The Project Gutenberg EBook of In Ancient Albemarle, by Albertson Catherine

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Title: In Ancient Albemarle

Author: Catherine Albertson

Illustrator: Pugh Mabel

Release Date: June 16, 2008 [EBook #25805]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN ANCIENT ALBEMARLE ***

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[Illustration: OLD FLOAT BRIDGE ACROSS THE PERQUIMANS RIVER]

IN ANCIENT ALBEMARLE

_By Catherine Albertson_

PUBLISHED BY THE

NORTH CAROLINA SOCIETY DAUGHTERS OF THE REVOLUTION

ILLUSTRATED FROM DRAWINGS BY

MABEL PUGH

RALEIGH
COMMERCIAL PRINTING COMPANY
1914

COPYRIGHT, 1914

BY

CATHERINE ALBERTSON

DEDICATION

TO

MARY HILLIARD HINTON

STATE REGENT DAUGHTERS OF THE REVOLUTION

WITHOUT WHOSE AID AND ENCOURAGEMENT

THESE CHAPTERS WOULD NEVER

HAVE BEEN WRITTEN

--_C.A._

THE PERQUIMANS RIVER

From the Great Swamp's mysterious depths,
Where wild beasts lurk and strange winds sough;
From ancient forests dense and dark,
Where gray moss wreathes the cypress bough;
'Mid marshes green with flowers starred,
Through fens where reeds and rushes sway,
Past fertile fields of waving grain,
Down to the sea I take my way.

The wild swan floats upon my breast;
The sea-gulls to my waters sink;
And stealing to my low green shores,
The timid deer oft stoops to drink.
The yellow jessamine's golden bells
Ring on my banks their fairy chime;
And tall flag lilies bow and bend,
To the low music keeping time.

Between my narrow, winding banks,
For many a mile I dream along
'Mid silence deep, unbroken save
By rustling reed, or wild bird's song;
Or murmuring of my shadowed waves
Beneath the feathery cypress trees,
Or pines, responsive to the breath
Of winds that breathe sea memories.

So far removed seem shore and stream,
From sound and sight of mart or mill,
That Kilcokonen's painted braves
Might roam my