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His eyes looked fire-another yell he raised ;

Rebellowing forests shrieked from hill to hillThen, by the long dark lock swung from the ground, He whirled on high the ghastly ball around.

LXIV.

Around-around-still gathering force it went-
Still on his sinews strained the whirling head-
Till cleaving from the scull the scalp was rent,
And through the air the ponderous body sped;
Deep in the hollow woods its force was spent-

Thrice bounding from the ground-then falling deadHe turned and spoke-" No more the babes shall weep! The grim Pawaw now sleeps! and Waban now can sleep,"

LXV.

They passed the turf, as they the cavern sought,

Where fell the body of his earliest slain, And Waban said, as paused he o'er the spot,

"The black Priest's comrade never wakes again;" Then did he seize the body by the foot,

And dragged the bleeding corpse along the plain,
And o'er the rocky steep the burden dashed;
It dropped in night-re-echoing thickets crashed.

LXVI.

Then the rude victor washed the stains away,

Cast him on earth, and soon deep slumber shewed
How lightly in his rugged bosom lay

The horrid memory of that scene of blood;
But Williams watched until the dawning gray,
And Mary's fitful sleep the scenes renewed,
Whilst the young dreamers, in her circling arms,
Oft shrieked and sobbed in slumber's vain alarms.

LXVII.

The morning dawns, and they their march resume,
No perils now annoy their toilsome way;

The night came down and with its sober glooms,
Brought quiet sleep until the morning's ray;

Again they rose, and gained their joyous home

On Seekonk's marge, just at the close of day; And him they blessed, who had in safety led Them through dire perils, to their humble shed.

CANTO EIGHTH.

Through Seekonk's groves the morning sun once more
Flames in his glory. Waving verdant gold
The boundless forest stands. Wild songsters pour,
From every dewy glade and tufted wold,
The melody of joy. From shore to shore,
The tranquil waters dream, and soul-like hold
An imaged world within, of softest hue,
And its far downward bending vault of blue.

II.

And Williams issued from his humble cot,

Not as of late in solitary mood,

With cheerless heart and ill-foreboding thought,

But with light step, and breast of quietude,

Attended by the partner of his lot,

And their young Hopes; who with blithe interlude,
Of prattling speech, softened the graver talk
Of their fond parents in the morning's walk.

III.

In sooth the buoyance of his spirits spread
O'er all his labors their own cheerful flush;
Ne'er was the grass so verdant on the glade,
Ne'er did the fountains sparkle with such gush;
Ne'er had the stream such lovely music made,
Ne'er sung so blithe the robin on the bush,
The woodland flowers far brighter hues displayed,

More sunny smiled the lawn, and deeper frowned the shade.

IV.

They walked and talked-he told his trials o'er ;

And oft his Mary brushed aside the tear,

And oft they joined to thank kind Heaven once more,
That thus his sufferings were rewarded here;
Then would they sit beneath the fountain's bower,
And woo the breeze, or smiling bend the ear

To infant mirth, which, in its silver tone,

Soothed those rude wilds with music erst unknown.

V.

All, all was happy-was security

In blest seclusion.-The rude storm seemed past, The bow of promise arched life's future sky,

No threatening cloud their journey overcast― Bliss was around them-Heaven with gracious eye Looked down with smiles and blest their toils at last. Their Salem friends will soon the journey tryThey are not here is all that wakes a sigh.

VI.

Thus for a space did they anticipate

The bliss which Heaven for pilgrims has in store, When their freed souls shall view their former state, And their past pains enhance their joys the more; But yet one fear of darkly frowning fate,

Our founder's bosom slightly brooded o'er:

No Indian throng, as spake that wonderous seer,
Them yet had welcomed with Whatcheer! Whatcheer!

VII.

But this were idle-'twas perchance a dream;

His thoughts seemed wandering, or disturbed at best, When stood, or seemed to stand in doubtful gleam, That form scarce earthly and his ears addressed; So let it pass-for it would ill beseem

One staid and grave to be at all unblest,

Whilst Heaven is showering mercies on his head,
For visionary fears and superstitious dread.

VIII.

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'Waban," he said, a generous feast prepare-
We can be cheerful without being mad-

The good man's smiles may be a godly prayer;
The wicked only should be very sad.

Mary, God feeds the tenants of the air;

Mark how they thank Him with their voices glad ; The heart of man should nearer kindred own, Joy in his smiles, and sorrow in his frown."

IX.

Then forth paced Waban to the winding shore,
And laid the tribute of its bosom bare;
Nor failed he next the dingles to explore,

And trap the partridge or the nimble hare;
Soon 'neath a beech, hard by the cottage door,
On marshalled stones the fagots blazing are;
And when with hissing heat the furnace glows,
Waban the tribute gives, and shuts the vapors close.

X.

The whilst our Founder passed from place to place, And did each plan of village grandeur name; This rising mound the future church should grace, Yon little dell the village school should claim ; That sloping lawn the council hall should base, Where freemen's voices should the laws proclaim, And ne'er to bigot yield the civil rod,

But save the Church by leaving her to God.

XI.

Thus past their hours-at last, from middle skies, The sun began his course of glory down;

From Waban's ready feast the vapours rise

;

The group is seated 'neath the beech's frown"Thou kind and generous man," our Founder cries, "Our brave defender! thy complexion brown Bars not thy presence-sit thou at the board, God made thy kind of these broad lands the lord.

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