THE HESPERIAN
The children prattle around the doors,
And the old men join in .their glee.
But hark! On the wings of night there comes
A sound that strikes fear into every eye;
Too well they know that clash of arms,
Too oft they've heard that battle-cry.
The wild Goths come! The wild Goths come!
They can only turn and fly.
Chatillon lies so drear, so drear,
In the blaze of the noonday sun;
No sound is heard in its lonely streets,
The bells have hushed their joyous song.
Like a smoking hearth lying cold and still
When the flash of its flame-heart is gone.
No more will the hills belaid to rest
With the psalms they have loved so long;
No more will fair Italy's skies be drunk
With that flood of glorified song;
The quiet eve will no more be stirred
By the wings of that watching throng.
The wild Goths flee to their mountain height
With the treasure no price could buy.
"They have taken my bells, my perfect bells,
I must go," was the master's cry.
"I cannot live without their song,
And without it I cannot die."
So forth he went to the cold north land.
His heart grew old in pain
As the years sped on; and still he roamed,
But always he cried in vain,
"Oh, I cannot live and I cannot die
Till I've heard my bells again."
One night two fishermen down the Rhine
Were bearing a wanderer old
On to the sea. His hair was white,
And the light in his eyes was cold.
When soft through the quiet evening air
A distant church bell tolled.
What wa.'i it they saw in the old, sad face
As the beautiful chimes sang on?
Was it hope? was it joy? was it finding at last
The thing he had sought so long?
And why did he raise his face to heaven
As he heard that evening song?
They look again when the song has ceased.
"What is it?" they softly say;
"Why is that smile on his still face?
Why looks he so cold and gray?"
Ah, why? The music his soul had loved
Had wafted his soul away.
Flora Bullock.
THE U. B. D. C.-WESLEYAN DEBATE.
Whon tho eight debaters took their plnces
upon the platform of Wosleyan chapel, Sat
urday evening, the chances looked somewhat
unequal. Tho Wosloyans wore all old men
men with pulpit ease and assurance, bo
sides whom tho representatives of tho U. B.
D. 0. appeared decidedly boyish.
Mr. Wimborly began by stating that his
friends proposed to prove the truth of tho
proposition, "Resolved, that tho spoils sys
tem is tho chief causo of our political corrup
tion." After ho had reiterated his resolution
with variations, Mr. Lion modestly asked for
some evidence, and pointed out many other
potent sources of tho evil. Mr. Cocking
replied that he believed tho spoils system to
bt) tho chief causo of corruption because it
was an abominable system, therefore it must
bo tho chief causo. Mr. McGuffey said that
the system was tho one by which Methodist
ministers wore appointed to office, a system
whose use or abuse depended alone on tho
character of the people. Mr. Beck did not
attempt to refute the statement. He added
more examples of tho workings of the in
famous system. Mr. Newbranch pointed
out to the men on tho affirmative that they
were wasting their ammunition, they were
insisting that tho camel was very tall a
fact unquestioned by any whon they should
bo showing why it was taller then the giraffe.
Tho point on which the strength of the nega
tive side depended, tho fact that tho system
was an effect and not a cause, had not been
touched. Then Mr. Geddes arose and made
tho best address of tho evening on the affir
mative of tho question. Though not always
logical, it was strong and based upon evi
dence other than the opinion of tho speaker
or even the World-Herald. Ho was followed
by Mr. N. 0. Abbott, who talked as only
Mr. N. 0. Abbott can talk. When he had
ended, there was very little to say upon tho
question, so Mr. Wimborly proceeded to be
labor with his blunted cudgel tho "gold
rimmed glasses" of his victors. His per
sonal compliments were received with per
fect good humor. We appreciated tlvl situ
ation. Wo should have felt cross ourrolves.
MfSaPM
