ALONZO THE BRAVE. A warrior so bold, and a virgin so bright, They gazed on each other with tender delight: "And ah!" said the youth, "since to-morrow I go "To fight in a far distant land, "Your tears for my absence soon ceasing to flow, "Some other will court you, and you will bestow "On a wealthier suitor your hand." "Oh, hush these suspicions!" fair Imogene said, "So hurtful to love and to me; "For if you be living, or if you be dead, "I swear by the Virgin that none in your stead "Shall husband of Imogene be. "And if e'er for another my heart should decide, "Forgetting Alonzo the Brave, "God grant that, to punish my falsehood and pride, To Palestine hasten'd the warrior so bold, But scarce had a twelvemonth elapsed, when, behold! His treasure, his presents, his spacious domain, He dazzled her eyes, he bewilder'd her brain, And now had the marriage been bless'd by the priest, The tables they groan'd with the weight of the feast, Nor yet had the laughter and merriment ceased, When the bell of the castle toll'd-ONE ! "Twas then, with amazement, fair Imogene found He spoke not, he moved not, he look'd not around, His visor was closed, and gigantic his height, All laughter and pleasure were hush'd at his sight, His presence all bosoms appeared to dismay, At length spoke the bride, while she trembled-" I pray, "Sir Knight, that your helmet aside you would lay, "And deign to partake of our cheer." The lady is silent-the stranger complies, O, gods! what a sight met Imogene's eyes! All present then utter'd a terrified shout, And turn'd with disgust from the scene; The worms they crept in, and the worms they crept And sported his eyes and temples about, While the Spectre address'd Imogene : [out, "Behold me, thou false one! behold me !" he cried, "Behold thy Alonzo the Brave! "God grants that, to punish thy falsehood and pride, Thus saying, his arms round the lady he wound, Then sank with his prey thro' the wide yawning ground, Not long lived the Baron; and none since that time For chronicles tell, that by order sublime, At midnight, four times in each year, does her sprite, While they drink out of sculls newly torn from the grave, Dancing round them, pale spectres are seen : AMUSEMENTS IN HIGH LIFE. Two bucks had dined, and deep in council sat; Their wine was brilliant, but their wit grew flat : Up starts his lordship, to the window flies, And "Lo, a race! a race!" in rapture cries. "Where?" quoth Sir John. "Why, see, two drops of "Start from the summit of the crystal pane; [rain "A thousand pounds, which first with nimble force "Performs its current down the slippery course." The bets were fix'd; in dire suspense they wait For victory, pendant on the nod of Fate. Now down the sash, unconscious of the prize, The bubbles roll, like pearls from Chloe's eyes; But, ah! the glittering joys of life how short! As oft two jostling steeds do spoil the sport; So thus attraction, by coercive laws, The approaching drops into one puddle draws: Fach cursed his fate, that thus their project cross'd, How hard their fate, who neither won nor lost! THE OLD SCHOOL-BOY. How strange it seems, that folks of sense At some chance word they hear you say, A circumstance we must deplore, That she might have the private pleasure Of keeping other people's pence, By adding to her husband's sense. So, when the good man came at night, "Husband," said she, " 'twould be but rignt "To raise your prospects of succeeding, "By learning writing-hand and reading; "And if you make a steady rule "Of going to the evening school, "You'll learn them in a month or so : "So, man-d'ye hear me ?-mind and go. The quiet, mild, obedient man Seem'd quite delighted with the plan; But being nearly sixty-eight, (And threescore years, at least, too late,) His efforts were of little use: But sat thus-twiddling both his thumbs; His master lost all patience soon, His slate-his pen--and primer too. * * * Four years had pass'd--the honest blade When thus he heard himself address'd :- |