FOR OHILDREN. 307

And often on some merry night,
When wondrous feats were told,

He longed his father’s bow to take,
And be a hunter bold.

So towards the Chamois’ haunts they went,—~
One sang his childish songs,

The other brooded mournfully
O’er Uri’s griefs and wrongs.

TELL saw the crowd, the lifted cap,
The tyrant’s angry frown,—

And heralds shouted in his ear,
“ Bow down, ye slaves, bow down !"

Stern Gesler marked the peasant’s mien,
And watched to see him fall;
. But never palm-tree straighter stood
Than Text before them all.

‘ My knee shall bend,” he calmly said,
*To God, and God alone;
My life is in the Austrian’s hand,
My conscience is my own.’

* Seize him, ye guards,” the ruler cried,
While passion choked his breath ;

“ He mocks my power, he braves my lord,
He dies the traitor’s death,

“Yet wait. The Swiss are marksmen true,
So all the world doth say:
That fair-haired stripling hither bring;
We'll try their skill to-day.”