All cover’d in snow the young man lay, In a sort of uncomfortable kind of way; And though as dead as any nail, A voice was heard borne on the gale―― Upards! A. Z. _The Tonbridgian_, April 1873. ―――――――― M. DURUOF. The shades of night were falling fast, As from the table d’hôte there pass’d A pair who cried that they would rise, Obedient to the people’s cries, Excelsior! Their hearts were brave――with reckless breath, They swore they both could face the Death! And, answering to the mob’s fell clang, Foolhardy were the boasts that rang, Excelsior! In Calais’ streets they saw the light Of homes and gas-lamps gleaming bright, Yet from their lips escaped no groan, As onward flew the mad balloon, Excelsior! “Try not the air,” their friends had said, “Dark storms are raging overhead; The seas are tossing far beneath, And you will meet with certain death, Excelsior!” “Come, let us go!” his wife had cried; “We will not stay, for all beside Will chaff us, if we do, and jeer;” He answer’d, “You are right, my dear, Excelsior!” “Beware the Tempest’s awful blast! ’Twill sweep you out to sea at last!” This was the Frenchman’s last good-night. Cried some one, now far out of sight, “Excelsior!” Next morn some sailors out at sea With nets were toiling wearily; When loud resounded through the air A cry that made them wondering stare, Excelsior! Two travellers at the dismal sound, Half-buried in the waves were found, Grasping with eager clutch the ropes, On which depended all their hopes, Excelsior! There ’mid the tossing billows’ spray, Wretched and shivering they lay; The freed balloon then, with its car, Shot upward like a rising star, Excelsior! _The Tonbridgian_, September, 1874. ―――――――― THE EXCELSIOR CLIMBING BOY. (_Poëma partìm Canino-Latinum, post_ LONGUM――_seu potiùs, meritò dicatur_,――EXCELSIOREM SOCIUM). Some few, whose days are closing fast, Remember, in their time long past, How youth, in toil of little price, Might yet have borne, for their device, Excelsior! These youngsters, in that distant time, Swept chimneys, which they had to climb, They could have cried as they clomb higher, Like one who skywards did aspire, Excelsior! Our “Climbing Boys,” as they were called, Howe’er they “Sweep!” and “Soot O!” bawled, As they ascended up the flue Were not instructed to halloo Excelsior!