venly gem
Now seem to shine alone for them.
O Time! why must thou speed away?
For knowest thou not that present joy
Bears no increase for such as they,
For whom all change must bring alloy?
And thou, young Love! canst thou not make
A lonely Eden for their sake?
'Tis better that but two should find
Gladness of heart and peace of mind,
Than all the greater sum of life--
With burning hearts that fates unbind
And crowding thoughts that gender strife.
But no, the gift of life is one
Of strangest form, of blended tints
And crossing lines, with mingled hints
Of glory from an unseen sun;
And shades that hourly darker grow
For those who seek that sun to know;--
And they must take the whole or none.
So they must wake to memory
Of other things, so they must be
Reminded of the powers that hold
Their future lives, to rule and mold.
"Anpetusapa need not name
The glory of her father's fame;
He is a mighty chief, and none
Too quickly will he choose a son."
"O fear not, my blossom,
For he shall not see
The flower of his bosom
Mismated with me.
Where war-whoops are sounding
Their blood-stirring call,
There I shall go bounding
The foremost of all.
When foemen shall fly me
And chiefs call me brave,
He will not deny me
The boon I shall crave."
"Yes, thou art brave for one so young;
This voice of mine thy feats hath sung
When from the war-path thou returned
On which thy first renown was earned.
If my poor love can make thy bliss,
My service give the happier life,
All hope shall dwell in one kind kiss
For thine eternal-loving wife."
"O blessed promise! future bright!
This feeble tongue of mine can never
Reveal how dear thou art to-night,
How cherished thou shalt be forever!"
* * * * *
The chief approved the suitor bold,
And for rich goods his daughter sold.
She thought not of the trade, but went
To her young lord with true content,
And while she dreamed of joy to come
Her heart was full, her lips were dumb;
And day by day her task was wrought,
Each hour with self-denial fraught;
His wants were met, his lodge was trim,
Her patient thoughts were all for him.
The powers divine did seem to bless
The promise of his wild caress;
And so the happy moons flew by,
Till new refulgence filled her sky
When there appeared a baby boy,
Whose laugh o'erflowed her cup of joy;
For this must prove, she could but feel,
A bond between them strong as steel.
Alas, thou too c
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