FROST IN THE HOLIDAYS. THE time of frost is the time for me! When the gay blood spins through the heart When the voice leaps out with a chiming sound, While Yesterday sank, full soon, to rest, And Morning!-each pane a garden of frost, Like dreams, will scatter them every one. Hurrah! the lake is a league of glass! Happy skaters! jubilant flight! Away from the crowd with the wind we drift, Homeward! How the shimmering snow Like a manifold thought to a poet's mind, But the village street-the stir and noise! And the quaint white bullets fly here and there, In the clasp of Home, by the ruddy fire, The one low voice goes wandering on A SONNET. WRITTEN IN A COPY OF DR. JOHNSON'S "PRAYERS O STRANGE great soul! That rock the prophet Whence gushed their life, to Israel's heart of Seemed naught I ween but barren Horeb's side; The proud high front which noblest natures own play Beyond the reach of every wanton ray, -National Magazine. ALSAGER HAY HILL THE INTERESTS OF FRANCE. AIR-" A Landlady in France." To preserve the Roman Catholic commun- So when this pious emperor-the people's own The Romans ask for leave to choose their He says that conscience forces him their prayer An assertion than which nothing can be cooler, O! Garibaldi's march on Rome, though checked Supplies him with a fresh excuse for staying, On the ground that, to a menace, right or wrong, Can on no account attention dream of paying, O! So the interests of France, and her honor, under foot, Bid her tread the rights of every weaker nation, O! And therefore, for the present, she determines not to put Any limit to the Roman occupation, O! -Punch. "THE VOICE OF HUMANITY." Now has Bramwell done his worst, 'Tis thy office to make snug And good thoughts come of good things. Let them, after oakum-picking, Take for the model of a cell That where good Tuck did whilom dwell, Will lead the captive's thoughts on high, In penitentiaries kept close Convicts are apt to grow morose; Blest work! with Nature's sweets and balms Will Sheppard's name with roses twine, Send him a cigarette or two. Thus, with a butt of stout from Jebb, Lest strength should fail, or mirth should ebb, And a few Bibles clasped with gold (Such as at Bagster's shop are sold), POETRY.-Charles the Fifth's Song in his Coffin, 194. Sudden Light, 194. SHORT ARTICLES.-Walled Lakes, 213. Authors and Circulating Libraries, 235. PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY LITTELL, SON, & CO., BOSTON. For Six Dollars a year, in advance, remitted directly to the Publishers, the LIVING AGE will be punctually forwarded free of postage. Complete sets of the First Series, in thirty-six volumes, and of the Second Series, in twenty volumes, handsomely bound, packed in neat boxes, and delivered in all the principal cities, free of expense of freight, are for sale at two dollars a volume. ANY VOLUME may be had separately, at two dollars, bound, or a dollar and a half in numbers. ANY NUMBER may be had for 13 cents; and it is well worth while for subscribers or purchasers to complete any broken volumes they may have, and thus greatly enhance their value. CHARLES THE FIFTH'S SONG IN HIS COFFIN.* FROM THE DANISH OF B. S. INGEMANN. BY MRS. BUSHBY. THE passing-bell, ding dong! ding dong! The passing-bell, ding dong! ding dong! A king I was but late-a strong, A mighty empire's head; The world too small with its countless throng, The passing-bell, ding dong! ding dong! Hush! hush! Ah! softer, softer yet; And the crown I lately wore. And flattery's words be o'er. Hasten, hasten, onwards bear Me now to calm repose. Take back the crown 'twas mine to wear, That crown I may no longer bear- *It is well known that Charles V., one of the greatest monarchs of Europe, tired of ambition, and of the overwhelming cares of his extensive government, retired, towards the close of his life, to the monastery of St. Justus, where he not only abjured all the luxuries of his elevated station, but subjected himself to many severe penances. To display his zeal and merit the favor of Heaven," says Robertson, in his Life of Charles, "he fixed on an act as wi'd and uncommon as any that superstition ever suggested to a weak and disordered fancy. He resolved to celebrate his own obsequies before his death. He ordered his tomb to be erected in the chapel of the monastery. His domestics marched thither in funeral procession, with black tapers in their hands. He himself followed in his shroud. He was laid in his coffin with much solemnity. The service for the dead was chanted, and Charles joined in the prayers that were offered up for the rest of his soul, mingling his tears with those which his attendants shed, as if they had been celebrating a real funeral. The ceremony closed with sprinkling holy water on the coffin in the usual form, and all the assistants retiring, the doors of the chapel were shut. Then Charles rose out of the coffin, and with drew to his apartment, full of those awful sentiments which such a singular solemnity was calculated to inspire." Hush hush! Ah! grant me rest, Grant me rest within the grave. The gnawing worm yet gave. Hither, hither, come, ye mighty, To this fir-wood chest. The passing-bell, ding dong! ding dong! Let him, 'midst prayers and holy song, The passing-bell, ding dong! ding dong A king he was but late-a strong, A mighty empire's head; The world too small with its countless throng, The passing-bell, ding dong! ding dong! -New Monthly Magazine. while her heart was melting towards it all that gentleman had obtained his present sitthe while. But this was weak. She must uation as master of the Tilby House of Incombat the desire to be merciful and tender. dustry, by which he received an income of She must not permit herself to succumb to fifty pounds a year, with coals and candles any humane feeling about an infant thrust gratis, and sundry other perquisites. He upon the almshouse in such an underhand, had, at this time, three little daughters, unprincipled manner. One of the founda- whom both he and his wife were determined tion rules of this asylum for the poor at should receive the education of ladies. In Tilby was, that no child, under the age of short, nothing could exceed his pomp and seven years, left inside its walls, and aban- pride, except, perhaps, the violence of his temdoned there, was to be turned out by the per-especially when he drank hard, which he authorities, unless its parents were discov- did pretty often. He was a clever man in his ered; and although this enactment was way; could write long and fluent letters, constrictly adhered to, yet care was taken that taining few words of bad spelling; used rosuch a thing should occur as seldom as pos- mantic expressions with his pen, but rarely sible. The original design of the benevo- with his lips, being rather coarse of speech, lent individual who founded the establish- and somewhat of a blasphemer. He had alment was, no doubt, to benefit the suffering ways been regarded as honest in money matand unfortunate poor to the best of his abil-ters; never having been known to appropriate ity; and by this means to prevent infanti- unlawfully gold or silver intrusted to his care, cide as far as lay in his power. But as years or done anything that could ruin his characpassed by, and careless people took the man- ter in the eyes of the world; but he had his agement of affairs, economy as regarded the own secrets, as well as the secrets of others, household expenditure seemed the principal buried deep — very deep in his heart. He considerations attended to. The strictest had been guilty of acts, which, even if openly watch was ordered to be kept to prevent the known, might perhaps have been regarded possibility of access to forsaken children; leniently by the world at large, but which and if one, by chance, gained admittance, must, nevertheless, look dark enough on the great wrath was kindled among the authori-day when the secrets of all souls will be questies. Very few had of late years been in- tioned before the Eternal Throne. His great truded on the asylum - thanks to the por- influence at Larch Grove gave him much ter's undeviating care; and as those few importance in the eyes of the Tilby people. had died before attaining the age of three Mr. Lipwell being the descendant of the years, there was not at present a foundling original founder of the almshouse, was one under the roof, except the poor little in- of the chief committee-men who managed truder just arrived. This child was consigned its affairs on the monthly board-days; and by Mrs. Wynne to the care of old Suky Wynne had rarely reason to fear any strictSparrow, an individual who in former years ures made by this gentleman on his conduct had earned her living as nurse and children's as master of the asylum, owing to the fact, attendant, but was now superannuated, though perhaps, that David had upon more than one considered well enough able to attend to a occasion made himself particularly useful to pauper infant; and having thus relieved her- his patron, even since he quitted the service self of it, the matron went off to communi- at Larch Grove-not to speak of sundry litcate the fact of its arrival to her husband. tle private transactions which he cleverly effected while filling the office of butler in his employment. Some unpleasant occurrences had lately taken place at Larch Grove, with regard to a governess who was dismissed the house somewhat suddenly, in disgrace, people said; Mr. Lipwell's only son being in a certain degree mixed up with the affair, and Wynne was concerned in it also. But not much was known about the matter at Tilby, as it was hushed up considerably; and Larch Grove being seven miles from the CHAPTER II. DAVID WYNNE. DAVID WYNNE was about forty-six years of age, five feet ten inches in height, of stout frame and florid complexion; his features might have been considered handsome, and he had altogether an air of dignity and importance. He had formerly been head butler in the establishment of Mr. Lipwell, of Larch Grove, and through the interest of 1 |