Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-06-13
CONvENT.R
(oLD sTYLE.)

CONVENT -ROBBING.
(oLD sTYLE.)
May Margaret felt cold cloud come down OF
her
They made her a nun, and put black gown OF
her;
Young Roland went white
Thro' the winter moonlight
Looming tall In the breath OF the frost every
night.
And gszed at the convent. and plsnnd how te
win her there.
And his cheek gathered dew till the dawn an1
grew thinner there.
"a ruse, no, a ruse," cried his brother. Clerf
John, to him,
When in vain both the monks and the leeehe:
had gone to him,
Cease 10 fume and 10 frown,
Close thine eyes. lie thee down.
Stretch thee straight on bier in thy chilly
death-gown;
The great bell shall ring. and thy house gather
gloom in IT,"
While I'll TO the convent, and beg thee tomt
in II"
The convent bells toll, hung with black are the
porches there.
Come tall black pall-bnarers and pages with
torches there.
Then the bier and thereon
The pale youth dead and gonei
And behind. grim as Death. weeping sore. goes
Clerk John.
And the chapel is dark. as the bearers pace
slow In 1t,
And the black nuns str nd with lights In row
In It.
Ali chill is the chapel. the great bell chimes
weary there,
Black bearers, black nuns. and black pages
look drcary there;
The youth lies In death.
Not n syllable saith;
But the tiny frost cloud on his lips Il MS
breath
And the shroud roun his limbs hath orish'
armor OF steel ia II,
And his hand, glovod In mail, grips the sword
It can feel In it,
Ho, she screametb,-.May Margaret kneeis by
the side OF him.-
"whi,e Mary above. De the guardian and guide
OF HIM
They plighted us twain.
Yet we parted in vain.
And alb. that so soon should clasp DIN
again"
Wan, wan, Is her cheek. with dim torch-iigh'
the while on It
Does she dream' Has the face changed AM
is there a smile on ~
She holds his cold hand to her heart. an2 doti
call on him;
Drop by drop. warm and scented. her tend''
tears fall on him;
The nuns, sable gown'd.
Chanting low. stand around;
Clerk John bites his lips. with bis eyes on the
ground.
Dear heart, that we meet but in woe such as
this again.
Then she kisses his lips'-poes she dreamT Did
he kiss again!
Who opens the door with terrible shout at
once3-
great wind sweeps In and the lights are
blown out at once
The Abbess screams low.
Moar the nuns in a row,
Thro' the porch sweeps the wind and the sleet
and the snow,
But the moon thro' the quaintcolored windows
Is beaming now
And wonderful shapes round the bier gather
cleaning now'-
The sable pall.besrers and pages are new.ar.
rayed
In armor that glitters like golden dew arrayed
How chill the moon glows.
How IL blowsi How II SHOWS
Yet May Margaret's cheek Is as red as q rosel
And n miracle !" murmurs the Abbess so b oily
now,
For shiningly vested the dead rises slowly
now!
He draweth May Msrgarsts sweet blush Ing
cheek 10 him,
She kisses him softly. yet strives not to speak
to him;
The nuns, sable. .gownd.
Shiver dismslly round.
As he Mfteth the great sable pail nom the
ground.
And turneth It deftly, and fiingeth II over her,
And mantle OF ermine doth clothe her and
cover her
On the fioor OF the chapel their footballs sound
hollow now.
Clerk John and the rest veryisilenty follow
Hart, Is 1.-THE beat
OF horses feet'
Or the wild wind whistllng in Sow and in
sleet:
Down the aisles OF the chapel the wild echoes
die away.
While fast in the snow.storm the happy onos
HE away
" Saints" crieth the Aobess. pour d. ,wn your
dole on usl
To take our sweet sister the devil hath stole on
u.s."
And the nuns, in arrow.
Murmur slyly and low
''Ah, would he might come unto Z aisol"
And they look at the bier. with th tingle OF ain
on them,
And the moon bushes family. still gliu lmering
In on them.
Ay. fast in tho snow,storm gallop the lovers
now!
Young Rolsnd's warm castle their merriment
covers now!
To the bower they run.
For the bridal Is done,
And the jolly old priest h' In mn de them one:
" May all who love tru, :" cries tile youth, "win
such kissea, dr.lr,
Die such DEATH and be tomb'd In a bower such
as this y. dearw
RoBr Rr BUCHANAN.
" SANS STRAWBERRIES; OR THE
Nv e.. T.'S.r"