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Page:Poems Merrill.djvu/133

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A TALE FROM A MOUNTAIN GRANGE
127
And reached the spot where stands this hall When lo! in yonder field He spied a form approaching near, And found 'twas Brother Heald And on the self same purpose bent! Lute straightway feared the worst; It but remained now to be seen Which one would get there first!
Lucius quickened up his pace Nor stopped for rocks or planks, Tis said his record equaled then The far-famed Nancy Hanks! He nearly now his courage lost, The way seemed not so clear To be the first to break the ground With tother feller near.
So in the road the spade he dropped And scooped it full of earth Then sprang with all his wondrous might And ran for all he's worth And dumped that sand upon the spot, And made a little mound—"Ah, ha!" quoth he, "I am the first To break the Grange Hall ground!'