 | Thoughts in Verse |  |
FIRELIGHT FANCIES.
As evening closes round the hearthstone,
In our woodland home,
Curious fancies fill the mind, and
Dreamy visions come.
In our woodland home,
Curious fancies fill the mind, and
Dreamy visions come.
Curious figures in the firelight,
Flit before our gaze;
Phantom men, and phantom women,
Scenes of other days,—
Flit before our gaze;
Phantom men, and phantom women,
Scenes of other days,—
26
All come trooping in procession,
Panoramas grand—
Warriors fierce with burnished sabres—
Marching through the land.
Panoramas grand—
Warriors fierce with burnished sabres—
Marching through the land.
Soldiers uniformed in scarlet,
Red-coats grim, indeed;
Hessian reg'lars with their helmets,
Troopers at full speed.
Red-coats grim, indeed;
Hessian reg'lars with their helmets,
Troopers at full speed.
See them close in mortal combat!
Hear the bugle's call!
How the mighty chiefs urge onward!
See them fight and fall!
Hear the bugle's call!
How the mighty chiefs urge onward!
See them fight and fall!
Oh! the din, the awful carnage;
Young and old o'erthrown;
Horse and rider, youth and old age—
Hear the wounded moan!
Young and old o'erthrown;
Horse and rider, youth and old age—
Hear the wounded moan!
Fearful is the musket's rattle,
And the cannon's boom;
Men are slaughtered like dumb cattle,—
Still they march to doom.
And the cannon's boom;
Men are slaughtered like dumb cattle,—
Still they march to doom.
See! the battle now is ended,—
Men are marching home;
Peace declared, and wives and children
Shout—Our soldier's come.
Men are marching home;
Peace declared, and wives and children
Shout—Our soldier's come.
Oh! how changed! from war and carnage—
Homelike now the scene!
Wives and children, youth and old age,
Happy and serene.
Homelike now the scene!
Wives and children, youth and old age,
Happy and serene.
27
They are listening to the story
Of the dreadful war;
Of American and Tory
On the field afar.
Of the dreadful war;
Of American and Tory
On the field afar.
Tory fighting for the kingdom
Of old England free;
Col'nists striking hard for freedom,
Home and liberty.
Of old England free;
Col'nists striking hard for freedom,
Home and liberty.
How by many a hard-fought battle
Victory was won,
A Republic for the people
Set up 'neath the sun.
Victory was won,
A Republic for the people
Set up 'neath the sun.
And much more the peasant warrior
Tells his family;
For they all are eager listeners
To his long story.
Tells his family;
For they all are eager listeners
To his long story.
Ah! the fire upon the hearthstone,
Of my woodland home,
Now burns dimly, and the clock tones
Tell that evening's done.
Of my woodland home,
Now burns dimly, and the clock tones
Tell that evening's done.
Field and soldiers, each have vanished,
Cannon, muskets, all;
Scenes of home life, too, have perished
With the sentry's call.
Cannon, muskets, all;
Scenes of home life, too, have perished
With the sentry's call.
Fancy now has ceased its roaming,
And the present hour,
With realities a-teeming
Breaks the charmer's power.
And the present hour,
With realities a-teeming
Breaks the charmer's power.
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Sometime when the fire is lighted,
Other scenes may come;
Our mind be again enchanted
In our woodland home.
Other scenes may come;
Our mind be again enchanted
In our woodland home.
October, 1885.
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