To the woods! - to the woods! - The sun shines bright,
The smoke rises high in the clear frosty air;
Our axes are sharp, and our hearts are light,
Let us toil while we can and drive away care.
Though homely our food, we are merry and strong,
And labour is wealth, which no man can deny;
At eve we will chase the dull hours with a song,
And at grey peep of dawn let this be our cry,
To the woods! - to the woods! - &c.
Hark! how the trees crack in the keen morning blast,
And see how the rapids are cover'd with steam;
Thaw your axes, my lads, the sun rises fast,
And gilds the pine tops with his bright golden beam.
To the woods! - to the woods! - &c.
Come, chop away, lads! the wild woods resound,
Let your quick-falling strokes in due harmony ring;
See, the lofty tree shivers - it falls to the ground!
Now with voices united together we'll sing -
To the woods! - to the woods! - The sun shines bright,
The smoke rises high in the clear frosty air;
Our axes are sharp, and our hearts are light,
Let us toil while we can and drive away care,
And drive away care.
J.W.D.M.
CHAPTER XII
THE VILLAGE HOTEL
Well, stranger, here you are all safe and sound;
You're now on shore. Methinks you look aghast, -
As if you'd made some slight mistake, and found
A land you liked not.
