Coffee groves, whose ample shade He sees them droop for want of more, The islanders his praise resound; With produce from those dear-saved slips. THE BATTLE OF BLENHEIM. It was a summer evening, Old Kaspar's work was done, And by him sported on the green 86 THE BATTLE OF BLENHEIM. She saw her brother Peterkin In playing there, had found; Old Kaspar took it from the boy, And then the old man shook his head, "'T is some poor fellow's skull," said he, "Who fell in the great victory. “I find them in the garden, For there's many here about; The ploughshare turns them out. "Now tell us what 't was all about," And little Wilhelmine looks up, Now tell us all about the war, And what they killed each other for." "It was the English," Kaspar cried, My father lived at Blenheim then, They burned his dwelling to the ground, And he was forced to fly ; So with his wife and child he fled, Nor had he where to rest his head. "With fire and sword the country round But things like that, you know, must be "Great praise the Duke of Marlborough won, 66 And our good Prince Eugene !" Why, 't was a very wicked thing!" Said little Wilhelmine. "Nay, nay, my little girl," quoth he, "It was a famous victory, "And every body praised the Duke, Why, that I cannot tell," said he, "But 't was a famous victory." THE INCHCAPE ROCK.- Southey. 88 THE INCHCAPE ROCK. Without either sign or sound of their shock, The abbot of Aberbrothok Had placed that bell on the Inchcape rock; When the rocks were hid by the surge's swell, The sun in heaven was shining gay, The sea-birds screamed as they wheeled round, The buoy of the Inchcape bell was seen, He felt the cheering power of spring, His eye was on the Inchcape float; Quoth he, My men, put out the boat, And row me to the Inchcape rock, And I'll plague the abbot of Aberbrothok." The boat is lowered, the boatmen row, And he cut the bell from the Inchcape float. Down sunk the bell with a gurgling sound, Quoth Sir Ralph, "The next who comes to the rock Wont bless the abbot of Aberbrothok." Sir Ralph the Rover sailed away; So thick a haze o'erspreads the sky, On the deck the Rover takes his stand; Quoth Sir Ralph, "It will be lighter soon, For there is the dawn of the rising moon." "Can'st hear," said one, "the breakers roar, For methinks we should be near the shore?" "Now where we are I cannot tell, But I wish we could hear the Inchcape bell." They hear no sound; the swell is strong; Though the wind hath fallen, they drift along; Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock; O Death! it is the Inchcape rock. |