, 1873-03-16

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And on the temples every standing vein
Ih.t throb5ea, dumb voice. Of destroying wrath.
| The soul that filed her told her what to do:
$40 dropped his hands and softly Laid her own
Upon his brow, then looked the devil down
Within his eyes, till Lars was there ag.in.
Ruth and her father, wounded though he was
hase a. no thought OF venSeance They seek only
ii once he eaw the light" They lead Lars to The
meeting, and thczo he finds eternal peace
Meanwhile the summer and tho harvest came.
One afternoon. within the orchard, Ruth
igPss Of 1
And healthy odor. Little breezes ehook
The interviewer aecks Of sun and shade,
Ger al the tufted carpet Of the gr1ss;
Where stretched the eat:held broad along the hll,
That brought no words. Then something nals he.
start;
ssae gazed aud waited: DER the thorry vail
Lars leapcd, seemed to fy, and ran to her,
His features troubled and his hands outs:retched.
70. Ruth !" he cried: ~ pray thee, take my hands
TN hep Be sought, The help that tsclis in thee.n
She took his hands, and aoo1, In kissing palu1s,
His violent pulses learned the beat Of hers.
Aud how the cheeks flushed md the eyel.ds fell
beneath his gaze, and all at once the truth
beat fast and cager IN the palms of both.
Thy hands hath, my saving angel, giye
ThyseH to the, and let our 1ives be ono
l. cannot spare thee heart and SOU alike
Have need Of thee, aud seem to CIT aloud
~ 10 ta1tl and love and holiness are one!'"
En- E11t who shall paint the beansy OF ler eyes
, When 4. they unyetted, and sottly clung to bis,
when tret saw thee, s:d giss my life,
In perfect trust and faith, to these Thy handa.n
The opening lines Of the third book, which be-
gins their married life, arc very beautiful:
Lore's history, rs Llfe's, Ia ended not
~ marriage though tue ignorant paradise
May then be lost, the world Of knowledge waits,
With ample opportunities, to mould
Young Eve and Adam into wife and man.
Some grace Of sentiment expires, yet here
Tue nobler poetry Of life begins;
The squire IL knight, the noy!ce takes the VOW,
Old aervica falls, new powers and duties join,
And that high Beauty, which Is czown OF al,
No more nghtsoue maid, With tresses fres
And mantle floating from the btRo1u bare,
Confronts us now like holy Barbara,
~ Palma drew, or abe, Our Lady, born
On Miles, typo Of perfect growth and pure.
We mood not follow the poet further. The
story reaches its climax in the return OF Lara,
accompanied by Ruth, to Norway, where ho
offers bis life as an atononent for tho murder OF
Fer. His magnanimity diserms ThorHten, Per's
brother, and lie cc1not strike the ayeuging blow.
The crowd who had come tc witness aud approve
the vengeance fall away,
Except one woman. Troubled vns her face
And worn within tie holloHa of he1 eyes
Dwelt an impatient sor1ow, and her lips
Had from themaelyea the gtrlish fullness pressed
This was Drita, who begins again to curse Lars
for the grievous wrong he mad done her; but
Ruth, with her lore, aoftons this sad, desolate
heart Drita forgiyes Lars, and ia gathered
within the fold Of friends.
Here, now, they fade. The purpoee Of their lives
Mas> lifted mp, BY something over life,
To power snd service Though the name Of Lars
Be never heard, the healing of the world
Is in Its nameieas saints. Each separate star
Seems nothing, but myriad scattered stars
Break up the hight, and make It beautiful.