BY GEO. W. H. HARRISON. 'Tis midnight in these prison walls, Sepulchral sounds, as if he trod In vain I close my weary eyes, I hear an angel's rustling wings A sacred presence haunts the air, And memory awakes again, I seem to hear, deep in my soul, While each pulsation of my heart To see once more that lovely form To hear again her melting voice To feel the tender, soft caress And hear from her departed lips That lies beyond Time's rugged shore, Whom angels capture for the skies I muse again, with loving thought, And live again our buried past, I view again the pleasing scene Where happy scholars daily met, I see again the old armchair With watchful eye and helpful hand, I hear again the sleepless hum Of students pouring o'er the books Amid that happy, guileless throng, That held in the Master's tender heart It was a face, O God! how fair! More fit for heaven than for earth. The brow was high and broad and white, The cheeks, like lilies dipped in blood, Eyebrows dark and delicately arched, The ruby ripeness of her lips Her lustrous eyes, whose depths were brown, Were windows of a spotless soul Abundant tresses of dark brown hair Enveloped as chaste and lovely form A voice so soft, so sweet, so low Sweet notes of blissful melody, None could look upon that face Could chill the rapture of a soul Her mind had wondrous power and scope; And rightly understood and loved Contentment, truth and virtue Self-sacrifice to her was joy, While yet a child her spirit soared And mused with soulful tenderness The teacher's stern, imperious heart And 'neath her hallowed influence The haughty heart, that never sought Poured its richest tribute The face, that never even blanched Grew pale as death the hour he asked No word she spake, but simply laid He folded her in warm embrace Each lived a life of conscious joy; The lover sought earth's fairest flowers Deeply they drank at the font of love; The hours were seasons of perfect bliss; Days and months flew swiftly by And two sweet babes were garnered They neither thought nor dreamed of aught They greeted the morn with soft caress Till, thundering on the wings of Time, That dashed a home in pieces The husband pressed her to his breast But with the parting of that kiss The kindred angels joyful flew And gently wafted her soul above, "She is dead! Kiss her and come away. Your May-Bell is cold, senseless clay; They smoothed her tresses of dark brown hair Over her eyes, that oped too much, They closed with tender touch, that day, About her brow and her sweet pale face Placed on her feet the white silk shoes Over her bosom crossed her hands; With bowed heads they left the room, And naught, save silence, lingered there But I loved her far too well to dread I cautiously opened the chamber door I kissed her lips, I kissed her cheek, I called her names, she loved, awhile, And not one passionate whisper of love "Cold lips," I murmured, "breast without breath, Dull to ear and still to the sense, See, I listen with soul, not ear; Was it the infinite wonder of all Or was it a greater marvel to feel Was the miracle greatest to find how deep Did life roll back its record, my dear, Oh, did love, sweet mistress of bliss, For radiant ones in the world above Oh, perfect death! Oh, dead most dear, I listen as deep as fathomless hell, There must be pleasure in dying, my sweet, I'd tell you, darling, if I were dead I'd speak, though the angel of death had laid Not in vain should you, with streaming eyes, Oh, foolish world! Oh, precious dead! Who will believe I heard you say "I can speak now—you listen with soul alone: In this land of infinite bliss "I see and love and kiss you again; I know your heart is honest and true; "What a strange, delicious amusement is death! I should laugh did you not cry; "I am now your heaven-decked bride; Dear one, it lies there, I know, "And you say, 'May-Bell is dead.' I can see your falling tears, "Yet I smile and whisper this: Cease your tears and let it lie, "Dear one, what the women love Is a garment I have quit, "'Tis a cage from which, at last, Love the inmate, not the room, "Love my spirit, not the bars, Be wise, dear one, and quickly dry "What you place upon the bier 'Tis an empty shell at last, "The shell is broken, it lies there, 'Tis an earthen jar, whose lid "The soul He made to live on high; Let the dross be earth's once more, "God is glorious! God is good! Life's ceaseless wonder is at an end, "See, the lover you call dead Loves and homes you lost, 'tis true, "Yet deep in your inmost soul I'll be with you every hour, "To guard each moment of your life At night I'll linger 'round your bed, "And while you, slumbering, dream of me, Where e'er you go, where e'er you stray, "Guarding you with zealous care, Chasing every tear away, "Chide you when you go astray; Lead you, with an unseen hand, "Where Peace and Love and Perfect Joy Shall ever bless the happy band, "Once there, we'll never part again, I cannot, dare not, say farewell; "I am gone before your face, When you come where I have stepped "You'll know by Love Eternal taught I beg you not to dread sweet death; "Of the life that God hath given Be certain, darling, all seems love, "The cares and troubles that arise They'll waft you to a home above, I heard these words and fell on the breast I yearned for those blissful regions above My peerless flower, tho' nipped in youth, I see in the distance a roseleaf hand Tho' parted on earth we'll meet in the sky, Oh, bliss supernal! Oh, rapture complete, For years and years I've watched in vain In vain I've tried, with mortal eyes, Oh, sweetheart of the days of yore, Shall I languish all alone One glance of love, one word of cheer Oh, hearken to my piteous cries, Oh, listen! Earth-born mortals, see! The self-same face—divinely fair— Her laughing eye and glowing cheek My head is pillowed on her breast, The dulcet tones of her dear voice She folds me 'neath her dazzling wings, Oh, list those melting tones of love, Oh, hear the words her dear lips speak: "False are the glittering gems of earth, One moment in heaven is worth a life "Death is but the dawn of day, The soul lives on in rapturous bliss "Oh, dear one, still your haunting fears; Awaits your coming to the skies, "Lest earth detain you till too late Oh, tarry not on earth too long, She spake, and through the vaulted sky, She wings her rapid noiseless flight Nay, not alone; for in my soul That lures me to a higher life, Farewell, prison blight and bars, Welcome, Death, at any hour, |