The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-08-23
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DARKEST gore.
How soft they glide about the cell and wave
their ghosty hands,
But heavier on my heart they press than doth
these iron bands.
They never leave me, no; oh, God! for even
while sleep,
They come with mocking laughter loud, and
closely round me creep.
I turn my face close to the wall, to rest my
weary brain,
They slowly pass before my eyes, dark ana
spectral train.
With gestures wild they dance and shout and
scream aud laugh and shrek,
And come so near me that feel their cold
breath on my cheek.
With hollow eyes and groanings deep they
move about the room,
And bring more horror to my heart than doth
my coming doom.
O, murdered spirits OF the past to e pleading
bow
Ye soon will be avenged SO well, will you not
leave me now.
pray, beg you, leave me now, your cruel
hauntngs cease,
And let my few short hours OF life from you find
release.
They move away, Oh. can 1t be that they will
heed my prayer?
o, God! It's true they 60 at last all else now
can BEAR
At last doth mercy move their hearts, lhey leave
me, one by one,
Till now-oh, am mad or dream, am once
more alone?
No! No! All, me! all are not gone. there Is one
aims
heard him groau or else was it the rafting OF
my chains?
There is ons victim of the past whose spirit Will
not down,
But stands before me stern and white, with
dark reproaching frown;
It is the ghost of murdered youth, with which
my hands are stained;
A life of promise, God had given, with darkest
crimes drained.
All, yes hese hands, now stained with BLOOD
were once 50 pure and white,
A woman fair and gentle often held them close
and tight
Would often lay her own white hand upon my
curly hair.
Ali me, see it plainly now. the smile she used
to wear.
How gladly did she welcome me- when tired of
boyish sport,
rushed into her open arms, as chips rrn Into
port
She sung soft low lullaby, sweet and tender
lay
And kueeling by my little bed, she taught my
lips to pray.
How often, standing by her side, She paint the
future bright,
10 10 hn
lofty height
She felt sure her boy would reach, her bright
and precious boy,
And hoped the future held for him life all full
of joy.
oh, Memory! to the heart of him whose life is
dark with sin,
But who in early life has once both blest and
worthy been;
When thou dost raise the yell of years and let
him look and see
Fair glimpses of what might have been, what
now can never be,
Thou bringest paugs so keen, doth deepest Tor
ture nurse,
Methinks the rack of ages past could not IN
truth, be worse.
l will go mad, must not stand on Memory's
golden shore.
And wildly dream of buried hopes and days
that are no more.
I must not think of her who blest my happy
youthful hours,
Upon her grave for many years has grown the
grass and flowers.
killed her, too; yes, murdered her, who loved
her boy so we'll.
She could not live and watch his shame when
he in darkness fell,
A while she tried, with loving words ana ten
der. pleading tone,
To win him back to better things, cen now l
hear her moan.
tore away from clingng arms and left her in
the door,
From that sad hour, OH God, have not seen
her more.
They told me that she smiled no more, but
dropped her gentle head.
And one fair morning, seeking her. they found
her cold and dead.
beg you come, in mercy, now, Oh! Lethe' in
thy power,
And blot forever from my heart the memory Of
tat
o, take away nor LET me see her gentle face, SO
sad,
vi tAst huONs o. bNAp - aAHeHNA-t -
truth, go mad!
OH 1 was mai to fondly Dream tha, could
e'er forget,
That for one hour coul I be FIRE, from Anguish
and regret.
oh, Thought stsrner ,yrant thou, than were
those kings OF old,
Who crushed a helpless peopls with power,
cruel, bold.
For they could only torture flesh. could never
reach the heart.
But thou dost pierce the heart and mind with
poison pointed DART;
Doth make them wrlthe in pain 50 deep, in
anguish strong and feen.
Their woes they never can forget thou keep'st
them ever green.
There Is no hope. know It now, and on the
darkened air.
Is borne this sad refrain to me. Despair, Oh
dark Despair"
AUGUsT 10th. 1ss3.