The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-06-04
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For tie zz!yis f Mteliigeiccr.
Reformed.

Night end through heavens blue mus
The stars, the only watchers DER the now hushel
Earth, beam with unwonted fustre. Ay, they
Troop to night like unrobod angels seeming TO bless
The world they shine oa-eyen though cursed by sin.
For by this dire calamity ''came Death, &.
And all the other ills that flesh is heir to-
In fair home mother clasped. for the first
Time, her now born babe, and her heart woke
To the deep, untried joy of motherhood.
IT'S only lent.
Days and then weeks passed by and now
No gladness wretthed the brow of the fond mother.
On her face she wore look of and anxiousncss
Then the father came and bent his regal heal
Above the little sleeper folded back the clothes gaz
Upon the image nesting there; quickly the mothers
Hand was laid upon his own as if to stay it.
And ne IH Questioned Tell me, darling can read
Give strength to bear this burden But what have we
Done, beloved one, youor II that he should be
Deformedi Deformed it cannot be-our irst-born
And our her you have Weakened with strange fancies
Hush II is no fancy; l have Weakened 10 the
Sad reality reality only too soon Can ever say that
What He wills is best?" 49,
Summer smiled as in. the years gone by,
And other babes were born in that same household;
But they were wondrocsly beautiful in face and form.
Arnold, the Deformed, with them but not of
Them he had been dreamer from his birth.
Always alone-even in the crowded hall where
Students toled, or in the dim and solitary woods.
1et VINO cen say he'was alonGi To him the earth
was full OF converse Of the Almighty and
He saw in tiny buds and plants in stretching waste
AND ~ the Tar blue depths the silent workings of
His wonIrous hand.
AT times the merry voices and the happy laugh
N romping children reached him, and he started
Painfully and sadly upfor in his heart it found echo
" nat though the shrine be marred? may not the
soul be brighter far than those of outward beautys
Ey none could gaze in those dark, soul-lit eyes
ana turn away, not knowing that a mind lu-ked,
Ihero which few had learned to know and fewer still
10 love. He wont to ponder on the mystic page
VI oden poets drinking their fiery PASSIONS and when
came the night, "the STILL calm holy night"
Ihey found him watching, eager AMI motiopless,
sor consultations fair, charmed as the scholar of
Thebet Ben Chorat. And when the meteor flashed,
HIS hands We're clasped and his form quivered
AT thought that even star could pass from
Heaven end not be missed,
Manhood came soon, and then the struggle was
AKIN to madness.tor Love awoke with yearning
Strong death.
He was wont to steal from those who sought
HIM; but there came one whom he shranlc not
From-a woman, radiantly beautiful, whom but
10 see was then to love; and she was good as beautiful
Her eyes filed 18th tears when she beheld him.
Ana her hand clasped his with moro than woman's
pity For him the day had dawned, they were
together always, ut morning when the radiant
Orb OF day pencilled tho East with all its roseate
Hues and when he sank and the low snrging
VI tho distant sea foil uu tbs ear, then drank they
Joy together. He only knew she beside him
ohly heard her soft, low tones which to him
Henceforth all earth's music. But, alas that he
must waken from the dream to know his
Wretchedness She plghted to another.
Ay! he saw her stand at The altar with him
Heard the solemn and husbands kiss
Upon the lips no loved, and the hushed wall
Broke from him and he fell. Death and the Bridal
Met in that same hour.
Norma was first beside him. and his hand
Sought hers and his lips murmured, closer,
Yet closer darling, let me feel, though even
In death, thy breath upon my cheek, and / can
Die. 1t is not hard to die for one we love-
And have done il, and in heaven we'll meet
But not in form like this, "Transformed into
His image-no more Delorned"
E. Bib