Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-03-21
Isabella of Austria.
zone OF Whttiers Lost Poems Redlscovered a
Published III Uarper's Bagarl

hsRDelin OF Austria.
zone of whittier's Lost Poems Redlscovered and
iuOllshsdin Ill Harper's Basar.l
Isabella, Infanta of Parma, and consort
of Joseph of Austria, predicted her own
death Immediately after her marriage with
the emperor. Amidst the gayety and
splendor of Vienna and Presburg she was
reserved and melancholy she believed
that heaven had given her a view of the
future, and that her child, the amesake
of the great Maria Theresa, would perish
with her. Her prediction was fulfilled.
Midst the palace bowers OF Hungary, imperial
- Presburg's pride,
With the noble-born and beautiful assembled at
her side.
She stood beneath the summer heaven, the soft
winds signing on,
Stirring the green and arching boughs like dancers
in the sun.
The beautiful pomegranate's gold, the snowy or
The lotus aud the creeping vine, the ress's meek
perfume,
The willow crossing with its green .omc statues
81 that might charm the exquisite sense or light
the heart was thero.
But shea monsr.hs treasured ono leaned gloom.
ily apart,
With her dark eye tearfully cast down and shadow
on her heart.
Young, beautiful, and dearly loved, what shadow
Are not the hearts and swords OF all held sacred
as her owni
Is not her lord the kngliest in battlefield or
The foremost in The council hail. or at the banquet
hour?
Is no, his love as pure and deep as his own Dam
Aud wherefore ia her prin.,ly homo weeps Isabel
his tridef
She raised her ]ewelled hand and nang her yelling
tresses back,
Bathing its snowy taperng within their glossy
black.
A tear fell on the orange leaves, rich gem and
mimic blossom,
And frluRed robe shook fearfuly upon her signing
bosom.
"smie on smile on" she murmured low, 'for all
Shadow and sunshine. stainless sky, soft airs and
-. 6lossomed ground
ture's brow il fair.
And melody and fragrance meet. twin sisters Of
thealr
But ask me not to share with you the beauty Of
the scene,
The fountain fall, mosaic walk, and ,essellated
And point not to the mild blue sky or glorious sum.
know how very fair is all the hand of God hath
The hills, the sky, the sun-llt s'oud, the fountain
leaping forth,
The swaylng trees, the scented flowers, the dark
green robes of earth
love them still, yet have learned to turn aside
from all,
And never more nay heart must own their sweet
bvt fatal thrsll.
And could love the noble one whose mighty name
! bear
And closer to my bursting heart his hallowsd image
wear;
Aud soud watch our sweet young rower unfold
ing LAY by day,
And taste of that unearthly bliss which mothers
plt moi l may not cling to earth that voice is in
That shadow fingers BY my side, the death wall and
The cold and staress night OF death when day may
never beam,
Tue silence and the l.athsomeness, the sleep which
hatl no dream
God to leave this fslr,ibrght world, and, more
than ALL to know
The moment when the spectral one shall deal his
fearful blow
To know the day, tie very hour TO feel the tide
roll on,
To shudder at the gloom before, and weep the sun
shine gone,
To count lie days the few short days, OF light and
lie and breath
Between me and the nosOme grave the yoiceleEs
home OF desth
Alas il knowing, feeling this, murmur at my
Let not Thy frovning o my sod, lend darkness to
the tomb
Oh, have borne my spirit up, ard smiled amid the
Remembrance Of my certain doom, which fingers
with me STILL
would not cloud our fair childs brow, nor let g
tear drop aim
fle eve that met my welded lords lest it should
sadden him.
But there are moments when ihe gush OF feeling
has its way;
Tlat hidden tide Of unnamed woe nor love nor feai
may stay.
Smile on, smile on, ght-hesrted ones; your sun Of
JOY is high,
Smile on, aud leave the doomed OF Heaven alont
to weep and de-
A funeral chant was wailing through Vienna,
holy pile,
A cofnn with its gorgeous pal was borne along tht
aisle;
The banners Of Aingly race waved high above th'
dead,
mighty band Of mourners came-a king was a
It's head
Ayouthful King, with mournful tread and dim anc
fearful eye,
H4 had not dreamed that one so pure as his IA
bride could die
And sad and wild above the hrong the funeral an
them rung,
Mourn for lie hope of Austria mourn for tn
loved and youngv
The wal went up from other lands-.he valley. OF
Fair Parma with It's orange bowers and hills of vim
and sun
The lilies Of imperial France dropped as the soun
went by;
The long lament of clostered Spain was mnge
IN the cry;
The travellers IN COlOruOs halls, the Slowake b
the Drave,
The queen n the Escural, the Magyar stsrnl
brave
AL wep the early stricken nower, and burst frel
every tongue,
"GIurn Tor The dark-eyed Isabel, mourn for tl
loved aud yOungp