If Tam O'Shanter'd had a wheel, and other poems and sketches . cross theyellow road, and beyond which he can hear the klingle-klangle of the cowbells from the meadow just belowthe brook. October stands in those familiar paths; he feels herspicy breath full in his face, as the whirling, iris-tintedleaves shower around him and roguish squirrels scurrydaringly along the way. He is a boy again. But hark! 0, say, can you see by the dawns early light,What so proudly we hailed at the twilights lastgleaming. Ah! now he sees his father with that strange, setlook upon his face, as he came to him in the
If Tam O'Shanter'd had a wheel, and other poems and sketches . cross theyellow road, and beyond which he can hear the klingle-klangle of the cowbells from the meadow just belowthe brook. October stands in those familiar paths; he feels herspicy breath full in his face, as the whirling, iris-tintedleaves shower around him and roguish squirrels scurrydaringly along the way. He is a boy again. But hark! 0, say, can you see by the dawns early light,What so proudly we hailed at the twilights lastgleaming. Ah! now he sees his father with that strange, setlook upon his face, as he came to him in the twilight ofa summer day, and said, a little tremulously, but witha new thrill in his voice: My boy, our country needsus—are you ready? Ready ? Ah ! was he not ? He feels again the thrill and glow of those days ofpreparation, and then! Oh, if he could have known thatthe fair head of the girl he loved would never rest uponhis breast again; if he could have known that kiss was thelast her sweet lips would ever give him in this world! WHEN THE BAND PLAYED. 117. His gray head dropped still lower on hisbreast, and over the dust and grime on his fur-rowed cheeks rolled the slow tears. The music» continued, but now the air was changed, andbefore the sightless eyeballs of the old man thef notes flashed up and down like balls of fire: Yes, well rally round the flag, boys,Well rally once again, shouting the battlecry of freedom. Again he feels the shock and long, reverberatingroar of battle. Robert, his brother, bears the stars andstripes. He sees them floating now above the blue, on-moving ranks. Huzza! On comes the storm of shot and shell; the miniesscream a death song as they pass, and the dense smokeiaiis like a flame-fringed pall. His comrade on the left drops out of sight; he washis teiit mate and his lifelong friend; no matter. For-ward ! He leaps aside to dodge a circling shell; a warmspray showers on his cheek and hand—the life-blood ofhis comrade on the right;—still, Forw
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Keywords: ., bookauthorboylangraceduffie1861, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890
