Just as perhaps he mus'd' My plans
That soar, to earth may fall,
Let once my army-leader Lannes
Waver at yonder wall,'-

Out 'twixt the battery smokes there flew
A rider, bound on bound
Full-galloping; nor bridle drew

Until he reach'd the mound.

Then off there flung in smiling joy,
And held himself erect
By just his horse's mane, a boy:
You hardly could suspect-
(So tight he kept his lips compress'd,
Scarce any blood came through)
You looked twice ere you saw his breast
Was all but shot in two.

'Well,' cried he, ' Emperor, by God's grace

We've got you Ratisbon!

The marshal's in the market-place,

And you'll be there anon

To see your flag-bird flap his vans

Where I, to heart's desire,

Perched him!' The chief's eye flashed; his plans

Soared up again like fire.

The chief's eye flash'd; but presently

Soften'd itself, as sheathes

A film the mother-eagle's eye

When her bruised eaglet breathes;

'You're wounded!' 'Nay,' the soldier's pride Touched to the quick, he said;

'I'm killed, Sire!' And his chief beside,
Smiling the boy fell dead.

ROBERT BROWNING

ROLL-CALL

'CORPORAL GREEN!' the orderly cried;
'Here!' was the answer loud and clear,
From the lips of a soldier who stood near,—
And Here!' was the word the next replied.

'Cyrus Drew!'-then a silence fell;

This time no answer followed the call; Only his rear-man had seen him fall: Killed or wounded-he could not tell.

There they stood in the failing light,
These men of battle with grave, dark looks,
As plain to be read as open books,
While slowly gathered the shades of night.

The fern on the hillsides was splashed with blood, And down in the corn, where the poppies grew, Were redder stains than the poppies knew,

And crimson-dyed was the river's flood.

For the foe had crossed from the other side,
That day, in the face of a murderous fire
That swept them down in its terrible ire;
And their life-blood went to color the tide.

" Herbert Cline! '—At the call there came Two stalwart soldiers into the line,

Bearing between them this Herbert Cline, Wounded and bleeding, to answer his name.

'Ezra Kerr! '—and a voice answered ' Here!' Hiram Kerr!'-but no man replied.

They were brothers, these two; the sad wind

sighed,

And a shudder crept through the cornfield near.

'Ephraim Deane! '—then a soldier spoke:

'Deane carried our regiment's colors,' he said, 'When our ensign was shot; I left him dead Just after the enemy wavered and broke.

'Close by the roadside his body lies;

I paused a moment and gave him to drink; He murmured his mother's name, I think, And Death came with it and closed his eyes.'

'Twas a victory-yes; but it cost us dear:

For that company's roll, when called at night, Of a hundred men who went into the fight, Numbered but twenty that answered 'Here!' NATHANIEL GRAHAM SHEPHERD

BEFORE SEDAN

HERE, in this leafy place,
Quiet he lies,

Cold, with his sightless face
Turned to the skies;

'Tis but another dead,
All you can say is said.

Carry his body hence

Kings must have slaves;

Kings climb to eminence
Over men's graves;

So this man's eye is dim

Throw the earth over him.

What was the white you touched,
There at his side?

Paper his hand had clutched
Tight ere he died-

Message or wish, may be ;—
Smooth the folds out and see.

Hardly the worst of us

Here could have smiled!

Only the tremulous

Words of a child;—

Prattle, that has for stops
Just a few ruddy drops.

Look. She is sad to miss,

Morning and night,

His-her dead father's-kiss;

Tries to be bright,

Good to mamma, and sweet.
That is all. Marguerite.'

Ah, if beside the dead

Slumbered the pain.

Ah, if the heart that bled
Slept with the slain.

If the grief died;—But no-
Death will not have it so.

AUSTIN DOBSON

CHINESE GORDON

'I WANT a hero '—well, that wish is wise; Who hath no hero lives not near to God; For heroes are the steps by which we rise

To reach His hand who lifts us from the sod.

I'll give you one. You've heard of Chinese Gordon, Who laid the hot-brained Mongol low,

Strong, shod with peace or with sharp-bladed sword on, To gain an ally or to crush a foe,

And reap respect from both. How came it so?

He used no magic, and he owned no spell,

But with keen glance, strong will, and weighty blow,

Did one thing at a time and did it well;

And sought no praise from men, as in God's eye,
Nobly to live content or nobly die.