ALASTAIR OG.
(To be Continued.)
THE LAST OF THE CLAN.
"After many years he returned to die."
The last of the clansmen, grey-bearded and hoary,
Sat lone by the old castle's ruin-wrapt shade,
Where proudly his chief in the bloom of his glory
Oft mustered his heroes for battle arrayed:
He wept as he gazed on its beauties departed,
He sighed in despair for its gloom of decay,
Cold-shrouded his soul, and he sung broken-hearted,
With grief-shaking voice a wild woe-sounding lay.—
"Weary, weary, sad returning,
Exiled long in other climes,
Hope's last flame, slow, feebly burning
Seeks the home of olden times:
In my joy why am I weeping?
Where my kindred? Where my clan?
Whispers from the mountains creeping,
Tell me 'I'm the only man.'
"Yon tempest-starred mountains still loom in their grandeur,
The loud rushing torrents still sweep thro' the glen,
Thro' low-moaning forests dim spirits still wander,
But where are the songs and the voices of men?
Tell me, storied ruins! where, where are their slumbers?
Where now are the mighty no foe could withstand?
The voice of the silence in echoing numbers,
Breathes sadly the tale of fate's merciless hand.
"Ah me! thro' the black clouds, one star shines in heaven,
And flings o'er the darkness its fast waning light,
'Tis to me an omen so tenderly given,
Foretelling that soon I will sink in my night:
The coronach slowly again is far pealing!
The grey ghosts of kinsmen I fondly can trace!
Around me they gather! and silent are kneeling,
To gaze in deep sorrow on all of their race!
Slowly, slowly, sadly viewing
With their weird mysterious scan,
Desolation's gloomy ruin!
All of kindred! all of clan!
Ah! my heart, my heart is fainting,
Strangely shaking are my limbs,
Heav'nward see! their fingers pointing,
And my vision trembling swims.
Slowly, slowly, all-pervading,
O'er me steals their chilly breath,
See! the single star is fading,
Ling'ring in the joy of death,
Darkness swiftly o'er me gathers,
Softly fade these visions wan,
Welcome give, ye spirit fathers,
I'm the Last of all the Clan!"
WM. ALLAN.