Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-13
Published by Request.
lutrnsnprfion.

Have you sent her all her letters Have
you given her back her ring?
Have you tried to forget the haunting songs
that you loved to hear her SING
Have YOU cursed the DAY you met her first
Thanked God that you wore freef
And said in your Utmost heart as you
thought, She never was dear to me
You have east her oli-vOur pride is touched;
YOU fancy that an is done:
That tor you the world is bright again and
biayely shines the sun.
You have washed your hands OF passion,
you have whistled her down the wind.
ON Tom. Old friend this goes before the
shaTpest come. behind.
You Will learn this. Tom. hereafter, when
anger has cooled and you
Have time for introspecu0n; you viii hnd
my words are true.
You will SIT amt gaze on your FIRE alone,
and fancy that you can see
Her lace with it, classic oval uef nBlelS
nuttering free,
Her soft blue eyes wide opened her sweet
red lips apart,
Asshe used 10 look in the golden days when
YOU dreamed she had heart.
Whatever you do Wherever you turni you
will see that glorious lace
Coming with ahadOwy beauty tn haunt All
time and space; 90,
Those songs YOU wrote for her sing ng will
sing themselves INTO your brain
Til Npur llf. seeus SCI 20 heir rlly hfn, and
your thoughts 20 their refrain.
Their old. old burden Of .ove ana grcf-the
passion you have iorrswotn-
I tell YOU. Tom. II s NOT thrown 81 80 "ri
asyou think This morn.
But the worst, perhaps thc worst oi al VIII
bee when the DAY Las flown.
When darkness iaVorS reelection. afd YOU"
comrades leave you alone.
You will try To sleep OUi tue memories ui
uuforgotten years
Wi come win storm OF Wild regret-may-
hap with storm Of tears.
zach look each word each playful tone,
each tlm.d little carc,s
The golden CLEAN or her r'nglei>, TIE rust
ling Of her dress
The delicate touch Of her uugioyed hand
ihst woke such AZ exquisite thrill.
The flowers she gaNe you the night ~ the
Lau. think you treasure them still
All these viii come, till you SilmDeti worn
out 10y sheer despair
And then you Will hear vague echoes 90
song on the aarkcned air
Vague echoes rising and falling. u me voice
you know 50 wcl.
Ike the Songs hat were surg bog tue Luz
lei-maids. sweet with 70 deadly spell.
In dreams her heart e',r be Fouts, ANA ''d
agGin viii see
Fair gInupses OF what might have he'n-
what now can never b..
And a. she comes 10 meet You. win sud-
den wild unrest.
You stretch your arms forth los NIX > I'D told
her "a your breast.
But the iuflti song " DID id u anu tt'f tbN
with its fading tone
You wake 10 ind You clasp The thiu am
empty air alour.
While the nre-uei's' Changing dissouance on
the gUsty night-w borne
VIII seem an irOn-tungued demons voice
laughing your grief to scon.
oh. Tom, you say u IS oNer-yOu talk oi lei
ielsand TuEs-
DO you thiHk that Loves mighty spirit,
then. is held 10y such trililng things ,,
No; Il you once have truly loved you VIII
stiil love on. / know,
TIN the church yard myrllcS blossom above.
aud you lie mute below.
How is IL wonder hereafter Faits teaches
us little here
OF the onesWe have loved aud lost on earth.
Do you think they VIII still be dear2
Shall We live the lives we might hevellyed
Shall those who are severed now
Remember the pledge Of a lpwcrsphere. and
renew the broken vow:
IL almost drives ms Wild when l ih'nk o
the gifts We throw away
Uuthinking whether or 10 We lose ife :
honey and wine for aye.
But then. again, us mighty Joy-@reatei
than can tell
To trust that the parted may sometime
mest-that all may again be well.
However Il he, ! hold ma all me eNll W.
know on earth
Finds in this violence done 20 love It's tru,
and legitimate birth;
Ana me aROnitS We hulltlf " ufH tilt hfit
- LETT alone,
For every SIN OF humanity should fully an'
well atone.
Iseo that you marvel greatly. Ton, TO hea
such words from me;
But IL you knew nay lnnermosf near
tWOuid he no mystery.
Experience is bitter tut lis teachings "
retain
bas taught me THIS. who once has loved
loves never on earth again.
And !, too, have my closet, with 2 gh1'i'
form inside.
The skeleton OF a persisted love, killed by
cruel pride.
1T by the IRE ~ evening, a. you vii
some timesit
And watch In the roscate haf-light IN,
ghosts Of happiness i'll;
l. too awaken Ut midnight, and stretch m.
arms "a entOld
A vague and shadowy image with tresses q
brown and gold.
EXrerieuce - bitter indeed-l nave IesIue'
at a heavy cost
The secret Of loves persistency~I 100 hav
loved and lost.