Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-12-28
From the Atlantic for December
THE LEGEND BEAUTIFUL
BY HENRY W. LoseFELLow

"Had'st thou stayed must have aedP'
That is what the Vision said
In his chamber all alone.
Keeling on the floor of stone,
Prayed the Monk in deep contrition
For his sins of indeeision.
Prayed for greater self denial,
In temptation and in trial;
1t was MONDAY by the dial,
And the Monk was all alone.
Suddenly, as if it lightened
And 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 u vesture wrapped about him,
Like garment round him thrown.
Not as cruciied and slain,
Not in agonies of pain,
Not with bleeding hands and feet,
But as in the village street,
In the house or harvest field.
Halt and lame and blind he healed,
When he walked in Galilee-
Hands upon his bosom crossed.
Wondering, wOrshipinS, adoring,
Knelt the Monk in rapture lost.
Lord, he thought in Heaven that reignest,
Who am 1. that thus thou deigneSt
To reveal thyself to me?
Who am L. that from the center
OF thy glory, thou shouldst enter
This poor cell, my guest to be?
Then amid his exultation.
Loud the convent bell appalling,
Prom its belfry calling, calling.
Rang through court and corridor,
With persistent iteration.
He had never heard before.
1t is now the appointed hour
" hen 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 divines self-surrender
Saw the Vision and the Splendor.
Deep distress and hesitation
Mingled with his alteration.
Should he go. or should he Stay2
Should he leave the poor to wait
Hungry at the convent gate,
Till the Vision passed away?
Should he slight his heavenly guest,
Slight this visitant celestial,
For crowd of ragged, bestial
BeggarS at the convent gate?
Would the Vision there remainT
Would the Vision come again?
Then a voice within his breast
Whispered, audible and clear
AS if to the outward ear:
do thy duty; that is best;
Leave unite thy Lord the rest!'
Straightway to his feet he started,
ON the blessed Vision bent,
Slowly from his cell departed
Slowly on his errand went.
At 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,
And or feet that pass them by;
Grown familiar with disfavor
GpoWn familiar with the SAVIOR
OF the bread by which men die!
But to-day, they knew not why,
Like the gate of Paradise
Seemed the convent gate to rise,
Like sacrament divine
Seemed to them the bread and wine.
In his heart the Monk was praying,
Thinking Of the homeless poor,
What they suffer and endure;
What We see not, what we see;
And the inwTrd voice was saying:
whatsoever thing thou doest
To the least of mine and lowest,
That thou doest unto meI'
Unto me! but had the Vision
Come to him in b9ggar's clothing,
Come mendicant imploring,
Would he then have knelt adoring,
Or have listened with derision,
And nave turned away with loath1ngP
Thus his conscience put the question:,
Full of troublesome suggestion, -
As at length with hurried pace.
Toward his cell he turned his face,
And beheld the convent bright
With supernatural light,
Like a luminous cloud expanding
Over floor and wall and ceiling
But he paused with awe-struek feeling
At the threshold of his door,
For the Vision still standing
As he left it there before,
When the convent bell appalling,
From its belfry calling, calling,
Summoned him to feed the poor.
Through the long hour intervening
1t had waited his return.
And he felt his bosom burn,
Comprehending all the meaning,
When the Blessed Vision said,
''Hadst thou stayed must have 1ed!'