ST. NICHOLAS
Vol. XXXII.
February, 1905
No. 4
Barry
By Mary Rowles Jarvis.
Away on the mountain’s shoulder,
Where the storm-wind’s icy breath
Blows keen over drift and boulder,
A blast from the hills of death,
Where the storm-wind’s icy breath
Blows keen over drift and boulder,
A blast from the hills of death,
The lights of the Hospice glistened
Far over the wastes of snow,
And the monks, at their vespers, listened
To the moan of the storm below.
Far over the wastes of snow,
And the monks, at their vespers, listened
To the moan of the storm below.
For the snow-cloud’s awful curtain
Had shrouded the Pass all day,
And the pathway, at best uncertain,
Deep buried in snow-drifts lay.
Had shrouded the Pass all day,
And the pathway, at best uncertain,
Deep buried in snow-drifts lay.
But safe in the courtyard herded,
The dogs with their master stood,
Till each broad neck should be girded
With cordial and light and food.
The dogs with their master stood,
Till each broad neck should be girded
With cordial and light and food.
Then away! every foe defying,
Their noble work to perform,
To search for the lost ones lying
Asleep in the pitiless storm.
Their noble work to perform,
To search for the lost ones lying
Asleep in the pitiless storm.
Not one had been known to tarry,
Or falter at duty's call,
But the king of the dogs was Barry,
The bravest dog of them all.
Or falter at duty's call,
But the king of the dogs was Barry,
The bravest dog of them all.
For out of the drifts ensnaring,
Where their tottering victim strives,
By his deeds of noble daring
He had rescued a score of lives.
Where their tottering victim strives,
By his deeds of noble daring
He had rescued a score of lives.
That day, through the tempest climbing,
Two travelers urged their way,
The plan of their journey timing
By night with the monks to stay.
Two travelers urged their way,
The plan of their journey timing
By night with the monks to stay.
But the snowflakes traveled faster,
And soon in the whirl of the gale
Each step threatened new disaster,
And courage began to fail.
And soon in the whirl of the gale
Each step threatened new disaster,
And courage began to fail.
And one of them fumed in anger
And said, as he paused at length,
“A curse on this terrible languor!
Let us drink to revive our strength:
And said, as he paused at length,
“A curse on this terrible languor!
Let us drink to revive our strength:
“’T is well I ’ve a flagon handy.”
But his comrade, in sore affright,
Cried, “Man, if you taste of brandy,
You ’re dead ere the morning light!”
But his comrade, in sore affright,
Cried, “Man, if you taste of brandy,
You ’re dead ere the morning light!”
Copyright, 1905, by The Century Co. All rights reserved.
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