A NEGRO'S SONG. VERSIFIED BY THE FROM PARK'S TRAVELS IN AFRICA. DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE. THE loud wind roared, the rain fell fast, CHORUS. The white man shall our pity share; The storm is o'er, the tempest past, CHORUS. Go, white man, go; but with thee bear MABEL ON MIDSUMMER DAY. 19 MABEL ON MIDSUMMER DAY.-Mary Howrtt. A STORY OF THE OLDEN TIME. "ARISE, my maiden, Mabel," Arise, my little maiden, "And thou must carry with thee "And tell the dear old body, For the good man went out yester-morn, "And more than this, poor Amy Upon my knee doth lie; I fear me, with this fever-pain The little child will die! "And thou canst help thy grandmother; The table thou canst spread; Canst feed the little dog and bird; And thou canst make her bed. C "And thou canst fetch the water "Canst go down to the lonesome glen, This is the work, my Mabel, "But listen now, my Mabel, This is midsummer day, When all the fairy people From elf-land come away. "And when thou 'rt in the lonesome glen, Keep by the running burn, And do not pluck the strawberry-flower, Nor break the lady-fern. But think not of the fairy folk, Lest mischief should befall; Think only of poor Amy, And how thou lov'st us all. "Yet keep good heart, my Mabel, If they should speak to thee. "And when into the fir-wood MABEL ON MIDSUMMER DAY. "But fill thy little apron, My child, with earnest speed; And that thou break no living bough Within the wood, take heed. "For they are spiteful brownies "But think not, little Mabel, "And when thou goest to the spring "For the queen of all the fairies, "But she's a gracious lady, And her thou need'st not fear; Only disturb thou not the stream, Nor spill the water clear." "Now all this I will heed, mother, And wait upon the grandmother 21 PART II. AWAY tripped little Mabel, With the wheaten cake so fine, With the new-made pat of butter, And the little flask of wine. And long before the sun was hot, And all her mother's message She told with right good-will, How that the father was away, And the little child was ill. And then she swept the hearth up clean, "And go now," said the grandmother, "Ten paces down the dell, And bring in water for the day, Thou know'st the lady-well." The first time that good Mabel went, That sat upon a tree. The next time that good Mabel went, Beside the well, —a lady small, All clothed in green and white. |