Part 6 (2/2)

She prays so very long and late,-- The two ate Bends drowsily above her prayer

The cypress in his cloak of loom, Has leaned and shaped a shadow-cross Above the nameless, lowly tomb

What can she pray for? What her sin?

What folly of a maid so fair?

What shadows bind the wondrous hair Of one who prays so long within?

The palate; The nolia leans intent

The cypress trees, on gnarled old knees, Far out the dank and roan and creep, Kneel with her in their marshy seas

What can her sin be? Who shall know?

The night flies by,--a bird on wing; The

For one so weary and so old Has hardly strength to stride or stir; He can but hold his bags of gold,-- But hug his gold and wait for her

The two stand still,--stand face to face

The ht air Is perfumed as a house of prayer-- The ray, but one Scarce lifts a full-grown face as yet: With light foot on life's threshold set,-- Is he the other's sun-born son?

And one is of the land of snow, And one is of the land of sun; A black-eyed burning youth is one, But one has pulses cold and slow:

Ay, cold and slow from clime of snow Where Nature's bosom, icy bound, Holds all her forces, hard, profound,-- Holds close where all the South lets go

Blareat schoolhouse for all is clireat school-teacher, Father Time; And each has borne as best he knows

At last the elder speaks,--he cries,-- He speaks as if his heart would break; He speaks out as afor soold, and go!

Co! See, I have two!

Oh, why stand silent, staring so, When I would share old! See how I pray!

See how I bribe, and beg, and buy,-- Ay, buy! buy love, as you, too, old, I beg, I pray!

I beg as one who thirsting cries For but one drop of drink, and dies In some lone, loveless desert way

”You hesitate? Still hesitate?

Stand silent still and mock my pain?

Still mock to see me wait and wait, And wait her love, as earth waits rain?”

V