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 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
THE SUMMER WIND.
It arose in the morning with light and with song,
It arose with the bubbling of brooks;
In the halls of the night it had lingered long.
In the tender twilight nooks.
It arose with the bubbling of brooks;
In the halls of the night it had lingered long.
In the tender twilight nooks.
It arose like a bridegroom to meet the bride,
With the glory of the dawn;
And it swept, in the swiftness of its pride,
The dews on the dainty lawn.
With the glory of the dawn;
And it swept, in the swiftness of its pride,
The dews on the dainty lawn.
And it kissed the lovers on the cheek,
While they pledged the vows of youth;
And it spoke, as the things of nature speak,
With the pleasant tones of truth.
While they pledged the vows of youth;
And it spoke, as the things of nature speak,
With the pleasant tones of truth.
And it breathed a blessing on the pair,
As they gazed at the glowing East;
While it toyed with the maiden's shining hair,
And found on her lips a feast.
As they gazed at the glowing East;
While it toyed with the maiden's shining hair,
And found on her lips a feast.
And it touched the pillow creased with pain,
Till the pangs released their hold;
And the sleepless sufferer dreamed again,
Of the painless times of old.
Till the pangs released their hold;
And the sleepless sufferer dreamed again,
Of the painless times of old.
And it fanned the flickering spark of life,
As it stilled the struggling breath;
While it scattered the gloomy clouds of strife,
And realeased the prey of death.
As it stilled the struggling breath;
While it scattered the gloomy clouds of strife,
And realeased the prey of death.
And it flew on a sunbeam up the slope,
That climbed to a prison wall;
And it whispered the blessed news of hope,
In the ears long deaf to all.
That climbed to a prison wall;
170
In the ears long deaf to all.
And it brought a message for the man,
With a song for the weeping child;
And the downcast maid, as the breeze began,
Looked up to the heaven and smiléd.
With a song for the weeping child;
And the downcast maid, as the breeze began,
Looked up to the heaven and smiléd.
And it filled the looks of woe with light,
When its quickening presence past;
And the world became a fairer sight,
To the eyes that were overcast.
When its quickening presence past;
And the world became a fairer sight,
To the eyes that were overcast.
And it called so sweetly to despair,
With the notes of a mated dove,
That the dumb found language to declare
The unmeasured works of Love.
With the notes of a mated dove,
That the dumb found language to declare
The unmeasured works of Love.
And it swept the shadows from the blind,
With the sway of its gentle powers;
And the dreariest road it left behind
Was turned to a track of flowers.
With the sway of its gentle powers;
And the dreariest road it left behind
Was turned to a track of flowers.
And it laid a hand on the mouldering graves,
Till corruption lost its sting;
And the dead arose from their silent graves,
As they rise at the touch of Spring.
Till corruption lost its sting;
And the dead arose from their silent graves,
As they rise at the touch of Spring.
And wherever it went, with its lightsome tread,
It assuaged the angry smart;
While it softly soothed the aching head,
And made whole the broken heart.
It assuaged the angry smart;
While it softly soothed the aching head,
And made whole the broken heart.
And it fell like sunshine on the spot,
Which was darkest and most cold;
And the aged and infirm forgot,
That they ever had been old.
Which was darkest and most cold;
And the aged and infirm forgot,
That they ever had been old.
And it sped as a spirit through the land,
With the music of its voice;
While it told the fainting frame to stand,
And the mourner to rejoice.
With the music of its voice;
While it told the fainting frame to stand,
And the mourner to rejoice.
And it took the blight from the barren ground,
With the curse from the troubled mind;
And whatever the care and grief it found,
Yet a blessing it left behind.
With the curse from the troubled mind;
And whatever the care and grief it found,
Yet a blessing it left behind.
And on it went in its welcome flight,
Like the waving of angel wings;
While it changed the bitter waves of night,
To a thousand radiant springs.
Like the waving of angel wings;
While it changed the bitter waves of night,
To a thousand radiant springs.
Till it reached the white and wondrous shore,
At the noontide of the day;
And then it lay down to sleep once more,
Like a child that is tired with play.
At the noontide of the day;
And then it lay down to sleep once more,
Like a child that is tired with play.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |