Then came a glory-crown to gild the years,—
I loved; but 'twas no fancy of the hour,
No fleeting day-dream fraught with hopes and fears,
But Love, that ruled my soul with sovereign power.
A love that strengthened as the days went past,—
Dearer and holier far than all beside;
An Eden-world of beauty grand and vast,
With joys new-born, out spreading far and wide.
Seemed then mine own; and the long years to be,
Would fill my life with happiness and light,
While this great love would shed its beams on me
In glad refulgence making all things bright
For he—the hero of my life's romance,
Was dear to me—ah! words can never show
That passion'd love, how every tone and glance
Tender or cold, brought happiness or woe
But cherished hatred goads to bitter end
And, mocking, fain would quench youth's ardent fire
We saw a shadow on our life descend—
The full charged storm-cloud of long-gathering ire.
My father boasted his high birth and name
And owned a pedigree that he could trace,
Back to the stern old chiefs, whose hostile fame—
He held the pride and honor of our race.
And still when Christmas came he loved to see
All the old customs of our sires kept up,
Huge yule-logs graced the hearth, and Christmas glee
Rang high, 'mid merry song and festal cup.
And on that Christmas day of which I tell
The seasons revelry was held the same;
The stately hall with guests was furnished well
And, 'mong, the rest, was bidden Hector Graem
He drank to me—"his lady fair and bright,"
As was the custom of the olden time,
"Your lady! never, while the sun gives light
Shall Graem ever wed with child of mine!"
And pointing to the door with haughty mein
My father bade him from his board begone;—
And then a curtain fell upon life's scene—
Blackness of darkness where Hope's sun had shone