Across the clover and through the wheat,
With resolute heart and purpose grim,
Though cold was the dew on his hurrying feet,
And the blind bats flitting startled him.

Thrice since then had the lanes been white,

And the orchards sweet with apple-bloom; And now, when the cows came back at night, The feeble father drove them home.

For news had come to the lonely farm
That three were lying where two had lain,
And the old man's tremulous, palsied arm
Could never lean on a son's again.

The summer day grew cool and late;

He went for the cows when the work was done;

But down the lane, as he opened the gate,

He saw them coming, one by one,

Brindle, Ebony, Speckle, and Bess,

Shaking their horns in the evening wind, Cropping the buttercups out of the grass; But who was it following close behind?

Loosely swang in the idle air

The empty sleeve of warrior true;
And worn and pale, from the crisping hair,
Looked out a face that the father knew;

For gloomy prisons will sometimes yawn,
And yield their dead unto life again;
And that day that comes with a cloudy dawn
In golden glory at last may wane.

The great tears sprang to their meeting eyes;

For the heart must speak when the lips are dumb, And under the silent evening skies

Together they followed the cattle home.

SELECTIONS IN DIALOGUES.

I. A SCENE FROM "AS YOU LIKE IT."

The DUKE (with Attendants), JAQUES and TOUCHstone.

Touchstone. [Entering, to the DUKE, &c.] Salutation and greeting to you all.

Jaques. Good my lord, bid him welcome. This is the motley-minded gentleman that I have so often met in the forest; he hath been a courtier he swears.

Touch. If any man doubt that, let him put me to my purgation. I have trod a measure; I have flattered a lady; I have been politic, have undone three tailors; I had four quarrels, and like to have fought one.

Jaq. And how was that ta'en up?

Touch. 'Faith, we met, and found the quarrel was upon the seventh cause.

Jaq. How seventh cause? Good my lord, like you this fellow?

Duke. I like him very well.

.

Touch. God 'ild you, sir: I desire you of the like. I press in here, sir, among the rest, to swear and to forswear, with a poor damsel, sir, an ill-favored one, a poor humor of mine, sir, to take that no man else

will. But rich honesty dwells, like a miser, sir, in a poor house, as your pearl in a foul oyster.

Duke. By my faith, he is very swift and sententious. Jaq. But for the seventh cause: how did you find the quarrel upon the seventh cause?

Touch. Upon a lie seven times removed; as thus, sir: I did dislike the cut of a certain courtier's beard; he sent me word, if I said his beard was not cut well, he was in the mind it was: this is called the Retort courteous. If I sent him word again, it was not well cut, he would send me word, he cut it to please himself: this is called the Quip modest. If, again, it was not well cut, he disabled my judgment: this is called the Reply churlish. If, again, it was not well cut, he would answer, I spake not true: this is called the Reproof valiant. If, again, it was not well cut, he would say, I lie: this is called the Countercheck quarrelsome; and so to the Lie circumstantial, and the Lie direct.

Jaq. And how oft did you say his beard was not well cut?

Touch. I durst go no farther than the Lie circumstantial, nor he durst not give me the Lie direct; and so we measured swords and parted.

Jaq. Can you nominate in order, now, of the lie?

the degrees

Touch. O, sir, we quarrel in print, by the book; as you have books for good manners. I will name you the degrees. The first, the Retort courteous; the second, the Quip modest; the third, the Reply churlish; the fourth, the Reproof valiant; the fifth, the Countercheck quarrelsome; the sixth, the Lie with circumstance; the seventh, the Lie direct. All these you may avoid

but the Lie direct; and you may avoid that, too, with an If. I knew when seven justices could not make up a quarrel; but when the parties were met themselves, one of them thought but of an If, as, "If you said so, then I said so;" and they shook hands, and were sworn brothers. Your If is the only peacemaker; much virtue in an If.

Jaq. Is not this a rare fellow, my lord? he's as good at anything, and yet a fool.

Duke. He uses his folly like a stalking-horse; and under the presentation of that he shoots his wit.

SHAKSPEARE.

II. WILLIAM TELL.

GESLER, the Tyrant; SARNEM, his Officer; and WILLIAM TELL, a Swiss peasant.

Sarnem. Down, slave, upon thy knees, before the

governor,

And beg for mercy.

Gesler. Does he hear?

Sar. He does, but braves thy power. [To TELL.] Down, slave,

And ask for life.

Ges. [To TELL.] Why speakest thou not?

Tell. Yes, that thou shouldst seem a man.
Ges.

What should I seem?

Tell. A monster.

Ges. Ha! Beware! - think on thy chains.