Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-12-13
THE CHRONICLE.
From the Atlantic for December.l
THE LEGEND BEAUTIFUL.
BY II. W. LoNGFELLoM.

BY II. W. LoNGFELLOW.
"Had'st thou stayed, must have fed =
That is what the Vision said.
In his chamber all alone,
Kneeling on the floor Of stone,
| Prayed the Monk in deep contrition,
| For his sins of indecision.
Prayed for greater self-denial,
In temptation and in trial
1t was MONDAY by the dial,
And the Monk was all alone.
Suddenly, as ifit lightened,
An unwonted splendor frightened
All within him and without him
In that narrow cell of stone;
And he saw the Blessed Vision
OF our Lord, with light Elysian
Like vesture wrapped about him.
Not as crucified and slain,
Not in agonies of pain,
Not with bleeding hands and feet,
Did the Monk his Master see;
But as in the village street,
In the house or harvest field,
Halt and lame and blind he healed,
When he walked in Galilee.
In an attitude imploring,
Hands upon his bosom crossed,
Wondering, worshipping, adoring,
Knelt the Monk in rapture lost.
Lord, he thought, in Heaven that reign
est,
Who am I, that thus thou deignest
To reveal thyself to me?
Who am I, that from the center
Of thy glory. that thou shouldst enter
This poor cell, my guest to be?
Then amid his exaitation,
Loud the convent bell appalling,
From its belfry calling, calling,
Rang through court and corridor,
With persistent iteration
He had never heard before.
1t was now the appointed hour,
When alike, in shine or shower,
Winters cold, or summers heat,
To the convent portals came,
All the blind and halt and lame,
All the beggars of the street,
For their daily dole of food
Dealt them by the brotherhood;
And their almoner was he,
Who upon his bended knee,
Rapt in silent ecstasy
OF diTinest self-Surrender,
Saw the Vision and the Splendor.
Deep distress and hesitation
with his alteration,
Should he 60, or should he stay?
Should he leave the posr to wait
Hungry at the convent gate,
Till the Vision passed away?
Should he slight his heavenly guest,
Slight his visitant celestial
For crowd of ragged, hestial
Beggars st the convenfgate?
Would the Vision, there remain?
Would the Vision, come again?
Then voice within his breast
w whispered, audible and clear
AS if to the outward ear;
DO thy duty, that is best;
Leave unto thy Lord the rest !"
Straightwsy to his feet he started,
And with longing look intent
On the blessed Vision bent,
slowly from his cell departed,
slowly on his errand went.
1t the gate the poor were waiting,
looking through the iron grating,
With that terror in the eye
That is only seen in those
Who amid their wants and woes
Hear the sound of doors that close,
Ind Of feet that pass them by;
irown familiar with disfavor.
)f the bread by which men die!
3ut to-day, they know not why,
ike the gate of Paradise
'eemed the convent gate to rise,
ike q sacrament divine
eemed TO them the bread and wine.
n his heart the Monk was praying,
linking OF the homeless poor,
What they suffer and endure
What we see not, what we see;
md the inward voice was saying:
whatsoever thing thou doest
o the least Of mine and lowest,
hat thou dOest unto mel"
into me, but had the Vision
ome to him in beggar's clothing,
ome medjcant imploring,
Would he then have knelt adoring,
T haye listened with derision,
nd have turned away with doathing?
hus his conscience put the question,
ull Of troublesome suggestion;
s at length, with hurried pace,
oward his cell he turned his face;
nd beheld the convent bright
1ith a supernatural light,
ike luminous cloud expanding
yer floor and wall and ceiling.
ut he paused with awestruck feeling
{ the threshold of his door,
or the Vision still was standing
S he left it there before,
Then the convent bell appalling,
rom its belfry calling, calling,
1mmoned him to feed the pOOr.
through the long hour intervening {
had waited his return,
nd he felt his bosom burn,
all the meaning,
hen The Blessed Vision said, 9
Hadst thou stayed. must have fed u ,,