That blurred the page and well-nigh hid the lines,
With fainting heart and faltering hand I took
The pen. It seemed that there was nothing more
To write. I could not fill the page. One bare,
Bald word came to me as I wrote. That word
Was Duty, and I wrote it o'er and o'er.
And then—so tender is our God!—so kind!—
The words grew luminous beneath my pen,
And as I wrote were changed to 'Peace' and 'Joy.'
"'And was it then the same fair page?' Ah, no!