“For all within is peace and love;”

So through the curtain’s lace

I glanced the reckless words to prove,

And saw a lover’s face

Bent close above two eyes of blue.

Why should I dim their day?

Across the pane the blind I drew,

And softly crept away.

I went again, one summer eve;

The rose blushed at the door

But smiled as sweetly to receive

Me as it did before;

The breeze came out as joyously,

And lingered at my side,

And murmured: “Tarry now and see

Our happy groom and bride.”

“O, no!” I said, “some other day

I’ll call the pair to see.”

But as I turned to go away

They both looked out at me.

O! what a light of hope and love

Their features then o’erspread;

And a shekinah from above

Seemed on the cottage shed.

Years crept away. When next I came

Before that open door,

A little child pronounced my name

That golden tresses wore.

“Will you come in?” she gladly cried,

And opened wide the gate.

“My little one,” I slow replied,

“The day is low and late.

“To-morrow when the sun is bright,

I’ll come and play with you;

Too chilly now, the falling night,

Too damp the evening dew.”

And so I did. I often trod

Along the side yard there;

And found that fresher grew the sod,

The sky more bright and fair.

I once had said that every rose

Held just a briar or two,

And every river as it flows

A dark wave with the blue;

But ’twas not thus I found it here,

The world that night I’d tell

That I had found a sky so clear

That rain drops never fell.

Thus musing on that sweet child’s face

That night I could not sleep,

A shadow seemed the light to chase

As storms the ocean sweep;

And when the stars forsook the sky

And birds their matins sang

I strolled again the cottage by

And loud the door-bell rang.

The rose had dropped its leaves and died,

I heard within a sob.

What did it mean? The winds replied

“Crape hangs upon the knob.”

Softly I raised the window’s lace—

The little child was dead—

I threw a flower across her face,

I never will go back again

Or push the blinds apart—

I sought a sunshine for my pen,

Found shadows for my heart.