There pearls with costly diamonds gleamed,
And opals showed their changing glow,
As moonlight on the ice has beamed,
Or trembled on the stainless snow.
I caught again the old, brown hand,
And smoothed it fondly in my own,—
A woman's, though so old and tanned—
A woman's—brave and fearless grown.
Aye! it had labored long and well
To dry the tear, to soothe the pain;