I.
Awake—awake! for the day-beams break,
And the morning wind blows free;
The huntsmen strain over hill and plain,
And the horn winds merrily!
'Tis the dawn of day; and the shadows play
O'er the paths in the woody glen;
And the scent lies still upon field and hill,
For the hound to thread again.
Away—away! while the morn is gray,
And the feathery mist hangs nigh;
The hound bays deep from the craggy steep,
And the horn winds merrily!
II.
Press on—press on! o'er the dewy lawn,
And through the greenwood still;
The brook is passed, and the stag breathes fast,
As he pants on yonder hill.
The sun peeps now from the mountain's brow,
And the wild bird carolls free,
While the hot steeds drink at the brook's green brink,
And the hounds lag heavily.
But hark! again through the tangled glen,
Over meadow, and wood, and lea,
The deep-mouth'd pack resume the track,
And the horn winds merrily!
Wilmington, (Del.,) Nov., 1837. Hack Von Stretcher.
[THE POOR RELATION.]
AN AUTHENTIC STORY FROM REAL LIFE.
It was in the early days of Codman county, that Eldred Worthington swung his axe upon his shoulder, and departed to seek his fortune in her almost untrodden wilds. Like thousands of others, the early pioneers of our land, he 'kept bachelor's hall,' until he had 'made an opening, and reared his rustic cot.' Then, with buoyant heart, he returned to the place of his nativity, to claim the plighted hand of Miss Abiah Perley, to become his help-mate in his future home.
To those who know any thing of the difficulties encountered by the first settlers, it will be unnecessary to portray the toils and hardships they had to overcome, before the savage was driven farther back to his forest-lair. They went forward, growing with the growth of the place; and, in a series of years, rearing a family of eight sons and four daughters. It was a natural wish of the parents that their children should not suffer for want of education, as they themselves had done in early life; and hence they yielded to their particular wishes. Benjamin, the eldest, desired to be a limb of the law; the second was for physic, and had his choice; and Thomas, the third, also, was much gratified, when arrangements were made for his departure to a neighboring sea-port, to serve a mercantile apprenticeship. His father was so fortunate as to place him in the house of an old acquaintance, Mr. John Howard, one of the first merchants of the city. This gentleman, having commenced life with nothing but his hands, had become extensively concerned in commerce. It was the very field for the mercantile propensity of Thomas. He devoted himself with unceasing assiduity; won the confidence of his employer; was made supercargo of his vessels in several voyages; and finally, as the good ship Ajax was bound on an East India voyage, he again bade farewell to his friends, and went forth upon the distant seas. He was faithful to the important trusts reposed in him. The ship was laden and ready to return; when, to the sad dismay of all on board, who were greatly attached to him, he could not be found! Every effort was made, for weeks and weeks, but the ship was finally compelled to sail without him.