The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-05-08
THE EARL's DAUGHTER.
BY GEORGE R. SINS, AUTHOR OF "osr1ER JOE '

 She stood beside the smiling stream that mir. rored back her face. And seemed to say, "Oh, weary one behold thy resting place. The rippling water kissed her feet and murmured Daughter, rest; Come lie as in a mothers arms and sleep upon my breast" The river sang its lullaby; her eyelids. dropping Let fall their fringed curtains OCT her eyes of hazel brown The sweet brown eyes that looking back heheid the cloud of shame, And all her life's wild history writ out in words of flame. In sin those brown eyes saw the light but sin of high degree: The daughter of an English earl of noble blood was she. In strange weird ways by Fate's big loom our web of fortunes spun. And she was doomed when Phryne's face my lords allegiance won. player wench she had for dam, who made the stage mart And reared an altar high to vice within the fame of art:
 and brazen girl Who won-and kept, so rumor says. for three whole years the eari. And Nell, the baby had his eyes, and he would kiss the child: And when folks praised her pretty face, he looked But earls have worlds so wide to roam in search of noble joys, He found fresh pldythings by and by and left his early toys. He sowed his oats and settled down. and took a And had daughter born to him to bear her fathers name; The player wench was pensioned of and Nell was He washed his hands of wicked things, and started life anew. A cheek was drawn-a good round sum-and Nells next nurse was one Who'd sit with her the iiveiong .day-a viscount's eldest son: But by and by, as Nellie grew too old to romp and play, The mother found growing girl was sometimes in the way She cowed the child and called her brat; her presence was a tie; And when poor Nell was i'll and weak half hoped that she would die The good round sum the earl had paid, ' in fu! of every claim" Was long since spent but Nell remained poor child of sin and shame. The years passed on. and Nell was put to shift as best she could; The mother thought the stage might lead her child to something good: She stood half druped in loose burlesqueS, and bushed and lost her head And trembled when the men came round and burst in tearS and fled. Then Phryne cursed the weeping Nell and bade And in her passion hit the girl foul and cruel blow. That woke the evil passions there: the slumber- ing devil rose, That night three lovers came to woo she listened and she chose. To end her sinful life today she seeks the waters gnawing hunger in her heart to close her eyes and sleep Too proud to cheat and rob and lie. her wings are The evening shadows cross her path ere yet it should be noon. She stands beside the stream that iavvs an earl $ far reaching ground; She hears voice, and peers between the hedge that runs abound. Then turns away, and cries, ~ Oh God. had such lot been mine had not e'er been forced to sin, and break Thy laws divine" Within the grounds father sat beside his daugh- ter fair And fondly pressed his lips to hers and snoothed her glossy hair: 7, world of love was in her eyes, in her girlsh gee She flung her arms about his neck and rested on his knee.
  That eve the river, finging back the sunsets ruby glow, Bore gently on its glassy breast sleeper to and It left it's burden near his grounds, and there
 while still il lay. His daughter saw the dreadful sight and screamed and turned away. He clasped her close and soothed her fears then bade his menials go- How dared they let wretched corpse upset his darling sol Go float it down. the earl exclaimed. |" and leave it in the shed Then bid the parish people come and fetch away their dead He left her living, spurned her dead; his blood
 in her veins; He sinned, and all her weary life she wore the
 felons chains: But in the great Recorders Book. where Nels
 black life is shown. Against her sins righteous Judge will put his
 name alone - ErchGHge.