Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-10-31
QQ(ortcster Daily SUP.
FROM Harpers Monthly Magazine for November
A Fallen Star.
BY FITz-JAMEs o'BRiEN.

n Fallen Star.
BY FITz-JAMEs o'BRiEN.
sauntered home across the mark.
And slowly smoked my last cigar:
Inc summer night was still and dark
with not single star.
And, conjurcd by know not what
-, a memory fioated through my brain,
lie vision Of friend forgot,
And thought Of now with pain.
A brilliant boy that once | knew.
IN former happier days of old,
with sweet frank face, and eyes of blue.
ana halr that shOne like gold
Fresh crowned with college victory
The boast and idol OF his class,
WITH heart as pure and warm and free
AS sunshine on the grass.
A figure sinewy, 1.-the, and strong
laugh infectious in its glee-
a voice as beautiful as song,
When heard along the sea.
On me, the man of sombre thought
Inc radiance Of his friendship won
AS round an autumn tree is wrought
The enchantment Of the sun.
He loved me with a tender truth,
lie chung TO me as elings the vine,
And, hike trimming lount of youth,
Ills nature ileshened mine.
Together hand in hand we walked
W threaded pleasant country ways-
Or, couched beneath the lines. we talked
On sultry summer days.
For me he drew aside the veil
Before his bashful heart that hung,
Ana told sweet ingenious tale
That trembled on his tongue.
He read me songs and amorous love
W here through each slender line fire
vi love flashed lamDently, as plays
The lightning through the wire.
A nobler maid he never knew
man she he yearned to call his wife,
A fresher nature never grew
Along the shores Of life
Thus rearing diamond arches up.
>, w hereon his future life to build,
lie quailed all day the golden cup
That youthful fancy filled.
Like fruit upon southern slope,
lie l1pened on all natural food.
The winds that thrill the skyey cope,
The sunlight's golden blood
And in his talk oft discerned
A timid music vaguely heard;
Inc fragments of song scarce learned,
The essays of a bid
=
Ere yet his pinions warrant flight,
Nlll on the margin of the nest
Utter with strange delight.
Thus rich with promise was the bow,
When, swept abroad by circumstance,
We parted-he to live, enjoy,
And l to war with Chance.
Ihe air was rich with fumes of wine
w hen next mn oto
And he the boy | thought divine,
Was the unhallowed Priest.
There was the once familiar grace,
The old enchanting smile was there;
Sull shone around his handsome face
The glory of his hair.
But the pure beauty that knew
Had lowered through some ignoble task:
Apollo's head was peering through
drunken bacchant's mask.
The smile once honest as The day,
Now walked to words of grossest wit
The eyes, SO simply frank and gay,
With lawiess fires were lit.
He was the idol of the board
lie led the careless, wanton throng-
The soul that once to heaven had scared
Now groyeled in song.
He wildly flung his wit away
In small retort, in verbal brawls.
And played with words as jugglers play
With hollow bra2en balls.
But often when the laugh was loud,
And highest cleaned the circling bowl,
saw what unseen passed the crowd
The shadow on his soul.
And soon the enigma was unlocked;
The harl owing history heard-
The sacred duties that he Knocked,
The forfeiture of word.
And how he did his love a wrong
His wild remorse-his mad career
And now-Ah! hearken to that song
And bark the answering cheer!
Thus musing sadly on the law
That lets such brilliant meteors quench,
Down the dark path form saw
Uprising from bench.
Ragged and pale, in strident tones
1t asked for alms-I knew for what;
The tremor shiyering through its bones
Was eloquent Of the sot.
1t begged, it prayed, it whined it cried,
1t followed with IA shutting tramp
1t would not, could not be denied,
l turned beneath a lamp.
1t clutched the coins gave and fled
with muttered words of horrd gee,
When, like the white returning dead,
vision rose to me.
nameless something in its air,
A sudden gesture as it moved
Twas he, the gay, the debonnare!
Twas he, the boy loved
And while along the lonesome Park
The eager drunkard sped aiar,
looked TO heaven, and through the dark
saw falling star!