The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-12-12
POETRY.
Lady Wentworth

The following poem by LoNGFELho", W..
appear in the January number oi '"0 -''''''''''
Monthly:
One hundred wears ago, and something more,
In oneen street Portsmouth, at her tavern door,
Neal as a pin and blooming as a Iose
Stood Mistress Stavers in her furbelows,
Inst as her cuckoo clock was striking nine.
Hhoye her head, respondent on the slgn
1rbe ,nortrait of the Earl of Halifax,
1he scarlet coat and periwig OF flax,
Surveyed at leisure all her varied charms,
Her cap her bodice, her white folded arms,
And half resolved, though he past his prime,
And rather damaged age i BY the lapse Of time,
The passion that had driven him TO despair
For from his lofty station he had seen
Stavers. her husband, dressed in bottle-green,
Drive his now Flying Stage-coach, four finland,
Down the long lane and out into the land,
And knew that he was far upon the way
TO Ipswich and to Boston on the bay!
just then the meditaticns of the Earl
Were interrupted by little girl
Barefooted, ragged with neglected hair,
Eyes full of laughter, neck and shoulders bare
Sure to be rounded into beauty soon;
A creature men would worship and adore,
Though now in mean habiliments she Dor
A pail of water, dripping, through the street
And bathing, as she went, her naked feet.
1t was pretty picture, full of grace
The slender form, the delicate thin face.
The swaying notion as she hurried by:
The:shining feet, the laughter in her eve
That Ger her face in nipples cleaned and glanced
Aud with uncommon feelings of DELIGHT
The Earl of Halifax beheld the sight
Not SO Dame Stavers, for he heard her saw
d These words, or thought he did, as plain as day:
20 Martha Hilton! File! how dare you go
ABOUT the town half dressed, and looking sor'
AZ winch the gypsey laughed and straight replied
In my own chariot, ma lam And on the child
The Earl of Halifax benignly smiled
As with her heavy burden she passed on,
Looked back, then turned the corner and was gone
What pext unon that memorable day
Drew his august attention was gay
And brilliant equipage, that flashed and spun,
The silver harness glittering in the sun,
Outriders with red jackets, 1.-THE and lank
Pounding the saddles as they rose and sank,
While all alone within the chariot sat
A portly person with three-cornered hat
A crimson velvet coat, head high in air.
Gold headed cane, and nicely powdered hair,
And diamond buckles sparkling at his knees
Digniied, stately, horid much at ease
onward the pageant swept, and as it passed
For this was GoSsrnSr low and FAST
10 Little Harbor, just beyond the town
Where his Great House, stood looking out to sea-
A goodly place. where it was good to be.
It was pleasant mansion, an abode
Near and yet hidden from the great high road
Sequestered among trees, noble pile,
Baronlal and colonial in its style;
Gables and dormer-windows everywhere
And stacks OF chimnes rising high in air
Pand4an pipes, on which all winds that blew
Made mournful music the whole winter through.
WITHIN, unwonted splendors met the eve
Panels and floors of oak, and tapestry;
carved chimney pieces, where on brazen dogs
Revelled and roared the Christmas fire of logs:
Doors opening into darkness unawares,
mysterious passages, and flights of stairs:
And on the walls, in heavy gided frames
Ihe ancestral Wentworths with Old-Scripture Names
Such was the mansion where the great man dwell.
A widower and chdless and he felt
Inc loneliness, the uncongenial gloom
Ihat like presence haunted every room:
mo- though not given to weakness he could feel
-n' pam Oh wounds that ache because they heal
The years came and the years went-seyen in all
Ana passed in cloud and sunshine DER the Hall;
me lawns taeir spendor through its chambers shed,
Line sunsets flushed its western windows red
Inc snow was Cd its roof, the wind, the rain;
1 LIS woodlands were in leaf and bare again;
moons waved and waned, the llacs bloomed and died
IN tne Troad river ebbed and flowed the tide
Ships went to sea- and ships came home from sea.
And the slow years sailed by and ceased to be.
And all these years had Martha Hilton served
In the great house, not wholly unobserved;
BY day, by night, the silver crescent crew.
through: '''is
maid Of all work, whether coarse or fine.
A servant who made service seem divine!
Imough her each room was fair to look upon,
The mirrors gistened and the brasses shone,
Inc very knocker on the outer door
Ii sne out passed, was brighter than before.
And now the ceaseless turning of the min
" time that never for an hour stands still
Tround out the Governors sixtieth birthday
And powdered his brown hair with silver gray.
The bluebird with his jocund caroliing "
The restless sI swallows building in the caves
The iIacs toosi the grass the leaves,
An welcomed this majestic holiday!
Sn e ga as splendid banquet, served plate,
who represented England and the King
And was magnificent in everything
he had invited all his friends and Geers
The Pepperes, the Langdons and The Gears
Inc Inc nparnawks, the Penhallows, and the rest,
DOT Pt why repeat the name of every guest?
nyA in
Ihe rector there, the Reverend Arthur Brown
~ u. Ine Establlshed Church; with smiling face
nc saI beside the Governor and said grace:
P Pt .nsn tle leasf went on, as others do
Du' enueu as ho.ie other eer knew.
When they mad drunk the King, with MANY cheer
WE WIZ d 9;veInor whispered in servants ear
Wn9 ar appeared, and presently there stood
I'M n the room, in perfect weinanhood
"A alden, modest and yet self-possessed
outhtui and beautiful, and simply dressed
Can this be Martha Hilton? 1t must be!
Yes, Martha Hilton, and no other she!
lowered with the beauty of her twenty vears
how ladyhke, how queen-lke she appears;
Inc pale thln crescent of the DAYS gone by
Is Dian now in all her majesty!
Tet scarce gnest perceived that she was there
D SntI 1he GOVERNOR rising from his chair
flayed slightly with his ruffies then looked down
And said unto the Reverend Arthur Brown:
This Is my birthday, it shall likewise be
MY "eouing gay; and you shall marry me!''
me me, listening guests were greatly mystified
Marry you? Yes, that were pleasant task
Your Excellenvy; but to whom, I ask ?'' >'
Inc Governor answered: HATo this lady here
AND beckoned Martha Hilton to draw near
Sne came and stood, all bushes, at his side
T Ing rector paused The impatient Governor cried:
~, This Is the lady: do you hesitate?
linen command you as Chief Magistrate"
1 1ne rector read the service loud and clear:
.Dearly beloved, we are gathered here'
AND so on to the end. At his command.
On the fourth finger of her fair left hand
Inc Governor placed the ring; and that ,vas all.
Martha was Lady Wentworth of the Hall,