KATHLEEN. 167 KATHLEEN.18 O NORAH, lay your basket down, There was a lord of Galaway, A maid of low degree. But he was old, and she was young, And so, in evil spite, She baked the black bread for his kin, And fed her own with white. She whipped the maids and starved the kern, And drove away the poor; "Ah, woe is me!" the old lord said, “I rue my bargain sore!” This lord he had a daughter fair, Beloved of old and young, "As sweet and good is young Kathleen As Eve before her fall So sang the harper at the fair, So harped he in the hall. "O, come to me, my daughter dear! For looking in your face, Kathleen, He smoothed and smoothed her hair away, He kissed her forehead fair; "It is my darling Mary's brow, It is my darling's hair!" O, then spake up the angry dame, "I'll sell ye o'er the sea! 99 !" She clipped her glossy hair away, And sent her down to Limerick town, This daughter of an Irish lord For ten good pounds in gold. The lord he smote upon his breast, Sure that same night the Banshee howled To fright the evil dame, And fairy folks, who loved Kathleen, She watched them glancing through the trees, "Get up, old man! the wake-lights shine!" "Ye murthering witch," quoth he, "So I'm rid of your tongue, I little care If they shine for you or me." KATHLEEN. “O, whoso brings my daughter back, "But give to me your daughter dear, Be she on sea or be she on land, "My daughter is a lady born, But she shall be your bride the day He sailed East, he sailed West, "O, have ye seen the young Kathleen, Ye'll know her by her eyes so blue, Out spake an ancient man, "I know "No skill hath she in household work, So up they walked through Boston town, A little basket on her arm 169 "Come hither child, and say hast thou "O, give to me this darling child, “We loved her in the place of one O, for that same the saints in heaven Sure now they dwell in Ireland, Ye'll see their castle looking down The pleasant Galway shore. And the old lord's wife is dead and gone, And a happy man is he, For he sits beside his own Kathleen, FIRST-DAY THOUGHTS. IN calm and cool and silence, once again My brethren, where, perchance, no human tongue Shall utter words; where never hymn is sung, Nor deep-toned organ blown, nor censer swung, Nor dim light falling through the pictured pane! There, syllabled by silence, let me hear The still small voice which reached the prophet's ear; Read in my heart a still diviner law But, cheerful, in the light around me thrown, KOSSUTH.19 TYPE of two mighty continents!-combining The strength of Europe with the warmth and glow Of Asian song and prophecy, the shining Of Orient splendors over Northern snow! Who shall receive him? Who, unblushing, speak Welcome to him, who, while he strove to break The Austrian yoke from Magyar necks, smote off At the same blow the fetters of the serf,Rearing the altar of his Father-land On the firm base of freedom, and thereby Lifting to Heaven a patriot's stainless hand, Mocked not the God of Justice with a lie! |