Ere your heritage be wasted," said the quick

alarming drum.

"Let me of my heart take counsel:

War is not of Life the sum ;

Who shall stay and reap the harvest

When the autumn days shall come?"

But the drum

Echoed, "Come!

Death shall reap the braver harvest," said the

solemn-sounding drum.

"But when won the coming battle,

What of profit springs therefrom?

What if conquest, subjugation,

Even greater ills become?"

But the drum

Answered, "Come!

You must do the sum to prove it," said the Yan

kee-answering drum.

"What if, 'mid the cannons' thunder,

Whistling shot and bursting bomb,

When my brothers fall around me,

Should my heart grow cold and numb?"

THE REVEILLE.

133

But the drum

Answered "Come!

Better there in death united, than in life a rec

reant,

come!"

Thus they answered, — hoping, fearing,

Some in faith, and doubting some,

Till a trumpet-voice proclaiming,

Said, "My chosen people, come !"

Then the drum,

Lo! was dumb,

For the great heart of the nation, throbbing, an

swered, "Lord, we come!"