A Summer Christmas and a Sonnet upon The S.S. "Ballaarat." By Douglas B. W. Sladen |
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| IV. | IV. |
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 | A Summer Christmas and a Sonnet upon The S.S. "Ballaarat." |  |
IV.
One day, but no longer in my dream,
Came there one his suit to plead,
Wealthy and held in high esteem,
Of an ancient house the head.
Came there one his suit to plead,
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Of an ancient house the head.
He cared not for wealth, for his own was great,
He cared not for happy ways,
He cared not for wisdom, nor sought a mate
For the love which sweetens days.
He cared not for happy ways,
He cared not for wisdom, nor sought a mate
For the love which sweetens days.
He loved not the light of genius,
Or the glowing cheek of health,
And her spirit high and generous
He valued no more than wealth.
Or the glowing cheek of health,
And her spirit high and generous
He valued no more than wealth.
But her peerless beauty grew on him,
And he hated each arm that stole
In dance or jest round her body slim
From the depths of his grim soul.
And he hated each arm that stole
In dance or jest round her body slim
From the depths of his grim soul.
And when he asked her to be his wife,
And spoke of his wealth and state,
And the gorgeous trappings of his life,
And his halls of ancient date,
And spoke of his wealth and state,
And the gorgeous trappings of his life,
And his halls of ancient date,
Her mother was dazzled and bade her yield,
As many a mother before
Has betrayed a child who on foughten field
Would have held her own in war.
As many a mother before
Has betrayed a child who on foughten field
Would have held her own in war.
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She yielded. Envy triumphed again
With her insidious gift,
And on the marriage followed amain
With feet relentless and swift.
With her insidious gift,
And on the marriage followed amain
With feet relentless and swift.
And when any glance or word addressed
To his graceful, gifted wife,
A blast of envy would pierce his breast
Like the cutting of a knife.
To his graceful, gifted wife,
A blast of envy would pierce his breast
Like the cutting of a knife.
But he was not the husband for her,
With her ready sympathy
And fanciful active character
And warmth of heart and eye.
With her ready sympathy
And fanciful active character
And warmth of heart and eye.
For she could not but see, with her clear sense,
How base and poor was the clay
To which she had vowed obedience
Upon her marriage day,
How base and poor was the clay
To which she had vowed obedience
Upon her marriage day,
And she could not dissemble her delight
When men, with the power of brain
And pride of life that were hers by right,
To linger by her were fain.
When men, with the power of brain
And pride of life that were hers by right,
To linger by her were fain.
And she so hungered for sympathy
And appreciative praise,
That perhaps there was too much light in her eye,
And too much warmth in her ways,
And appreciative praise,
That perhaps there was too much light in her eye,
And too much warmth in her ways,
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When she heard what she to hear was fain
From one whose body and mind
Seemed by nature for the praise of men
And love of women designed.
From one whose body and mind
Seemed by nature for the praise of men
And love of women designed.
| A Summer Christmas and a Sonnet upon The S.S. "Ballaarat." | |