Then upon them fell a sadness, And a shadow like a pall, While they murmured, “’Tis rank madness Such a sum from us to call!” And the spokesman of the village Murmured feebly, “Sure you jest.” Answered Alva, “Gold or pillage, Choose whichever may suit you best!”
Faint and stunned they turned despairing, When arose a laugh of joy, And before their startled staring In there pranced a little boy; On his curls the duke’s helm rested, As with noisy glee he roared, And his good steed mailed and crested Was great Alva’s mighty sword!
Round about the room he gambolled, Peeping through the helmet bars; Now he leaped, and now he ambled, Like a Cupid mocking Mars. Then he stayed his merry prancing, And of Alva’s knees caught hold, Where a ray of sunlight glancing Turned his sunny curls to gold.
Swift the mother, sorely frightened, Strove to take the cherub wild; But the duke’s stern features lightened As he kept her from the child; And he drank the pretty prattle— For the baby knew no fear— Till his eye, so fierce in battle, Softened with a pearly tear.
For a babe arose before him In fair Spain, ere war’s alarms,— Thus his father’s sword upbore him. Alva caught the boy in arms, And, the pretty forehead baring, Cried, “A kiss!” The child obeyed; Then unto those men despairing Alva said, “Your ransom’s paid.” W. H. Rose, in Texas Siftings.
RE-ENLISTED.
Oh did you see him in the street, dressed up in army blue, When drums and trumpets into town their storm of music threw,— A louder tune than all the winds could muster in the air,— The Rebel winds, that tried so hard our flag in strips to tear?
You didn’t mind him? Oh, you looked beyond him, then, perhaps, To see the mounted officers rigged out with trooper caps, And shiny clothes, and sashes, and epaulets and all. It wasn’t for such things as these he heard his country call.
She asked for men; and up he spoke, my handsome, hearty Sam,— “I’ll die for the dear old Union, if she’ll take me as I am.” And if a better man than he there’s mother that can show, From Maine to Minnesota, then let the nation know.