The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-05-23
THE EARL,s DAUGHTER.

THE EARL'S DAUSHTER.
ny GEORGE n. SIMS, AUTHOR OF "iosrIER JOE"
she stood beside the smiling stream that mrrorcd
back her face.
And seemed to say, "ob, weary one, behold thy
resting placc!"
The rlppllng water kissed ncr feet, and murmurcd
"Daughter, rest
Come lie as In a mothers arms and sleep upon my
breast"
The river sang Its lullaby; her eyelids, dropping
down,
Let fall their frnged curtains DER her eyes of hazel
brown
The sweet brown eyes that looking hack beheld the
cloud Of shame,
And all her fcs wild history writ out In words OF
In those brown eyes saw the light. but sin of high
degree;
The daughter Of an English earl OF uabc blood was
she.
In strange weird ways by Fate's big loom our web
offortunes spun,
And she was doomed when Phrync's face my lords
allegiance won.
A player wcnch she had for dam, who made the
stage mart
And reared an altar high to Vice within the fame OF
art;
She slnncd aud played, and played to sin-a bold
and brazen girl
who won-and kept, so rumor says, for three whole
years the earl.
And Nell, the baby, had his eyes, and he would kiss
the child;
And when folks praised her pretty face, he looked
at her and smiled
But ears have worlds 30 Wide to roam In search Of
noble Joys,
He found fresh playthings by and by and left his
early toys
He sowcd his oats and settled down, and took noble
dame,
And had daughter born to him to bear her fathers
name;
The player wench was pensoned OF, and Nell was
pensloncd too;
lie washed his hands Of wicked things, ana started
life anew.
A check was drawn--a good round sum-and Nell's
next nurse was one
Who'd sit with her the llvelong day-a vlscounts
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 tie;
And when poor Nell was III aud weak half hoped
that she would de
The good round sum the earl had paid "n full Of
every claim,'
Was long since spent, hut 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 draped In loose burlesques, and
bushed and lost her head.
And trembled when the men came round and burst
In tears and fed.
Then Phryne cursed the weeping Nell, AMI babe her
pack and go,
And In her passion hit the girl foul and cruel blow
That woke the evil passions there; the slumbering
devil rose,
That night three lovers came to WOO; she listened
and she chose.
To end her sinful life to day she seeks the waters
deep,
gnawIng hunger In her heart TO close her eyes and
sleep.
Too proud to cheat and rob and lie, her wings are
broken soon;
The evening shadows her path yet 1t should
be noon.
She stands beside the stream that aves an ears far
| reaching ground;
She hears voice, and peers between the hedge that
| runs around;
Then turns away, aud cries, "Oh God had such a
lot been mine,
had not eer been forced to sin, and break Thy laws
divine"
Within the ground father sat beside his daughter
fair,
And fondly pressed his lips to hers aud smoothed
| her glossy hair;
world of love was in her eyes, as In her glrsi
glee
She flung her arms about his neck and rested on his
| knee
That eve the river, nlnglng back the sunsets ruby
Bore gently on Its CLASSY breast sleeper to and
fro;
1t left Its burden near his grounds, and there, while
still II lay,
His daughter saw the dreadful sight, aud screamed
and turned away.
He clasped her close and soothed her fears, thei
babe his menials go
How dared they let wretched corpse upset his dar.
ling so!
"Go float 1t down." the earl exclaimed, "and leave
II In the shed,
Then bid the parish people c,me and fetch away
their dead.
He left her living, spurnei her dead; his blood wa
In her veins;
He slnned and all her weary life she wore the felon'
chains;
But In tho great Recorders Book, where Nells blac
life Is shown,
Against her sins righteous Judge will put his nam
Il alone. -Erchange.