Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-13
TO MISS -
Upon Her Sending Back My Ring and
Other Presents and Requesting tho
Return Of Her Letters.

Other Presents and Requesting tho
Return Of Her Letters.
written for the Dispatch)
You forgot, sweetest girl, when sending
me back
Those slight testimonials OF Cupid's at
tack.
To return me one thing most important
OF all
And without which, I fear. I am still In
your thral.
You may break from the meshes OF Love.
II you will.
But is t fair. submit, to hold me cap
tive still?
In exchange for your letters restore me
that pledge,
And take from our parting its keen, Bit
ter edge.
Twas gift that I gave you one soft.
summers night.
When you looked 80 bewitching. SO lovely,
so bright.
Can We ever forget that night on the
porch,
When around us gay bellies and cheva-
Hers sans reproche
Gaily danced to the tune OF Antonrs
string band.
While /. on the piazza, sat holding your
Can We ever forget-ah. 1t gives me the
blues
To rem ember that night with its rose
colored hues:
And tits useless to ask-we can never
forget
Tho thrill of that night when our spirits
first met.
No we cannot forget that moment Of
bliss
When our lips first united in long. thrill
ing kiss;
When, with lip pressed to lip. and heart
touching heart,
We vowed we would love. and never
would part;
When bowed down in worship and love
at your shrine,
And deemed you almost, II not wholly,
divine;
When you blushed as you whispered so
soft in my ear
Those words of the poet. since treasured
as DEAR
That Life held for you no temptations.
no charms.
No vista OF pleasure outside of my arms"
Ay, twas then that l gave you. in good
faith, that token
I deemed you would prize, nor wish to see
Which you hold so lightly. but fail. do
you see,
As yet, lovely maiden, to send back to me.
i gave you a heart, full OF love and de-
votion.
which at your touch. responded to
every emotion;
7 yielded it freely. nor thought TO regret
That hour on the porch when our spirits
first met;
But even as then. In that soul-thriiiihg
hour,
70
acknowledged his power,
There came to US there, in that Eden
like bower.
The rude. knocking laugh OF q rough.
boorish boy.
Like the serpent in Eden, our peace to
poor fool, Rushing IN where angels
would fear
To enter, or smile at the words they
might hear.
lie had dared with his mirth, 20 uncouth
and so rude,
Into realms. ever sacred, OF Love 20
intrude)-
So-was 1t an omen?-for now, once
again,
There comes DER my heart that same
feeling of pain
or rude interruption OF the joys that
were ours,
Like the chill breath Of Frost on a gar
den Of flowers.
But the hand which now lays this weight
on my breast
Is the same hand which then was so
madly caressed
And the lips which now speak. each re-
membrance to sever.
Are the lips which then vowed 70 love ma
forever.
To the wind you throw lIah,Iv o,oh ,t.,,.
Of the chain.
Nor vouchsafe one thought. or ono sig,
Can love be so short? Can its povers
fade,
And that sweet summer Girl no ,h,s col,
winter maid?
An! you ask me too much, to resign in
one breath,
Inc ioVe we once vowed should he end
less as death.
Can you ever forget the scenes OF that
night?
How we blamed the poor moon for
shining too bright?
Ana the drives that we toolk-the trips TO
the Peaks,
The caves Of I.uray-ah, those hr,o,
summer weeks
When Time would not wait. but gallo,aa
so fast.
As We counted each day that would COON
be the last?
All this you forget. as with negligent
grace
You BID me good-by, and each token
efface.
You say in your letter, It's my fault.
alone.
But refuse me the right or the chance
TO atone.
Re II 40: Your wishes shall ever be laws
And IT'S useless t appeal from effect TO
the cause.
Your letters are ready. Return them"
you say;
But serious question-return. in what
way?
These letters are precious, to me, at the
least;
They were pearls OF great price: and
tho they have ceased,
l treasure them still. and should grleve
/ declare.
To pack them and ship them like
bundles of ware.
To be by expressman so carelessly tossed
And, perhaps. ruthless vandal! by him
to re lost
Then. so, little Tyrant. II you will not
relent,
At least to the plan I propose give con-
sent:
/ but ask-if in truth and in deed We
must part
lie me bring back your letters and re-
ceiye back-my heart.