 | The Battle-Day and Other Poems |  |
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LEAWOOD HALL,
A Christmas Tale.
In a cottage on a moor
Famine's feeble children cried;
The frost knocked sharply at the door,
And hunger welcom'd him inside;
Famine's feeble children cried;
The frost knocked sharply at the door,
And hunger welcom'd him inside;
In the moonlight cracked the leaves,
As the fox across them passed,
And the ice-drops from the eaves
Rattled to the whirling blast;
As the fox across them passed,
And the ice-drops from the eaves
Rattled to the whirling blast;
On the black hearth glowed no ember,
On the damp floor lay the rime,
Elfin haloes of December
For the sainted Christmas-time;
On the damp floor lay the rime,
Elfin haloes of December
For the sainted Christmas-time;
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And a pale girl sat there chanting
Mournfully to children twain,
Like some sweet house-spirit haunting
Old men's homes with childhood's strain.
Mournfully to children twain,
Like some sweet house-spirit haunting
Old men's homes with childhood's strain.
Ellen was a maiden fair
With that beauty meek and frail,
Softened by the hand of care
From the red rose to the pale.
With that beauty meek and frail,
Softened by the hand of care
From the red rose to the pale.
But the children had no feature
Of the blithe child's merry grace,
Still of spirit—small of stature—
Manhood's thought on childhood's face.
Of the blithe child's merry grace,
Still of spirit—small of stature—
Manhood's thought on childhood's face.
And a woman, thin and eager,
Tossed upon a litter low,
Lifting up large eyes of fever,
With a look of angry woe.
Tossed upon a litter low,
Lifting up large eyes of fever,
With a look of angry woe.
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Harsh complaints and words unkind
To each and all in turn addressed,
For pain, with searching hand, will find
A bitter drop in every breast.
To each and all in turn addressed,
For pain, with searching hand, will find
A bitter drop in every breast.
Bearing all with passive mood
While her sharp invective ran,
In cold and fearful calmness stood
A silent, melancholy man.
While her sharp invective ran,
In cold and fearful calmness stood
A silent, melancholy man.
O'er his brow the moonbeam lingered
'Mid the lines that passion wrought,
Like an angel, glory-fingered,
Shewing heaven the dangerous thought.
'Mid the lines that passion wrought,
Like an angel, glory-fingered,
Shewing heaven the dangerous thought.
He had toiled in hope's assurance,
Toiled when hope had changed to fear,
Toiled amid despair's endurance—
These were sorry thanks to hear!
Toiled when hope had changed to fear,
Toiled amid despair's endurance—
These were sorry thanks to hear!
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Yet he chid not her reproving,
Bore it all in quiet part—
Said: It is but misery moving
Pulses foreign to her heart.
Bore it all in quiet part—
Said: It is but misery moving
Pulses foreign to her heart.
Still in solemn silence bound,
Scarce a sign of life he gave,
But fixed his eyes upon the ground,
As though his look could dig his grave.
Scarce a sign of life he gave,
But fixed his eyes upon the ground,
As though his look could dig his grave.
Sudden through the broken pane
Faintly gleamed a ruddy light,
And something like a festive strain
Came thrilling through the heart of night.
Faintly gleamed a ruddy light,
And something like a festive strain
Came thrilling through the heart of night.
With flashing eyes that woman wan
Rose like a shade against the wall:
“Hark! hark! the festival's began!
“The tables groan at Leawood Hall!
Rose like a shade against the wall:
“Hark! hark! the festival's began!
“The tables groan at Leawood Hall!
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“The Rich man feasts—and Leawood's near—
“What honey stores his golden hive!
“Go! bid him give those dying here,
“One crust to save their souls alive!”
“What honey stores his golden hive!
“Go! bid him give those dying here,
“One crust to save their souls alive!”
The night grew dark—but from a height
Afar the lordly mansion shone,
Shone pillar white and portal bright,
Like trellis-work of fire and stone.
Afar the lordly mansion shone,
Shone pillar white and portal bright,
Like trellis-work of fire and stone.
Along the roads, from every side
The blazing lamps were racing all,
As fast the guests invited hied
To share the feast at Leawood Hall.
The blazing lamps were racing all,
As fast the guests invited hied
To share the feast at Leawood Hall.
It was a Norman castle high—
It was a keep of ages rude,
When men named murder—chivalry,
And robbery was called—a feud.
It was a keep of ages rude,
When men named murder—chivalry,
And robbery was called—a feud.
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There barons stern once housed in pride,
And coined the labourer's heart to gold:
On field and fell the labourer died,
While they were gay in holt and hold.
And coined the labourer's heart to gold:
On field and fell the labourer died,
While they were gay in holt and hold.
What they had lavished to replenish,
They o'ertaxed endurance' length,
Drunk his labour down in Rhenish,
And grew strong upon his strength.
They o'ertaxed endurance' length,
Drunk his labour down in Rhenish,
And grew strong upon his strength.
Men of haughtiness! unthinking
In their selfishness of caste,
'Twas his life-blood they were drinking!
But 'twould poison them at last.
In their selfishness of caste,
'Twas his life-blood they were drinking!
But 'twould poison them at last.
From the dust that they were treading
Some stood up by force or craft,
Till, the scutcheoned peer o'erheading,
In his face the trader laughed.
Some stood up by force or craft,
Till, the scutcheoned peer o'erheading,
In his face the trader laughed.
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Then, his triumph once insuring,
This new conqueror fiercely rose,
Smote the people's neck enduring,
After they had crushed his foes.
This new conqueror fiercely rose,
Smote the people's neck enduring,
After they had crushed his foes.
And those mighty tyrant-blasters
Settled into slaves again;
They had only changed their masters,
And that change was worse than vain.
Settled into slaves again;
They had only changed their masters,
And that change was worse than vain.
Since then, a sterile-thoughted man
Had lorded it o'er Leawood fair,
Who as an errand-boy began,
And ended as a millionaire.
Had lorded it o'er Leawood fair,
Who as an errand-boy began,
And ended as a millionaire.
And his son, by slow degrees,
Mounted life with golden feet,
For the son knew how to please,
As the sire knew how to cheat.
Mounted life with golden feet,
For the son knew how to please,
As the sire knew how to cheat.
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Before he rose, the people's friend,
He feigned at all their wrongs to burn;
Now, as he bent, made others bend,
And played the tyrant in his turn.
He feigned at all their wrongs to burn;
Now, as he bent, made others bend,
And played the tyrant in his turn.
Patronized each bible-mission;
Gave to charities—his name;
No longer cared for man's condition,
But carefully preserved—his game.
Gave to charities—his name;
No longer cared for man's condition,
But carefully preserved—his game.
Against the Slave-trade he had voted,
“Rights of Man” resounding still;
Now, basely turning, brazen-throated,
Yelled against the Ten Hours' Bill.
“Rights of Man” resounding still;
Now, basely turning, brazen-throated,
Yelled against the Ten Hours' Bill.
Oh! Leawood Hall was gay that night;
Shone roof and rafter, porch and door,
And proudly rolled the sheeted light
Its glory over Leawood Moor.
Shone roof and rafter, porch and door,
And proudly rolled the sheeted light
Its glory over Leawood Moor.
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Full in the glare the labourer stood;
The music smote him like a blast,
And through the rich ancestral wood
He heard the fat deer rushing past.
The music smote him like a blast,
And through the rich ancestral wood
He heard the fat deer rushing past.
“While we are starving!” cried his love;
“But they are watching!” said his fear.
'Twixt hell below and heaven above—
What dost thou on the balance here?
“But they are watching!” said his fear.
'Twixt hell below and heaven above—
What dost thou on the balance here?
Through the hall the beggar spurning,
Menials drove him from the door:
Can they chide the torch for burning,
They cast smouldering on the floor?
Menials drove him from the door:
Can they chide the torch for burning,
They cast smouldering on the floor?
Say not: “This is no fair sample,
“This was but the menial's part!”
'Twas the master's past example
Filtered through the servant's heart.
“This was but the menial's part!”
'Twas the master's past example
Filtered through the servant's heart.
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“Man is born—and man must live!”
Thus anger read its maddening creed:
“If I take what they won't give,
“Can heaven itself frown on the deed?”
Thus anger read its maddening creed:
“If I take what they won't give,
“Can heaven itself frown on the deed?”
That night a fierce and haggard man
From Leawood Hall was seen to run;—
But ere the fearful race began
The rifle's deadly work was done.
From Leawood Hall was seen to run;—
But ere the fearful race began
The rifle's deadly work was done.
Ye pampered drones! pursuit is vain,
Give o'er the godless, cruel strife!
As well o'ertake the hurricane:
Despair and love fly there for life.
Give o'er the godless, cruel strife!
As well o'ertake the hurricane:
Despair and love fly there for life.
Long the anxious wife sat waiting,
Fainter grew the children's cry;
E'en the wind, the desolating,
Slept to his own lullaby.
Fainter grew the children's cry;
E'en the wind, the desolating,
Slept to his own lullaby.
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The father came—but hot and wild
The open door he staggered past;
His brow was knit, but still he smiled,
Like sunset over tempest cast.
The open door he staggered past;
His brow was knit, but still he smiled,
Like sunset over tempest cast.
“Food! food!” he cried, “they feast to-night,
“And I have brought our share as well;
“Wife! we were starving—'twas our right!
“If not—as God wills—heaven or hell!”
“And I have brought our share as well;
“Wife! we were starving—'twas our right!
“If not—as God wills—heaven or hell!”
Then spoke his wife with inward pride
To think her counsel proved so brave;
“I knew you could not be denied;
“Now bless the gentle hand that gave.”
To think her counsel proved so brave;
“I knew you could not be denied;
“Now bless the gentle hand that gave.”
He strangely smiled in wondrous mood,
And, with the haste of fever, quaffed
Down to the dregs a fiery flood;
And still he smiled—and still he laughed.
And, with the haste of fever, quaffed
Down to the dregs a fiery flood;
And still he smiled—and still he laughed.
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He smiled to mark their spirits rise,
And that his wife had ceased to sigh,
And how the ardour in her eyes
Gave her the look of times gone by.
And that his wife had ceased to sigh,
And how the ardour in her eyes
Gave her the look of times gone by.
He laughed to think how small a cost
Might brighten poverty's eclipse;
But sudden silence strangely crossed
With blanching hand his quivering lips.
Might brighten poverty's eclipse;
But sudden silence strangely crossed
With blanching hand his quivering lips.
Then oft he kissed each little child,
And looked as one who'd much to say;
But, ere he spoke, some pinion wild
Waved the unuttered thought away.
And looked as one who'd much to say;
But, ere he spoke, some pinion wild
Waved the unuttered thought away.
And Ellen marvelled to behold
Such fitful change and sudden cheer;
He had so long been stern and cold,
This kindness seemed a thing to fear.
Such fitful change and sudden cheer;
He had so long been stern and cold,
This kindness seemed a thing to fear.
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And fainter grew his smile and bitter,
And his face turned cold and grey,
While slow he sunk down on the litter,
And strength's last bravery broke away.
And his face turned cold and grey,
While slow he sunk down on the litter,
And strength's last bravery broke away.
Then they saw where, heartward glancing,
Deep the cruel rifle smote;
While death's gurgling march advancing
Sounded up his gasping throat.
Deep the cruel rifle smote;
While death's gurgling march advancing
Sounded up his gasping throat.
Clung, like leaves of Autumn's serest,
Wife and children to his side;
He turned his last look on his dearest,
And, thus sadly gazing, died.
Wife and children to his side;
He turned his last look on his dearest,
And, thus sadly gazing, died.
Courage now no more dissembled
Broken strength and baffled will;
The wistful children stood and trembled,
And the room grew very still.
Broken strength and baffled will;
The wistful children stood and trembled,
And the room grew very still.
| The Battle-Day and Other Poems | |