THE HUSBAND'S PETITION.

(AYTOUN)

Come hither, my heart's darling,

Come, sit upon my knee,

And listen, while I whisper

A boon I ask of thee.

You need not pull my whiskers

So amorously, my dove;

'Tis something quite apart from

The gentle cares of love.

I feel a bitter craving—

A dark and deep desire,

That glows beneath my bosom

Like coals of kindled fire.

The passion of the nightingale,

When singing to the rose,

Is feebler than the agony

That murders my repose!

Nay, dearest! do not doubt me,

Though madly thus I speak—

I feel thy arms about me,

Thy tresses on my cheek:

I know the sweet devotion

That links thy heart with mine,—

I know my soul's emotion

Is doubly felt by thine:

And deem not that a shadow

Hath fallen across my love:

No, sweet, my love is shadowless,

As yonder heaven above.

These little taper fingers—

Ah, Jane! how white they be!—

Can well supply the cruel want

That almost maddens me.

Thou wilt not sure deny me

My first and fond request;

I pray thee, by the memory

Of all we cherish best—

By all the dear remembrance

Of those delicious days

When, hand in hand, we wander'd

Along the summer braes;

By all we felt, unspoken,

When 'neath the early moon,

We sat beside the rivulet,

In the leafy month of June;

And by the broken whisper

That fell upon my ear,

More sweet than angel music,

When first I woo'd thee, dear!

By that great vow which bound thee

For ever to my side,

And by the ring that made thee

My darling and my bride!

Thou wilt not fail nor falter,

But bend thee to the task—

A boiled sheep's head on Sunday

Is all the boon I ask!