The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-03-04
The Spectre Bridegroom.

Ihe Spectre Bridegroom.
FROM THE GERMAN OF BURGER
tas BY PROF. S. WOOD,
Principal Of Monroe academy, Wood!feld, o.
% /.
LENoRA started from her bed
About the break OF day
"Oh William, art thou false or dead?
How long wilt thou delay!"
In Frederic's army, with delight,
He had engaged in Prague's proud fight;
And still had never written home,
That he was well and soon would come.
ii.
At length the Empress and the King,
Z Quite tired of their dispute,
With softened hearts agreed TO bring
An endless peace about.
Both armies now with music come,
With sounding fife and beating drum
Bedecked with %laurels, gaily dressed,
Returning home 10 take their rest.
iii.
And everywhere, now here and there,
Fran public ways and lanes,
Come old and young with joyful song,
To greet returning friends.
"Thank God!" cried child and maiden wild
WELCOMED said many a bride, and smiled,
But now our poor Lenora, sad,
No sweet embrace or kisses had.
w,
Along the line she passed in fine
To seek her William dear;
She asked Of all both great and small
No news of him could hear.
And when the line had well passed on,
And hope in her already gone,
She threw herself upon the ground,
And tossed her raven curls around.
V.
Now filled with grief, to her relief
Her mother ran with haste:
"My dearest child, what makes thee Wild"
Then clasped her to her breast.
o mother, mother, gone-he 5 gone
The world is dark and Pm alone;
All! VIC is me! God has in store
No mercy for me any more"
vi.
"My daughter dear, you need not fear
Dear child, repeat your prayers
What God has done we'll let alone
He s merciful and spares"
30 mother, surely that 3 not so:
am condemned to endless woe;
I've prayed before and He S not heard
III never pray another word"
VII.
but God is just and always must
His praying children bless;
The sacrament, with prayers, if blent,
Would tighten thy distress"
10 mother, now, my grief, Pm sure,
M holy sacrament can cure
No sacrament, I've heard it said,
Can bring to lie again the dead"
VIII.
Snow bark, l say, if far away
In distant lands, or not,
His early spouse and sacred vows.
He has at length forgot;
Why! let him go; child, let him go:
His pertidy will burn him SO
When death is staring a, the gate,
And soul and body separate"
TX.
30 dear! he s gone---no hope can dawn
That he will e'er %return--
My only hope is deaths full! cup
o that l meier was born!
Oh let me die in fear and gloum,
And sink forever in the tomb!
All, woe is me! God has in store
No mercy for me any more"
X.
slave mercy God--nor lift the rod
In judgment with thy child;
She knows not what she talks about-.-
Her misery makes her wild.
Al child, forget this earthly strife,
And think on God--eternal life;
So that the Lord thy soul may wed,
When thou art placed among The dead"
AI.
"Say mother, nice, what 3 Paradise?
Say mother, can you tell?
With him is bliss and happiness.
And without William s hell.
Oh let me die in fear and gloom,
And sink forever in the tomb:
Nor here nor there can solid bliss
Be found fer me--nor happiness"
XII.
But now twas clear that black dispair
Ragged in her mind and blood;
With hearty will, she slandered still
The providence Of God.
She struck her breast and wrung her hands,
Until the sun to western lands
Had sped his way--until the heaven
Was sprinkled with the gems of even!
XIII.
"But bark, my child.--a horseman wild
al Comes tramp, tramp, tramp.--it rights"
Up to the door the horseman bore,
And instantly alights.
All! listen.--hear the door-bell ring,
II gently heats a king, ling, ling;