Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-12-29
FOUR LIVES.

We sat in the light of the dying day.
Harold, Johnnie, Allie and L.
Watching the sunset flush, then fade
From over the earth and sky;
Watching the bars of purple and gold
Grow deeper, then pale, then die.
Harold was tall, and dark, and proud;
His cheek was bronzed by the India sun;
And on his bosom there cleaned STAR
The jeweled badge his sword had won,-
Fof he was a soldier, aud this was prize
From the hand Of his King for service done.
John was a soldier, too, but he fought
Under banner ofspotless white;
His Legion Of Honor, the sign of the Cross
The leader he followed the Prince of Light,
His sword was the Word of the Living Cod
His armor faith that was strong and bright.
Allie was someihing-I do NOT know what,-
fairy-baby- -wcman--qneen.-
A pleading child that crept into your heart,-
A naughty tyrant as ever was seen;
And we all three loved her, and loved her well,
But John loved her best of all, I ween.
/ was deformed; never had walked
A helpless thing from my natal hour,
My pen was my fortune. No broad estate
Or title hau to give me power,
ehad only poets priceless gifi,-
Only poets glorious dover.
told you we loved her, and Harold sued first,
Kneelng to offer his knightly name,
His grand old castle beside the Rhine,
Ills unsulied honor, his hard-earned fame,
His heart that was pure as mans could be-
All that pride could ask or that love could
claim.
But Allie said "No," and Harold went out
With a lock of pain in his fierce, dark eye,
Like that OF an eagle, woundcd, that scars
Away TO its eyrie OH the cliff to die;
And he fall n fprairn fiel ono ,lau
Wien legions grew white at his battle cry.
John asked her next, and she answered the
same,
And he blessed her, and kissed her, and turn
But we saw him no more Till be stood on the
deck
OF boat that lay rocked like bird on the
bay.
Now, tropical vines tangle over his grave,
And ocesn-waves moan round his clay,
/ would not speak. What was that should
dare
To rush where the angels had fearei to
treadp
1 only looked down on my palsied limbs,
And bitterly wished in my heart was dead
almost cursed God that he gave me form
No woman living could love, or wed.
Then Allie came in, in her quiet way,
knee,
| While smoothed the mass of her golden hair,
| And said, ''she can never be aught TO me,n
So we sat taere in silence, and both looked
out
| At the troubled waves of the storm-tossed
sea.
Then-I do not know how, but she caught my
hand,
| Aud twas covered with kisses again and
again,
| Passionate kisses,-while broken words
| Riirst from her lips from i,a psin'
And Tears rolled over her crimsoned cheeks,
Like the short lived torrents of April rain.
| could scarcely believe when understood
| What IL really was that the action meaut,
! Then l tendery gathered her up In my arms,
/ Where sheIsobbed like the storm when II:
strength is spent;
| While said, with revereut awe in the words
"What have l done that this blessing IL
sent ?''
That was years ago. Now Allie is dead;
She lies on the hill where that white eros
stands;
And Harold and John rest far away,
With an ocean between them, iii foreigI
lands
And I'm waiting, Impatient, the welcome day
When oer ihe River wen all join hands.
IGARNEr B. FREEMAN.