THE LADY ARABELLA JOHNSON. When shone she, life to many a heart, And light to many an eye. 33 "And why," thou askest, "doth she come, From where she lived, to bless, Across the wave, to find a home Oh! woman's love, a love to one, Hath power to cheer her fainting on, And weeping men are standing near That suffering, dying one, Adown whose furrowed cheeks no tear For many a year hath run. They may not curb the heart's flow there, Nor gaze in apathy, When one so young and passing fair, Hath lain her down to die. And death upon that pilgrim band And wasted, with unsparing hand, Alike the young and old; And not as yet hath dropped a tear, For one so loved of all, And yet must fall upon her ear, And hear her speak! "My husband, thou Scenes may be thine of deadly strife, "O thou may'st find a kindly one, Nor one to cling as I have clung, In joy and wo, to thee. "Come nearer, dearest! for I feel Life's tide is ebbing fast; THE LADY ARABELLA JOHNSON. 35 And strangely o'er my spirit steal, Of our ancestral hall, Again there falleth on mine ear "And brightly flitteth by me now, When with light step and laughing brow, And then there comes a darker dream, Yet even on it shines a gleam, "I recollect the heaving sea, The cold coast's leaden frown, And the want which fell so heavily, Upon our bough-built town. Yet thou hast cheered me safely through Each scene where fortune led, And calmed my fear, though white spray flew Above our tall mast-head. "I fainter grow-my sight o'ercast Come nearer for one last dim look, "I go uncertain fate to meet, On death's dark, shadowy way, Yet would I felt would be as sweet, As that which waits me;-dark must be She ceased: her cheek which late had burned As back she sunk, again returned One last, one faint attempt to show, By faltering word, her clinging love! One angel less is there below, One seraph more above. A VISION OF BEAUTY. I SAW her once amid the crowd, And though that voice was gladsome then, Her heart's o'erflowing happiness; Or in deep burning tones to tell, Her blighted spirit's bitterness. |