The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-10-22
For the National Era.
The GARRISON OF CAPE ANN.


ofthe sky see the white CLEAN oftbe beadland Of Cane
wen know its coves and beaches to the ebbtde gm-
mering down,
And the whewalled hamlet children ofits ancient fish
ing town.
Long has passed the summer morning and its memory
wakes old,
When along yOn breezy headlands with pleasant friend
/ strolled.
An the autumn sun is shining the ocean wind blows
cool,
And the goden-rod and aster bloom around thy grave
Rantoul.
With the memory of that morning by the summer sea-
blend
wild aud wondrous story. bv the Younger Matber
penped
In that quaint MagaG Christi with all strange and mar
vellous things,
Heaped up huge and undges,ed, like the chaos Ovid
sings.
Dear to re these far faint gmpses of the dual life of
old
Inward, Grand with and reverence-outward mean
ant coarse and cold
CLEANS Cf mystic beauty playing over dull and vulgar
cls5,
Golden reads of romance weaving in web of holden
grey.
The gre eventu present hides the past but through
the din
OF its load life, hints and echoes from the life behind
steal in;
And the love of home and 6resde and the legendary
Make III task of duty lighter which the true man owes
hi time.
So, with something of the feeling which the Covenanter
knew,
When jth pious chse wandering Scotlands moorland
81 .veyards through,
On the Ombs of old traditions flowers of song fain
uld twine--
Wipe moss from of the tablet and retouch the faded
lie.
Where's he sea-waves back and forward hoarse with
T, ling pebbles, ran,
The sonhouse stood watching on the gray rocks of
c ipe Ann;
On its indy site uplifting gabled roof and palisade,
And 70 Oh walls of unhewn timber with the moonlight
erlaid.
On his slow round walked the sentry south and east
ard looking forth
Der ode and broken coast line, white with breakers
Fetching north
Wood md rock and cleaning sand. drift Jagged capes
it'll bush and tree
LeanE inland from the shifting of the wild and gps,v
Before he deep.mouthed chimney, dimly lit by dying
ands,
Twenty soldiers sat and waited with their muskets in
tssir hands
On he ough-hewn oaken table the venison haunch was
sared,
And thpewter ankard circed slowly round from hard
It beard.
Long rey and talked toeether-talked of wizards
SUan Sold
Ot all hosty sights and noises signs and wonders man.
il I'D;
OF the pectreshp of Salem with the dead men in her
SJrouds,
SAILING sheer above the water in the loom of morning
ouds
VI the valley hidden in the depth
Y9oods
Full o,'plants that love the summer blooms of warmer
ATTITUDES;
Where the arctic birch is braided by the tropcs owerv
zines,
And sver-starred magnolia lights the twilight of the
ines!
But til r voices sank yet lower sank to husky tones of
ear,
AS IT, spake of present tokens of the powers of evil
ear;
Of stectral host deyng stroke of steel and aim of gun
Neve yet was ball to Stay them the mould of mortas
Nn!
Thric with plumes and flowing scap-locks from the
midnight wood they came,
Ihrle around the bockhouse marching, met unframed,
is volleyed flame;
Then knocking laugh ard gesture spnk IN oor, o
lost in air,
All tt ghosty wonder vanished and the moon-lit sands
Jay bare.
NdR $h came; from out the forest moved dusky mass
that soon
Grew to warriors, pumed and painted grimy marching
in the moon.
Che witches" said the CAPTAIN Tins foil the
AEv One!n
And We rammed silver button from his double down his
gun!
Once again the spectral horror moved the guarded wall
about
Once again the leveled muskets from The nsIi.ades
flashed out,
With chat deadly aim the squirrel on his ,ree,on mich,
not shun,
Nor tie beachbird seaward flying with his slant WING 70
the
Like ne idle rain of summer sped the harmless shower
flead;
With laugh of fierce derison once again the pbantoms
fed;
Once again. without a shadow on the sands the noon-
light lay,
And he white smoke curling through it drilled slowly
down the bay
"GOe preserve u.s." said the Captain never mortal foes
there,
They vanished with their leader Prince and Power
of the Air.
Layi side your useless weapons skill and prouess nouqh
avail;
They who do the Devils service wear their coat
Ofmail!"
So W night grew near TO cock-crow, when again n
warning call
Roused the of weary soldiers watching round the
dusky hall;
And Shey looked flint and printing and they loneed for
break OF day.
But DE Captain closed his Bible Let us cease from
man, and pray"
To ;,e who before u.s. all the Uns cen Powers
seemed near,
AnC their steadast strength of courage struck its roots in
holy fear.
Eve hand forsook the musket every head was bowed
and bare,
Evt ~ knee pressed the fags,ones as ,he Captain
led in prayer.
Ce sed hereat the mystic marching of the speces round
the wall,
Blu sound abhorred, unearthly, smote the ears and
hearts of all
Heels orage and shrieks of anguish Never after NOR
y tai man
sa the ghosty leaguers round the
of Cape Ann
Sc who walk in summer through the cool and sea
blown town,
Fl the childhood ofits people comes the solemn legend
down.
Mi vain the ancient fiction in whose moral lives the
youth
A TIE fitness and the freshness of an undecaying truth,
Son late all our dwellings come the specres Of