The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-11-05
LAuNCELoT,s VIGIL.

They laid her IN the broad aisle Of the church,
Before the altar, and lit ali the lights;
Anu o'er the bier, Instead Of sable pail
They cast the purple cloak she wore that day
Sh, lied from throne and strife for shelter there.
Ard InuDeelot kept the midnight watch alo1e--
The lagt--with her Guinevere--the dead
IL lang her drgc whe erst had Whispered words
lit those vi ling ears, had thrilled her hetri,-
That heart VII sc tbr0bblng pulses theu Lad lcapd
II burning blushes when he came smear,
And stirrd the very velvet that now lay
50 s,ill upon the silent shape; the while
Hc b, eathed her name her dear name, IN such
tones
A. might have reach'd her in the deepest grave
He read her mass, and wepJ between he prayers,
Imp orng Cos, for Christ incarnate sake
To rive her peace, 70 take her 10 His rest,
Thpt so, when Arthur met her aS she WaIkd
WhnC rObed, with angels in the golden street,
He might forget her human sin, and know
That Gods forgiveness seal her his true wife!
And, when his sacred duty was all done,
He rose fiom kneeling nesth the host, and iook.d
Once more upon her i4ce--and then-and thea
His full heart broke He thought Of all the past
He saw her, a. NJ first, fair young bride,
Regal, yet shy Of slate, and glad 20 be
Apait from court ana laughing WIN her maids,
or dancing changing measure with rare grace.
He felt again the bliss that fired his blood
When first her soft palm, trcm bling, pIe's'd mis-
He saw fbc droo-iag lash, the acwg mouth
Waiting bis prCu4 cIrcss In other limes,
Aud lived aga,u each hOur of passionate JOY,
SWCttcr for D-iBg secre-, saYa CHAT now
Each left upon bis SOU tho we sn. oi crime.
lie how'd 20 Kiss hr l'ps-io clasp 9gaiu
Those ma hl- EEuds. A sort ct h".es delight
Flsshd through bis frame, % -Liuk Il2- hls
should be
The Ia twam touch shou 4 ever linger there
All no ali no be dared no. Sue had gone
TO be forgiven it was not meet that she
Should bear in Eden seal Of former shame.
She had Derived her love; he had no right
Even 10 loOs upon her with the olden thoughts
Since that was lost had sanctlded their guilt
Remuneration was his Offices oath
II was Gods Justice he should suiier this
And she slept there, so cold so pale, SO STILL
And he stool by, so shaken with his grief,
Memories, remOrse, all passions that can war
In 3 mans mind ,-and over bo.h the cross.
And Launcelot paced the lonely aisles, and fought
With his own soul until be tanned his woe,
Aud went not mad with anguish that long night
Then just at dawn, he llnelt beside the corpse,
And pray that IL SO be he yet should win
place In Paradise, II might be where,
face!
~ ~ "a. ~ he cast such sorrow on her liie
II moulu no, shadow her immortal bliss
Gl{ ENeh " memories he would cherish still
@ni"usA ." s'ernity apart from her
And the next day they laid her In the earth
Beside the king and In the open tomb
Sir LaunceOt saw them lyine sida nv, IA.
And sWoOn'd 10 think that he had loved bar so
And yet should be so far away from her -
When, at the resurrection morn, they two
To the last Judgment would together rise
So day By day, be came unto the grave,
And mound and faded, ill his strength no more
Could bear him from his couch, and then hed died.
Died with a snilo upon bis lip, like one
Who takes into his dreams lingering kiss