 | Hagar |  |
THE EXODUS.
Over the prairies at midnight,
A black and dreary waste,
There fled a lonely mother
With wild and fearful haste.
A black and dreary waste,
There fled a lonely mother
With wild and fearful haste.
A poor heart-broken mother,
Close to her heaving breast;
With eager death-like clasping,
A trembling babe she prest.
Close to her heaving breast;
With eager death-like clasping,
A trembling babe she prest.
The prairie fire before her,
Loomed up with lurid glare,
Yet still her course was onward;
As life and hope were there.
Loomed up with lurid glare,
Yet still her course was onward;
As life and hope were there.
And ever as she hastened
Upon her fearful way,
She prayed the silent hours;
To bring not back the day.
Upon her fearful way,
She prayed the silent hours;
To bring not back the day.
“O pitying God of heaven!”
She cried in tones so wild,
“Thou who did'st look on Hagar,
Take pity on my child.”
She cried in tones so wild,
“Thou who did'st look on Hagar,
Take pity on my child.”
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The hunters were behind her,
She heard the hound's deep bay;
And angry flames before her,
Seemed beckoning to their prey.
She heard the hound's deep bay;
And angry flames before her,
Seemed beckoning to their prey.
“O cease.” she said, “thy wailing,
Fear not the scorching flame,
Through it my arms shall bear thee,
From bitter woe and shame.
Fear not the scorching flame,
Through it my arms shall bear thee,
From bitter woe and shame.
“They say a foaming river
Flows fast by Freedom's shore,
And there the cruel master;
Shall seek my child no more.
Flows fast by Freedom's shore,
And there the cruel master;
Shall seek my child no more.
“On, through the fiery furnace,
Yet this dear Lord, may be,
But snow-flakes falling on us;
If we but trust in Thee.”
Yet this dear Lord, may be,
But snow-flakes falling on us;
If we but trust in Thee.”
Then lo! the fierce flames parted,
Like waves on either side;
Beyond she sees the waters,
Of a river swift and wide.
Like waves on either side;
Beyond she sees the waters,
Of a river swift and wide.
She hears the hounds loud baying,
She hears the hunter's cry;
She sees the fiery pillar,
She feels that help is nigh.
She hears the hunter's cry;
She sees the fiery pillar,
She feels that help is nigh.
With one wild cry she bounded
Thro' the parted, flaming sea,
O'er burning coals she hastened
On—on to Liberty!
Thro' the parted, flaming sea,
O'er burning coals she hastened
On—on to Liberty!
They reached the foaming river,
So swift, and dark and wide;
And angels waiting bore them,
Safe on the other side.
So swift, and dark and wide;
And angels waiting bore them,
Safe on the other side.
1857.
| Hagar | |