Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-03-16
PDEVas v.
THE GANESTER.

I saw n fair aud ilaAen-haired boy
Shed kindly tears upon a wounded dove,
And press il to his innocent young lips;
Striving in vain to give re,ivng breath
To the death-stricken lutterer then bless'd
The sweet humanity of the bright child,
And thought how his kind heart in after years,
Would make the happiness of creatures fair
And sinless like himself stroye to soothe
His gentle sorrow, and his large blue eyes
Look'd up in gratitude. whilst bright smile
Play'd like a sunbeam o'er his matchIess face.
Long years passed OH: sought the crowded town
But often to my thought that lovely child
Came like a fairy vision: in the world
/ nothing saw SO beautiful,-so kind.
There is a gentle being sits alone
Tn Won low chambers on her wearied knees
A sleeping babe is lying; on lis cheek
The mothers tears have fallen and see, il stlrs
Its little limbs, and, with peo,ish cry,
Opens its full blue eyes, as if to ask
What means the unlind shower; then, at once,
The desolate girl dries up her tears, and smiles
Upon the moaning infant, aud puts back
The glossy ringets from its sunny brow
Ard kisses the sweet babe, till "A smile
Dispars his rosebud lips;-that eye, that smile,
They are the same | once have look d upon;
The same that grac d the ender-hearted child
Who mourn'd his dying brd-these helpless ones
They are his own-hs wife, and his fair boy.
'Tis past the hour of midnight; still she sits
And hears no sound but the dull watchman' 5 tread
Ring slowly Ger the pavement: the hush d babe
Hath sunk again to sumber; his soft breath
Moves lightly the neglected curls that hang
Ger his sad mothers bosom:-surely hers
Should be fate Of besscdness; the bride
OF one so tender; but these lonely tears
Are these the signs of happiness that form,
Wasted with fev'rsh watching-this dull room
Bearing the marks of abect penury,
These do not speak ofbss. heavy step
Winds slowly up the dark and narrow stair:
Can this be he-the vision of my youth,
The beautiful, the tender That flush d cheek
Robb' d of its youthful freshness-those dim eyes
Heavy with midni.h rot-these the same
look d upon when innocence and health
Shone like glory round him.
Alas, for human excellence! that minds
Gifted with all the rich and golden stores
, Of genius and of feeling, should 50 oft
BE first to catch the worlds polluted stain,
Whose backness rests upon their name for ever!
hath he :
prey.
His open heart expos'd him te the wes
Ofcod and selfish men: he hath lost ALL
All save these hapless ones; and they are DOOM
TO share the burthen of his want and crime.
Few words are spoken by that wretrhed pair;
Languid and spirtess, he throws his limbs
Upon the humble couch, and scarce replies
To all her fond solcitude: she fears
His health is vanished with his happiness,
And trembIingy hangs o 'er her guilty lord,
With all the tenderness that woman feels,
When the unworthy partner of her life
IL suffering or penent.
1t is not in mans heart TO see unmov'd
Such uncompIaining grei;-a bitter pang
Shoots thro' the bosom of the libcrtine,
As he beholds the innocent young face
Which bloom'd so lately fresh in rosy health,
Now sunk with silent suffering He draws
The mild enduring being to his arms,
And tears, repentant tears, o'erflows his eyes
They fall like dews from heaven; his many crime
Are all forgiven by that gentle one;
She sees him but the husband of her love,
The father of her child Upon her knecf
She sinks before him; and in the great uane
OF the eternal God, implores that he
Will leave the evil men, whose arts have wrougf
Such change in his pure healthier holy words,
Her beautiful pale face turned up to heaven
In pray'r for his mis- dolngs-his young boy
Sleeping in lovely helplessness,- he feels
That these are twining round his heart again
In all their touching sacredness.-W hat spells
Dost thou, oh vice! possess, to draw the soul
From these most pure affections! Can it be
That he, who looks upon that saint-llke form,
Who knows that for his sake, those eyes have 10
Their diamond radiance, that fair cheek It's bloom
Shall again return 90 the dark ways
OF reckless dissipation'-In this hour,
This quiet time of midnight, he abjures
The errors of his life and soemnly
Calls upon Heaven to witness to his vows.
Alas! this penitence hath passed away
Ere many suns have set: he will not bear
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