The Placer herald., 1872-12-21
IiI.. KNIGHT AND lHk PAGE.
by J. T.. CAMPBELL.

!
SO III open the foodcat,s Of poesy in time,
And sail my rude bark in the groove. Of rhyme =.
Your pardon, friend critics, dctest You l WILL
Defin'c's bright banner shall .o.t o er me still
Once, when the world was ulled from dream
The banners of France Ger her soldiers di,.
stream;
Twas when cloud filled with danger hung round
? Which might sweep, Ike the wind her laws to
The ground,
And I'll her green fields with wars blazing hand
Make fatherlcss mourn through the breadth of
the land:
There arose young chief, he arose in his might
His armor it shone like the mail of knight;
His long waving hair, that flowed to the wind,
md eyes like diamonds, SO bri sht did they shine
Fhe death cleaning meteors arose Ger the way,
.nd betokencd the foe were in battle array:
rhe dark cloud of smoke curls over the battle,
And the roar of guns like thunder does rattle.
rhe brave gallant few stand firm at their post
With the chief at their head contcndins the hest,
His tai manly 70 m like giant arose.
Grim terror he waves in the face of his foes;
He routes their columns, he broke their advance,
Sweet yict'ry danced on the banner of France
The garlands of glory await his return,
Vict'ry's fires through the land brightly burn;
Ills name is immortal his fame widely spread,
1t arose like ray o'er the fields of the dead.
Alonzo the chief in the wars fierce commoGon.
Oft thought of the girl that claimed his devotion.
rhe brave and the gallant will never forsabe,
Ne DER him was waving the dread hand Of fate
And in the dark distance as time rolled along,
! He heard the sweet notes of an old honored song.
Entranccd by the strains as they melted away,
The nliss OF IN t moment no pen can portray;
Care swept it back Ike the dark surg ng tide
''Elyira, my darling, you'll soon be my bride,
Or Ill be Il corpse on the wide beating main
Fer the sun shall look down on my country
again"
Thus mourned the chief, and he spoke it aloud,
His bosom in sorrow was wrapped like a cloud
The low gentle footsteps of some one drew near
And spoke in soft accents the cheftain to cheer
why is it, my friend, you in sorrow repine
Keep courage Aonzo, she yet VIII be thine;
Let not the last hope from thy bosom fade ever
Twill break the gold link the chin it will sever
WHO is it thus warns me Of danger ahead
Why were not numbered along with the dead
On the red field of battle when victory blazad
And the fag Of d4foat on the ranparts thy
raised ?"
who am I, Alouzo, the future shall tell
It's time shall develop, wish thee but well.
One favor l ask tloe, pray you i: grant
| Don't mut.er you viii not, say not that you can't
10 be with you when you fight the fierce clan,
| 10 cheer thee and comfort whenever [ can
Thus spoke the young page in the highest OF glee,
/ His features were calm but as dark the
Come then in haste, Ger the gray streals OF
The winds of the south shall waf US along
TO the bot, checlloss plains of waIlike Aleiers,
rhore ever shall slrmbor my dark, rising fears.
He stands on the dock as the anchor thoyweieh'
Slowly and softly il sadness does say
Come near my maid III murmur low;
'Ts thee alone should hear.
A gem l ask pure AS snow,
Your love ray LOT to cheer.
Until the sun foIsak,s his track
The oaith foIgeis to turn,
IN live in hope, though courage Lack
Towards thee ny heart shall yearn.
Say not you'll unioquitod prove,
Ny loves not idly SPOKE,
Encilcled now within a chain
1t never can be broke.
Though Time may sweep his steady hand
And tuln NY locks to Eay,
Though l my roam a foreign lard,
lis thee Il ne'or betray.
! be rosy t.nts Of slady eve
Shall cease TO shine
Before ny love ball case TO cleaye
And worship at thy shrine.
Then 'athful be and ne'er forsake,
When am on the sea,
Though raging tor, nts round me break,
My heart is still with thee.
| Weeks interyened and he stood on the strand
surrounded alone by his brave gallant band.
He lelt his companions to make long scout
None knew but the page that the ch.efiain was
out
The robes Of the enshrouded the plain,
rEe stars Of the night looked down in disdan,
Alonzo was lost on a desert of sand
And suf ring with til rst, with no kindred hand
To alleviate sorrow and drive away care,
None to console him. his troubles to share;
While death .the grim tyrant his sickle did wave
In the form cf starvation and death, the bray
Three days weak aud weary he wandered alone
While the rays Of the sun with intensity shone
Down upon him in the fiarcest of ire,
! The sand seemed as hot as the blaze of fire.
He fell in a swoom and had a sweet dream;
He dreamt that Elvira was fairy queen
Who came with cold water his thirst TO allay,
To guide his lost footsteps along the bl ak way.
He awoke from his drerm, thus faded the charm,
The young faithful page oer his mouth had his
| arm
And from it there ebbed the current of life
$50, bandage the wound you made with your