The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-05-02
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From the n Y. Evening Post.
THE FAVORED SLAVE.
BY EDGAR PHILLIPS.


The opening leaves the sunbeam seek,
With just enough OF a fric blood
To add a richness 10 her cheek
The proudest daughter OF the free.
With all the homage wealth can buy,
Gould never. without jealousy,
Have seen the brightness of her eye
No cruel chain on her soft arms
Had ever left its shameful traces
No masters whip had MARI d her charms
Her lines seemed cast in pleasant places.
What wonder, then. the Planters son
Affection felt he blushed to show
Sought in return. too easy won.
A love but the dependent know
What wender, since we oft oareSs
And fondle what they call "chattel,'
Wait with more interest for yes
Than mankind ever wait for "cattle %
Let this responsive sympathy
The minds eff southern men illumine
W hatever Afric SONS may be
The daughters surely must be human.
A woman's eye, TO woman true,
Tells Of loving heart within
Still will a woman's soul shine through,
Whatever color be the skin.
One eve, the zephyrs DER the lea
Were whispering love to all aronnd,
But told their tals so nostlessly
That silence almost seemed sound;
When, wnere the Roanoke's soft wave
Came lovingly to kiss the shore,
The fond young freeman met the slave,
AS he had of o done before.
And there, with words that lovers speak,
And trusting woman loves to hear,
Fe drove the fear from her warm cheek,
And quite dispelled each maiden fear.
He told her that the listening moon.
The watching ars wOnld fade and fall,
Ere he forgot his fair quadroom-
And she, poor girl, believed it all.
lfthGres pleasure midst our cares.
One Joy beneath earth's clouded skies,
That fallen man with angel shares
relic of a paradise
We find it hidden 'mong the flowers
That woman's loving hand has strewed-
We feel it " hen her heart to ours
Beats warm with love and gratitudc.
But love, uncertain in it's kindness,
Too OF en- ends in misery
And careless Cupid in his blindness
Makes sad mistakes in archery,
For oft the heart is made to yearn
Flo; those 'twere better far to hate
We trusting love. and only learn
The lesson when it comes too late.
Ye waves. that kiss the mo ,nbeam mild,
AS it C dane ny . the river,
Some favor show the favor'd child,
A word of warning kindly give her.
Inhcritor of Saxon pride
Can YOU no mark of semblancc see
In her who's sitting by your side
To him who sternly frowns on thee 2
Twas more than anger, more than shame,
Twas more than sorrow or disgrace,
That shook that fathers naughty frame,
And drove the color from his fee,
As tremblingly he slept between,
And with gesture bid them part
BY his wild look, one might hGve s1cn
Twas deep remorse that wrung his heart.
The fond son, conscious of his wrong,
Befo: g his sire. on Bonded knee,
Cor fessed the passion cherished long,
And spoke If lands where all were free.
The father said-it grieved him sore,
For reasons that he dare not tell
Unless they vowed to meet no more.
He'd sell the slave he loved SO well,
Oh, curse the crime that led that pair
To follow in forbidden ways;
That makes the paths of sin look fair,
And pleases those whom it betrays.
Oh, slavery | my country's shame
Destroyer of It's former peace,
The only blot on its good name.
When will thy mournful triumphs cease
That night the slave st' lie from her bed
Her took Diet, rlnined, yet not wild,
She seemed spirit from the dead,
So meekly sad. so sternly mild.
When morning chased the weary night
From yonder mansions stately halls,
Fond eyes grew dim, and cheeks turned
white,
One answered not to friendly calls.
They traced her footsteps to the shore;
Her mantle, driven by the wave.
Law on the beech-but nothing more
Was ever seen of that fair slave.
There. as the morning gently dawned,
TIVE weeping men looked DER the water
The younger man a mistress mourued,
The elder man wept for daughter.