| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
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| Snowshoeing Song |
| | | Arthur Weir (b. 1864) |
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| HILLOO, hilloo, hilloo, hilloo! | |
| Gather, gather, ye men in white; | |
| The winds blow keenly, the moon is bright, | |
| The sparkling snow lies firm and white; | |
| Tie on the shoes, no time to lose, | 5 |
| We must be over the hill to-night. | |
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| Hilloo, hilloo, hilloo, hilloo! | |
| Swiftly in single file we go, | |
| The city is soon left far below, | |
| Its countless lights like diamonds glow; | 10 |
| And as we climb we hear the chime | |
| Of church bells stealing o’er the snow. | |
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| Hilloo, hilloo, hilloo, hilloo! | |
| Like winding-sheet about the dead, | |
| O’er hill and dale the snow is spread, | 15 |
| And silences our hurried tread; | |
| The pines bend low, and to and fro | |
| The magpies toss their boughs o’erhead. | |
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| Hilloo, hilloo, hilloo, hilloo! | |
| We laugh to scorn the angry blast, | 20 |
| The mountain top is gained and past. | |
| Descent begins, ’t is ever fast— | |
| One short quick run, and toil is done, | |
| We reach the welcome inn at last. | |
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| Shake off, shake off the clinging snow; | 25 |
| Unloose the shoe, the sash untie, | |
| Fling tuque and mittens lightly by; | |
| The chimney fire is blazing high, | |
| And, richly stored, the festive board | |
| Awaits the merry company. | 30 |
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| Remove the fragments of the feast! | |
| The steaming coffee, waiter, bring | |
| Now tell the tale, the chorus sing, | |
| And let the laughter loudly ring; | |
| Here ’s to our host, drink down the toast, | 35 |
| Then up! for time is on the wing. | |
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| Hilloo, hilloo, hilloo, hilloo! | |
| The moon is sinking out of sight, | |
| Across the sky dark clouds take flight, | |
| And dimly looms the mountain height; | 40 |
| Tie on the shoes, no time to lose, | |
| We must be home again to-night. | |
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