The Fire King's Sweep

Like marshalling hosts who encamp for the night. In line, till the morrow shall a wake them to flght, While searcely a slgn doth thelr preènce betray, Or signal the storm that shall burst wlth the So frollcked the flamea, and so playfully leapt; öogot them In line, and then quletlv slept, And little we recked that a foeman so dread, Vvas waltlnj to inake us a land of the dead. But stroug.on the morrow came blasts irora .'ifar, And the Fire Klngmountod to hls tempeBtpent car; Bade Jüestructlon and Fury, hls steeds, for to fly. Whlle banners of ñames he flung up to the sky. Once before nad hepassed, as acouqueror proud, L nreientlng.resistless.and stern as the cloud Vvhose dense sable massea enveloped hls brow; And we bowed to hls rlght- Must we bow to lt now? Say, wlltthou uot pause? Tbereare homes that are dear, Reared up by the labor oí man y ayear; Hold! Torn thee ! Ketreat from thy direful way; Spare tbepoorand hclpless! Wecryln I may. 1871. Lo bsfore tuee the elek, and the tender Ín years, Tueaged, grown falnt, and the mother Ín tears, The ne born.tho dylng, the strong who till death Vi 11 struggle to rescue thelr loved from thy breath. , Ali, vain ! He is near! He la full on uur gaze And hamlet and cottage are quickly ablaze, The Flre Ktng's sweep, and hlH terrible blast ü'er a land left in ruins, witu its dead , they have past. Ves, tis o'er ! And the mourners are loud in I their wall; IIow many have fallen ! How sad is the tale! The village and lióme are in as lies laldlow; How cheerless and houseless the Ihousamls are now. But swift pity moves in a great people's heart; Full generous and free are the gifisthey Impart. Surely bles.slngs on blesslngs farever must flow Ta a nailon so ready lo mitígale wie. OassCity, Not. 1881.