Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-02-27
n ID Il En- NJ.
BY Miss II. r. HUDSON.

The early moonlight. faint and meek,
Fell in white lines across her bed,
And turned TO gems Oh lash and cheek
The tears that had but now been shed.
Sleep, coming with the shadows, brought
slow relief from grievous thought.
1t dulled the present sharp distress,
The sense of loss too hard to bear,
The haunting thought of loneliness,
The imminence Of untried care.
She lost remembrance of the pain
That dawn would surely bring again.
She lost the world; So tardily,
Another consciousness was born.
And then sho dreamed that she was free,
Wandering beyond her life forlorn;
And soul and body still were wed.
Although it seemed that she was dead.
Some mighty power, unseen and strong,
Had cast her in An angry sea.
She strove to breast its billows long;
Aud, as she struggled YEARLY,
She saw low black line of shore,
With lights upon it, just before.
And, striving still more urgently,
She almost reached the wished-for Ian d
Then great wave rose in the sea,
And bore her over roc ks and strand;
Rolled back, and left her there, alone
And helpless in land unknown.
But while she lay there, torn and bruised,
-, And dripping with the chilly brine,
She seemed to see, with sense confused,
The darkness round about her shine,
To feel touch that charmed all pain
From broken frame and weary BRAN.
And One bent near with pitying face,
SO grave, so gentle, and so sweet,
So full of promise and Of grace,
She smiled while lying at His feet
An lOmpRipk chiIdrap hovno
Forget the grief that came before.
He led her to the inner land
The night was hard beset by day
She was content to hold His hand.
ut seemed there were no words to say,
Because she understood SO we'll
Whatever there could be to tell.)
She saw the place was glad and bright.
With welcome strangeness heaven fraught
She had not known it by the sight,
And yet it was not new to thought;
All happy living things were there,
Refined, to suit finer air.
little bird flew from above
And softly lit upon her head;
She knew 1t for u petted dove
~, She loved in childheod-long since dead /;
The Christ smiled, as she spoke its maine,
And said I'VE kept it till you came.'
And there were flowers and trees and sky
ALI wraiths OF Oiden memory;
Each tiny detail, far and nigh,
With some past beauty did agree.
The Christ said, "See !! they are the same
We kept them for you till you came"
Then suddenly she heard voice
Like some dear wellremembered song;
1t made her heart oice
At comfort it had wanted long.
She knew, ere sight could satisfy,
He she had mourned for stood close by.
Again her radiant Leader smiled
The smile told more than words could say
You needed not to mourn, my child.
For God keeps all He takes away"
Again He said. They are the same;
lie kept them for you till you came"
Then lived joy that naught can tell;
Delight that filled infnity;
Love with no former parallel,
And utter peace that heaven made free.
But, breaking through this glimpse of grace
A murmur seemed to fill the place.
The vision faded, passed away,
And left the darkness blank and old;
She saw the light Of dawning day
Far in the east. The air was cold;
The cocks shrill warning of the sun
Told of another day begun.
-H1pers Magazine for March.