The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1876-11-17
P z r r Y
COMO.

The red-clad hshers row and creep
Below the crags as half asleep.
Nor ever make single sound.
The walls are Steep
The waves are deep:
And If the dead man should be found,
BY these same fishers In their round,
Why, who shall say bat he was drowned?
The lakes lay bright as bits of broken moon
just newly set within the cloven earth;
The ripened fields drew round golden girth
Far up the sleeps and glittered in the noon.
And when the sun fell down. from leafy shore
Fond:.loyers stole in pairs to ply the oar.
The stars as large as lilies fecked the blue:
From out the Alps the moon came wheeling through
The rocky pass the great Napoleon knew.
-se Ii.
gala night it was-the seasons prime.
We rode from castled lake to festal town,
To fair Milan-my friend and /: rode down
BY night where grasses waved in ripped rhyme;
And so what theme but love at such a time?
His proud lip curved tie while with scern
At thought of love: and then as one forlorn
He sighed, and barred his temples dashed with gray,
Then Knocked as one outworn and well bIase.
rl I'LL
A gorgeous tiger lily flaming red
So full of battle, of the trumpets blare,
Of old-time passion upreared its head,
galloped past. leaned, clutched it there
From From out out the long. strong grass held it high
Through all the dance. And mark !! the man shall die
Who dares assault. for good or i'll design,
The citadel where Shall set this sign. 80 ' +
OH ".s ". --.
He spake no spare word all the afterwhile, .....
That scornful cold contemptuous smile OF his
Why, better men have died for less than this.
Then in the hall the same cid. hateful smilel
Then marvel not that when she graeed the floor,
With all the beauties gathered from the four
Far quarters of the world, and she, my fair,
The fairest, wore within her midnight hair
Ny tiger lily-marvel not say.
That he glared like some wild beast well at bay.
v.
Oh, she has shone fairer than the summer star,
Or curled sweet moon i'll middle destiny;
More fair than sunshine climbing up the sea,
Where all the loves of Adrana are.
Who loves, who truly loYes, will stand aloof;
The noisy tongue makes most nnholY proof
Of shallow waters. = All the while afar
From out the dance stood and watched my star,
My tlger-lily borne an oriiamme of war.
A thousand beauties blushed at loves advance,
Like bright white mice in meonlight at their play,
Or sunfish shooting in some shining bay
The swift feet shot and glittered in the dance.
oh, have you loved. and truly loved. and seen
Aught else the while than your own stately queen?
Her presence it was majesty-so tall;
Her proud development encompassed all.
She filed all space sought, l saw bat her;
l followed as some fervid worshipper.
VII.
Adown the dance she moved with matchless grace
The world-my world moved with her Suddenly
/ questioned whom her cavalier might be.
Twas he His face was leaning to her face !!
clntched my blade; sprang; caught my breath,
And so stood leaning, still as death.
And they stood still She blushed, then reached and
tore s
The lily as she passed, and down the floor
She strewed its heart like bits ofgushing gore
VIII,
Twas he said heads not hearts, made to break.
He taught me this that night in splendid scorn.
learned too well. The dance was done, Ere morn
We nounted-he and but no more spake
And this for woman's love My lily worn
har1 1arly hair I'M nridn IN fhpu haf
And trampled on for this bold stranger's sake
Two men rode silent back toward the lake
Two men rode silent down, but only one
Rode up at morn to meet the rising sun
The walls are steep;
The erags shall keep
Their everlasting wrath profound.
The walls are steep,
The waves are deep;
And if dead man should be found
By red-clad fishers in their round,
Why, who shall say but he was drowned7
Joaquin Miller tn GALAXY for Nooen'ber.