Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE DUEL. THIS is the spot; the shadow of the wood, In immemorial twilight shrouds the place, Now as of old, when arm'd and face to face, Here in the dawn sworn enemies once stood. Haply his chances, whether ill or good, Each weighed ; and calmly for a moment's space Looked on his rival, with nor sign nor trace Of fear depicted in his mien or mood. Then while a kerchief fluttered to the ground, And shots rang out, — and by a crimson stain The earth was sullied for a space around, A fair girl came, and with a cry of pain, Stood as bewildered by the flash and sound, And swooning fell where lay her lover slain. "THE LADY OF SHALOTT." PERCHANCE a fragment of the poet's rhyme Came in my sleep : and, in a region dim, Fragrant with barley, by a river's brim, I dreamed I wandered, in a distant clime. There I was conscious of the golden prime Of good King Arthur; and I rode with him ; Once at a tourney 'neath the turrets grim Of Camelot, we whiled away the time. Again, I fancied that I saw appear Pale dames of Brittany who drooped forlorn, And armored knights who courteously drew near ; And next I witnessed, ere I woke at morn, Borne down the tide, before my dreaming eye, The Fairy Lady of Shalott drift by. COLONIAL. THE old house, many-gabled, far withdrawn From the broad highway, and despoiled with age, Torn by the summer's wrath, the winter's rage, Still stands austere upon the spacious lawn. In other days, the couriers here at dawn Rode like the wind, by word or written page Announcing tidings from Burgoyne or Gage, Or with Cornwallis how the day had gone. Time, like a Tory, loyal to the crown, As loath to leave, seems fondly here to cling ; It were no marvel though a ghost strode down, Among the cedars, where the wildbirds sing, In ...