One sudden, lifted glance - but one— A tremor and a start — So gently was their greeting done That who would guess their heart? Long, long the sun had sunken down, Had died away to lines of brown, The grasshopper was chirping shrill; That gurgled under ground; The stars, like pallid gems at first, Now forth upon the darkness burst, Nor more majestic Jove. But what if hearts there beat that night That recked not of the skies, Or only felt their imaged light And if two worlds of hidden thought And longing passion met, Which, passing human language, sought And found an utterance yet; And if they trembled as the flowers That droop across the stream, And muse the while the starry hours Wait o'er them like a dream; And if, when came the parting time, They faltered still and clung; What is it all?—an ancient rhyme Ten thousand times besungThat part of Paradise which man Without the portal knows, Which hath been since the world began, And shall be till its close. ANONYMOUS. Lochinvar. Он, young Lochinvar is come out of the west; He staid not for brake, and he stopped not for stone; He swam the Esk river where ford there was none; But, ere he alighted at Netherby gate, The bride had consented, the gallant came late : For a laggard in love, and a dastard in war, Was to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar. So boldly he entered the Netherby hall, 'Mong bridesmen, and kinsmen, and brothers, and all: Then spoke the bride's father, his hand on his sword, (For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word), "Oh come ye in peace here, or come ye in war, Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar?" "I long wooed your daughter, my suit you denied; Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide; And now I am come, with this lost love of mine, To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine; There are maidens in Scotland more lovely by far, That would gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar." The bride kissed the goblet, the knight took it up; He quaffed off the wine, and he threw down the cup. She looked down to blush, and she looked up to sigh, With a smile on her lips, and a tear in her eye. OUR LOVE SHALL LIVE. Clambering roses peep into her chamber, Ah! will the rose-bough see her lying lonely, When the petals fall and fierce bloom is on the leaves? 241 Happy, happy time, when the gray star twinkles And the gold sun wakes and weds her in the blue. Will the autumn garners see her still ungath- I catch her little hand as we listen to the lark. ered, When the fickle swallows forsake the weeping Shall the birds in vain then valentine their sweeteaves? hearts? Season after season tell a fruitless tale? Comes a sudden question—should a strange hand Will not the virgin listen to their voices? pluck her! Oh! what an anguish smites me at the thought! Should some idle lordling bribe her mind with jewels! Can such beauty ever thus be bought? Take the honeyed meaning, wear the bridal veil ? Waits she the garlands of spring for her dower? Sometimes the huntsmen, prancing down the val- Till the April woodland has built her bridal ley, Eye the village lasses, full of sprightly mirth; Would she were older and could read my worth! Are there not sweet maidens, if she still deny Show the bridal heavens but one bright star? me bower? Then come, merry April, with all thy birds and beauties! With thy crescent brows and thy flowery, showery glee; With thy budding leafage and fresh green pastures; And may thy lustrous crescent grow a honeymoon for me! So I rhyme and reason till she darts before Come, merry month of the cuckoo and the violet! |