Page:Poems Sigourney, 1834.pdf/151

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In 1704, when Deerfield was taken by the Indians, a small church-bell was carried away on a sledge as far as Lake Champlain and buried. It was afterwards taken up and conveyed to Canada.

red men came in their pride and wrath, Deep vengeance fired their eye, And the blood of the white was in their path, And the flame from his roof rose high.

Then down from the burning church they tore The bell of tuneful sound, And on with their captive train they bore That wonderful thing toward their native shore, The rude Canadian bound.

But now and then, with a fearful tone, It struck on their startled ear— And sad it was, 'mid the mountains lone, Or the ruined tempest muttered moan, That terrible voice to hear.

It seemed like the question that stirs the soul Of its secret good or ill, And they quaked as its stern and solemn toll Re-echoed from rock to hill.

And they started up in their broken dream, 'Mid the lonely forest-shade,