By far Lochard or Aberfoyle. But nearer was the copsewood grey, 'T were long to tell what steeds gave o'er, Alone, but with unbated zeal, That horseman plied the scourge and steel; Two dogs of black Saint Hubert's breed, Unmatch'd for courage, breath, and speed, Fast on his flying traces came And all but won that desperate game; For, scarce a spear's length from his haunch, The hunter marked that mountain high, And deem'd the stag must turn to bay, For the death-wound and death-halloo, There, while close couch'd, the thicket shed Cold dews and wild-flowers on his head, Rave through the hollow pass amain. Close on the hounds the hunter came, THE RAVEN EDGAR ALLAN POE Edgar Allan Poe was born in Baltimore, Md., February 19, 1809, and died there October 7, 1849. NCE, upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, ONCE Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door: ""Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door Only this, and nothing more." Ah, distinctly I remember! It was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me felt before; filled me with fantastic terrors never So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating "'T is some visitor entreating entrance at my cham This it is and nothing more." Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, "Sir," said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure I heard you,”— here I opened wide the door: Darkness there, and nothing more. Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, |