If I was loud as I am proud How's my boy-my boy? Be she afloat, or be she aground, I say, how's my John? "Every man on board went down, Every man aboard her." How's my boy-my boy? What care I for the men, sailor? I'm not their mother How's my boy-my boy? Tell me of him and no other! How's my boy-my boy? Romance and Reality SYDNEY Dobell. The Child-Musician He had played for his lordship's levee, Till the poor little head was heavy, Romance and Reality And the face grew peaked and eerie, But at dawn, when the birds were waking, "Twas the string of his violoncello, AUSTIN DOBSON. How They Brought the Good News from I sprang to the stirrup, and Joris and he: three; "Good speed!" cried the watch as the gate-bolts undrew, 66 Speed!" echoed the wall to us galloping Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest, Not a word to each other; we kept the great Romance расе Neck by neck, stride by stride, never changing our place; I turned in my saddle and made its girths tight, right, Rebuckled the check-strap, chained slacker the bit, Nor galloped less steadily Roland a whit. 'Twas a moonset at starting; but while we drew near Lokeren, the cocks crew and twilight dawned clear; At Boom a great yellow star came out to see; be; And from Mecheln church-steeple we heard the half chime So Joris broke silence with "Yet there is time!" At Aerschot up leaped of a sudden the sun, and Reality Romance And his low head and crest, just one sharp ear and Reality bent back For my voice, and the other pricked out on his track; And one eye's black intelligence,—ever that O'er its white edge at me, his own master, askance ; anon His fierce lips shook upward in galloping on. By Hasselt Dirck groaned; and cried Joris, "Stay spur! Your Roos galloped bravely, the fault's not in her; We'll remember at Aix "-for one heard the quick wheeze Of her chest, saw the stretched neck, and stagger- And sunk tail, and horrible heave of the flank, So we were left galloping, Joris and I, Past Looz and past Tongres, no cloud in the sky; Till over by Dalhem a dome-spire sprang white, sight!" "How they'll greet us!"—and all in a moment Romance his roan Rolled neck and croup over, lay dead as a stone; weight Of the news which alone could save Aix from her fate, With his nostrils like pits full of blood to the brim, And with circles of red for his eye-sockets' rim. Then I cast loose my buff-coat, each holster let Shook off both my jack-boots, let go belt and all, Clapped my hands, laughed and sung, any noise, Till at length into Aix Roland galloped and stood. And all I remember is friends flocking round, And no voice but was praising this Roland of mine, As I poured down his throat our last measure of and Reality wine, |