gray,
To bless the turf that wraps their clay;
And Freedom shall awhile repair,
To dwell a weeping hermit there!

368

The anonymous ballad dealing with the familiar
story of Nathan Hale, of Revolutionary times,
is the nearest approach to the old folk ballad
in our history. Its repetitions help it in
catching something of the breathless suspense
accompanying his daring effort, betrayal, and
execution. The pathos of the closing incidents
of Hale's career has attracted the tributes of
poets and dramatists. Francis Miles Finch,
author of "The Blue and the Gray," wrote a
well-known poetic account of Hale, while Clyde
Fitch's drama of _Nathan Hale_ had a great
popular success.

THE BALLAD OF NATHAN HALE

The breezes went steadily through the tall pines,
A-saying "Oh! hu-ush!" a-saying "Oh! hu-ush!"
As stilly stole by a bold legion of horse,
For Hale in the bush; for Hale in the bush.

"Keep still!" said the thrush as she nestled her young,
In a nest by the road; in a nest by the road.
"For the tyrants are near, and with them appear
What bodes us no good; what bodes us no good."

The brave captain heard it, and thought of his home
In a cot by the brook; in a cot by the brook;
With mother and sister and memories dear,
He so gayly forsook; he so gayly forsook.

Cooling shades of the night were coming apace,
The tattoo had beat; the tattoo had beat.
The noble one sprang from his dark lurking-place,
To make his retreat; to make his retreat.

He warily trod on the dry rustling leaves,
As he passed through the wood; as he passed through the wood;
And silently gained his rude launch on the shore,
As she played with the flood; as she played with the flood.

The guards of the camp, on that dark, dreary night,
Had a murderous will; had a murderous will.
They took him and bore him afar from the shore,
To a hut on the hill; to a hut on the hill.

No mother was there, nor a friend who could cheer,
In that little stone cell; in that little stone cell.
But he trusted in love, from his Father above.
In his heart, all was well; in his heart,