212 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



observe, it consarned the nation. He could 

 not often be coaxed to sing it. When the old 

 boy did consent to give it, you could have heard 

 a pin drop. As to his face well, it was grave 

 beyond conception; and the best of the song 

 was, a good sound moral, as Piper said, was 

 tacked on to the end on it. In his best days 

 he no doubt owned a good tenor voice, but this 

 had got out of gear a bit, and Piper now 

 wailed rather than sang. For all that, none 

 were listened to with more attention or more 

 respect than he ; there was something pathetic 

 about both the song and the singer. 



As old songs are passing away, I will give 

 my readers the first and last verse of " St. 

 Helena," as Piper rendered them : 



" Now Napoleon's away from all wars and all fighting, 

 He's gone to a place that he ne'er can delight in ; 

 He may sigh to the winds that sweep the wild billows, 

 As he looks out o'er the seas that surround St. Helena." 



The last verse contained the moral : 



" Now all you of high estate cast aside all ambition, 

 Or by some decree of fate it may change your condition ; 

 Be steadfast in time, for what's to come you know not, 

 Or your fate may be like his on the Isle of St. Helena." 



A faulty composition, yet to my mind well 

 suited to the wailing voice of the singer, and it 



