10

THE LUMBERMEN

1. Wildly round our woodland quarters

Sad-voiced autumn grieves,

Thickly down these swelling waters

Float his fallen leaves.

Through the tall and naked timber,

Column-like and old,

Gleam the sunsets of November,

From their skies of gold.

2. O´er us, to the southward heading,

Screams the grey wild-goose;

O´er the night-frost sounds the treading

Of the brindled moose .

Noiseless creeping, while we´re sleeping,

Frost his night-work plies;

Soon his icy bridges heaping

Shall our log-piles rise.

3. When with sounds of smothered thunder,

On some night of rain,

Lake and river break asunder

Winter´s weakened chain,

Down the wild March flood shall bear the

To the saw-mill´s wheel,

On where Steam, the slave, shall tear them

With his teeth of steel.

4. Here are mossy carpets, better

Than the Persian weaves,

And than Eastern perfumes sweeter

Seem the fallen leaves;

And a music wild and solemn

From the pine tree´s height,

Rolls its vast and sea-like volume

On the wind of night; —

5. Make we here our camp of winter;

And through sleet and snow,

Pitchy knot and beechen splinter

On our hearth shall glow.

Here, with mirth to lighten duty,

We shall lack alone

Woman´s smile and girlhood´s beauty,

Childhood´s lisping tone.

6. But their hearth is brighter burning

For our toil to-day;

And the welcome of returning

Shall our loss repay,

When, like seamen from the waters,

From the woods we come,

Greeting sisters, wives, and daughters,

Angels of our home.

7. Not for us the measured ringing

From the village spire,

Not for us the Sabbath singing

Of the sweet-voiced choir;

Ours the old majestic temple,

Whore God´s brightness shines

Down the dome so grand and ample,

Propped by lofty pines.

8. Heeding truth alone, and turning

From the false and dim,

Lamp of toil, and altar burning,

Are alike to Him.

Strike then, comrades! trade is waiting

On our rugged toil;

Far ships waiting for the freighting

Of our woodland spoil.

9. Cheerily on the axe of labour

Let the sunbeams dance,

Better than the fl ash of sabr

Or the gleam of lance .

Up, my comrades, up and doing!

Manhood´s rugged play

Still renewing, bravely hewing

Through the world our way.

— J. G. WHITTIER

WORD SPELLING

WORD EXERCISE

1. Give various meanings of the word quarter, as different parts of speech, and in combination with other words.

2. Make sentences showing the connection between freight and fraught, and give their meanings.

3. Write in prose the substance of verses l, 2, and 3.