New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-10-03
IFor the New Orleans orsscsns.
FORSAKEN.


@ BY MILLS ANnoNETTR.
oh, mother, fold me close,
Close to your gentle breast,
D Tue burden Of my heart and brain
"A moment there to rest
oh, mother, would die.
What more hath life for met
A weak, frail bark, thus early wrecked
On Its tumultuous sea.
Sweet mother, tighter still,
Let me feel your clasping arms,
And pray, oh pray that thought Of death
Hath more than syren's charms! -.
Down on my burning lids,
Press your cool and soothing hand,
And from my brow, oh, strive to loose
This Tightening, iron band!
And tell me, If you ever knew
A heart Of sixteen years,
That, burning from its deadly wrongs,
Dried up the source Of tears.
And tell me, If such woe is sent &
To punish awful sin,
And If it hath holy power
Once more sweet peace to win. ~
Oh, mother, was not content
Nay, glad, the livelong day,
TO sit and sew with earnest care,
To scare I" the wolf" away2
And did not, when he, the friend,
Advanced playmate'S claim
Most frankly say, the great, gay world
Had quite forgot our name7
And still found myself content
With toll, and your dear love.
Oh, mother, can this hard, hard fate,
Find sanction from above7
Into my heart food be pour'd
OF loves delicious wine,
And I, oh weak and girlish thing!
thought the source divine.
Oh, mother, did not honor seem
Upon his brow enthroned! ..
And oh, how oft for me, he's said,
He all the world disowned.
He said, be placed higher price
Upon my golden hair,
Than all that wealth or fashion owned,
Or boosted Of, as rare.
He said, my eyes were beacon lights,
To mark his course In life,
And that twonld crown bis msnhood's hopes
To call me " darling wife,"
Now, mother, strike me /; for the blow
Cannot degrade me more;
To-day I've stood, like beggar mean, .5
At the great cathedral door!
Stood where the costly robes
OF his bride went rustling by
The lavish richness of their flow,
Drowning my sobbing sigh.
Stood where saw her hand
Lying closely clasped in his, t"s
While his soul looked out through eager eyes,
In an ecstacy Of bliss.
Mother, ! sunk to lower depth
/ followed the bridal train,
Into the gush Of music sweet,
That swelled in the holy fame! a..
Into the light Of an hundred lamps,
And up through the carpeted aisle;
And saw, my God, tho my heart was broke
His lips were wreathed with smile!
l saw them bend, in stately pride,
Low at the affairs rail,
And heard them breathe on the perfumed air
The VOWS that are never to fail!
As they swept me by, the thought uprose,
To sting this naughty bride,
To boldly say, I'm his promised wife,
Though you're now at his side"
It died its death, for bitterly knew
Her scorn could not stoop SO low
2 As the mental thing, though possessed Of
heart,
Condemned for living to sew!
Oh, mother, they're gone to their gilded home
To the dance, and the festive cheer,
And have come to this wretched abode,
To make poverty even more drear!
know that am very young,
He said himself, "but child"
But woman s heart alone could know
These papgs SO fierce and wild!
oh, clasp me close in your arms!
oh, hold me near to your heart
And pray to God, that this prompting to sin
May out from my bosom depart!