Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-07-29
For the National Era.
THE BANDIT BROTHERS.
FROM THE RUSSIAN OF rousHKrN.

Like ravens in cloud alighting,
With sombre wings and croaking tones,
Upon heap Of Wondering bones,
A robber band are reuniting
Beyond the Volga, by tho light
Of watchfres cleaning through the night.
A mixture strange of garbs and faces,
OF tribes, conditions tongues, and races!
From cloisters, huts, and dungeon cells,
They're banded in the hope of spoils.
Here, in all hearts, one purpose dwells-
No law to hold them in its tolls.
The hardy fugitive 10 there,
Fled from thy banks, heroic Don,
The Hebrew with his raven hair,
And many a fierce and warlike SON
The steppes have bornc-the grim Bashkier,
The wild Calmuck, unknown to fear,
The red-haircd Finn, the Gypsy rude,
Rowing in lazy lassitude.
Danger and blood, debauch and fraud,
A life by justice never awed--
These are the horrid ties that bind
This band In war against their kind.
Meet in their work TO bear part
Is be who, with stony heart,
Has passed through every stage Of guilt;
Who mocks ut helpless orphans groans,
And finds sweet music in their tones
By whose unshrinking hand Is split
The widows blood; who never spares
Or infant locks or silver hairs;
Who finds in murder joy less Aceting
Than that which crowns the lovers meeting.
Now all is silent, and tho moon
Sheds DER them its uncertain light;
And Oft the wine-cup's sparkling boon
Is sought TO cheer the lsgying night.
Some, prone upon the dew. damp ground,
Have sunk into fitful slumber;
While dark, their guilty heads around,
Fit boding phantoms without number.
Others the sullen hours beguiled,
While slowly on the night was wearing
With barbsrous legends, strange and wild,
Recounting deeds Of reckless daring.
But now, in willing fascination,
A strangers voice the rest has bound;
And all in silence gather round,
Attentive to his rude narration.
"we were but two--in infancy
Left to dreary orphanago.
Fed by grudging charity,
Mid strangers passed our tender age.
United in our loneIiscss,
We little knew Of childho DDS bliss.
Full Oft We suffered pinching want
Full oft endured the bitter taunt;
And while the cup Of life for others
Flowed sparkling from the fount Of pleasure,
Distress and anguish without measure
Were poured out to the orphan brothers;
And without hope for future years,
Youth dawned mid perjury and tears.
Ali comrades, 20 will wonder not
We tired at length Of such lot,
And with strong arm resolved to try
Some more congenial destiny.
With trusty steel and friendly night,
The sole companions Of our flight,
We ned, not fearing lest the morrow
Should dawn amid new want and sorrow.
All fears and grisfs We cast aside,
And trsacherous conscience learned TO hide
"Ah, youth. bold, brave, adventurous youth I!
A glorious life We led in sooth,
While. scorning death in many fray,
The strife We shared by nightly day,
Safe in the forest shared the prey.
whsneer the moon, with friendly light,
To guide tho traveller on his way,
shone clear amid the vault Of night
wsssIlied forth in quest Of prey.
In ambuscsde we silent wait
Till lucky chance may bring 10 view
Some sorry priest or wealthy Jew,
Returning homewArd tired and late;
And whom into our hands they fall,