THE AFRICAN CHIEF. THE AFRICAN CHIEF.-W. C. BRYANT. HAINED in the market-place he stood, CHAIN A man of giant frame, Amid the gathering multitude That shrunk to hear his name. Vainly, but well, that chief had fought.- Yet pride, that fortune humbles not, The scars his dark, broad bosom wore, Then to his conqueror he spake"My brother is a king ; Undo this necklace from my neck, And take this bracelet ring, And send me where my brother reigns, And I will fill thy hands With store of ivory from the plains, And gold-dust from the sands." "Not for thy ivory nor thy gold The battle-spear again. A price thy nation never gave, Shall yet be paid for thee; For thou shalt be the Christian's slave, Then wept the warrior-chief, and bade To shred his locks away; 441 PRAYING FOR RAIN. PRAYING FOR RAIN.-PETER PINDar. OW difficult, alas! to please mankind! HOW One or the other every moment mutters: A third, petition for a southern utters. Good Lamb, the curate, much approved, Was one dry summer begged to pray for rain: The powers of prayer were soon displayed; Immediately a torrent drenched the plain. It chanced that the church warden, Robin Jay, Thus was his hay to health quite past restoring. He sought the parson, like a lion roaring. "Zounds! Parson Lamb, why, what have you been doing? I that forever help you all I can; Ask you to dine with me and Mistress Jay "Send you a goose, a pair of chicken, You that were welcome to a treat, 443 444 MINNIE AN' ME. "You, parson, serve me such a scurvy trick! A numskull, that I wer❜n't of this aware.— "Oh! parson, you're a fool, one might suppose; "Sir," quoth the curate, "know that Harry Cobb, Your brother warden, joined to have the prayer.""Cobb! Cobb! why this for Cobb was only sport: What doth Cobb own that any rain can hurt?" Roared furious Jay, as broad as he could stare. "The fellow owns, as far as I can larn, A few old houses only, and a barn; As that's the case, zounds! what are showers to him? Would I have played with your hay such a freak? "Dear Mister Jay, I do protest, I acted solely for the best; I do affirm it, Mister Jay, indeed. Your anger for this once restrain; I'll never bring a drop again Till you and all the parish are agreed." THE MINNIE AN' ME.-FRANCIS BENNOCH. HE spring-time had come; we were sowing the corn; MINNIE AN' ME. The harvest was owre, an' yellow the leaf, Her hair's like the lang trailing tresses o' night; Her smile is sae sweet, an' sae glancin' her een, For mony long years I'd been doiting alane, When Minnie reveal'd the old feelings again; In the barn or the byre, on the hill or the lea, My bonnie wee Minnie is seldom frae me. Wherever she moves she lets slip a wee crumb, To beasties or birdies, the helpless and dumb; How she feeds them, and leads, it's bonny to see; Oh! a lesson o' loving is Minnie to me. Whenever she hears my slow step on the floor, She trots to the corner, an' sets me a chair, She plays wi' my haffets, and kames down my hair; Or keeks through my speck, as she sits on my knee; Oh, were't not for Minnie I think I wad dee. But I'll nae talk o' deeing while work's to be done, Till Providence pleases my spirit to free, Oh! nae power shall sever my Minnie frae me. 445 |