288

CLARIBEL'S PRAYERS.

"'Tis victory! Oh! what glorious news to

tell!"

"Praise God! He heard my prayer," cried Claribel.

"But, pray you, soldier, was my brother in the fight,

And in the fiery rain? Oh! fought he brave and well?"

"Dear child," the herald cried, "there was no braver sight

Than his young form, so grand 'mid shot and shell."

"Praise God!" cried trembling little Claribel.

"And rides he now with victor's plumes of red, While trumpets' golden throats his coming steps foretell?"

The herald dropped a tear: "Dear child," he softly said,

"Thy brother evermore with conquerors shall dwell."

"Praise God! He heard my prayer,” cried Claribel.

"With victors wearing crowns and bearing palms," he said;

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR. 289

And snow of sudden fear upon the rose-lips fell. "Oh! sweetest herald, say my brother lives," she plead.

"Dear child, he walks with angels who in strength excel.

Praise God, who gave this glory, Claribel."

The cold, gray day died sobbing on the weary bills,

While bitter mourning on the night-wind rose and fell.

"Oh, child," the herald wept, "'t is as the dear Lord wills,

He knoweth best; and be it life or death, 't is well."

"Amen! Praise God!" sobbed little Claribel.

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR, 1862-3.

BY LUCY LARCOM.

UR Christmas dawns on bloody times; The battle-clarion wakes the blast; The funeral-drums throb thick and fast, And drown the merry morning-chimes.

290

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR.

Yet keep, O land, your festival,

In memory of the Man who came, The Man Divine, to bear our blame, And breathe His blessings over all!

He reigns not yet the Prince of Peace; He came to bring on earth a sword. Till men love Freedom's Gospel word, The sound of war shall never cease.

'Twas Liberty he came to bring. When He ascended up on high, He captive led captivity,

And made the world with Freedom ring.

This glorious gift He gave to men.
The stronger from the weaker steals;
But hark! a clang of triumph peals!
The lost shall be restored again.

Behold, O army of the Lord;

The presence that among you stands ! Most clean, most pure, must be the hands That close on victory His award.

O nation working His behest;

O army raised to wage His war,

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR. 291

Accept the end He called you for, And soon the land shall be at rest.

Give freely as of old He gave;

Your fathers owned the boon from Him. Before the golden hour grows dim, Stamp it with FREEDOM for the slave.

Ye hear, ye children of the free;

And where an ancient wrong hath stood, Ye plant, and water with your blood, Your Christmas Tree of Liberty.

The Christ-Child smiles its branches through,
With heaven's clear smile on black and white;
The Tree has filled the land with light
And cooled its wounds with balm and dew.

Dark faces, you no more shall be

Darker with shadows of our hate;
Receive our greeting-gift, though late,

A Happy New-Year, and be Free!

292

THE COLOR SERGEANT.

THE COLOR SERGEANT.

BY A. D. F. RANDOLPH.

YOU say that in every battle

No soldier was braver than he,
As, aloft in the roar and the rattle,
He carried the flag of the Free:
I knew, ah! I knew he'd ne'er falter,
I could trust him, the dutiful boy.
My Robert was wilful, but Walter,
Dear Walter, was ever a joy.

And if he was true to his mother,
Do you think he his trust would betray,
And give up his place to another,
Or turn from the danger away?
He knew while afar he was straying,
He felt in the thick of the fight,
That at home his poor mother was praying
For him and the cause of the Right!

Tell me, comrade, who saw him when dying, What he said, what he did, if you can;

On the field in his agony lying,

Do

Did he suffer and die like a man?

you think he once wished he had never