites. He opened a very ancient version of Luther's Hymns, and they all began to sing, in German, so loud that the woods echoed the strain. There was something affecting in the singing of these ancient people, carrying one of their brethren to his last home, and using the language and rites which they had brought with them over the sea from the Vaterland, a word which often occurred in this hymn. It was a long, slow, and mournful air, which they sung as they bore the body along; the words "mein Gott," " mein Bruder” and “ Vaterland," died away in distant echoes amongst the woods. I shall long remember that funeral hymn.-FLINT'S Recollections of the Valley of the Mississippi. THERE went a dirge through the forest's gloom. * Published in the Winter's Wreath for 1830. "Brother!" (so the chant was sung On thy life a withering chain; And thy true heart died away; And thy spirit would not stay.' So swell'd the chant; and the deep wind's moan Seem'd through the cedars to murmur-" Gone!" "Brother! by the rolling Rhine, Stands the home that once was thine Brother! now thy dwelling lies Where the Indian arrow flies! He that blest thine infant head, God hath call'd thee to that band In the immortal Fatherland!" "The Fatherland!"-with that sweet word A burst of tears 'midst the strain was heard. "Brother! were we there with thee Rich would many a meeting be! Many a broken garland bound, Many a mourn'd and lost one found! But our task is still to bear, Still to breathe in changeful air; |