"She steadied with her nimble foot the log late split in twain;
She raised the axe, but action failed; her stroke descends in vain.
"It failed, yet failed not; it had touched one sad, desponding heart,
And nerved his arm and urged him on to act the manlier part.
"Shame mantled o'er his sunbrowned cheek, and tinged his yet fair brow;
The mists fell from his longing eyes; he faced the real now.
"He looked unto the forest with its miles of birch and pine,
Its maple, and its tangled growth through which no sun might shine.
"He looked unto the forest with its giants great and tall;
He looked unto the forest but—God ruleth over all.
"I, for I was that laggard, by that stroke of woman's hand,
Was started on the royal road which needs no wizard wand.
"We planned and worked together—my Effie dear and I,
And quickly o'er our busy life the sunny years went by.
"For denseness of the solemn pine, came cheerful apple bloom;
And gleeful shouts of buoyant hearts outrang the sighs of gloom.
"For screeching owl, and croaking frog, came lowing of the cows,
As the merry bells went jingle, beyond the ample mows.