 | Songs of two centuries |  |
93
THE MAID OF THE MOUNTAIN.
It was morning 'mongst the hill-tops, with a golden day begun,
And the Old Man of the Mountain caught the radiance of the sun,
And some fleecy clouds were hanging o'er his brow serene and high,
And the faded moon was drifting in the ocean of the sky;
While the banks along the lakelet were with breezes hovered o'er,
And the ripples whispered softly to the pebbles on the shore.
And the Old Man of the Mountain caught the radiance of the sun,
And some fleecy clouds were hanging o'er his brow serene and high,
And the faded moon was drifting in the ocean of the sky;
While the banks along the lakelet were with breezes hovered o'er,
And the ripples whispered softly to the pebbles on the shore.
Now a summer-girl had wandered on her nimble steed of steel,
And was gazing on the water, with a white hand on her wheel.
Then her handsome eyes uplifted, as an eagle sought his nest,
And a rush of girlish fancies gave her heart a new unrest.
“Oh, the emptiness of living!” she was murmuring, soft and low,
“When the object of her being one has never come to know!
And was gazing on the water, with a white hand on her wheel.
Then her handsome eyes uplifted, as an eagle sought his nest,
And a rush of girlish fancies gave her heart a new unrest.
“Oh, the emptiness of living!” she was murmuring, soft and low,
“When the object of her being one has never come to know!
“I have mastered all my studies and have taken a degree—
I have traveled in all countries that had anything for me;
I have toiled with facts and fancies, and have turned them inside out;
But I cannot solve the problem—What this world is all about!
When I enter life in earnest, must I drone along the way
In the same old humdrum fashion that mother does today?
I have traveled in all countries that had anything for me;
I have toiled with facts and fancies, and have turned them inside out;
But I cannot solve the problem—What this world is all about!
When I enter life in earnest, must I drone along the way
In the same old humdrum fashion that mother does today?
“If my hands a deed could compass that the soul of man would cheer!
If I could but speak a sentence that the noisy world would hear!
If I only could be rated as a hero in a strife,
Or could draw a soul from bondage, or could save a human life!
I would feel myself requited for a world of toil and pain;
I would vow that I was happy, and that life was not in vain!”
If I could but speak a sentence that the noisy world would hear!
If I only could be rated as a hero in a strife,
Or could draw a soul from bondage, or could save a human life!
I would feel myself requited for a world of toil and pain;
I would vow that I was happy, and that life was not in vain!”
As she spoke, a mimic sailor clove the lake, not far away:
He was young, and strong, and handsome, with a fondness for display;
'Twas a gallant tourist-student, clad in mountain-climbing suit;
And he raised his cap politely, with a graceful, kind salute.
But the sudden move capsized him; and he frantic efforts made
To learn swimming in one lesson—then he loudly called for aid.
He was young, and strong, and handsome, with a fondness for display;
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And he raised his cap politely, with a graceful, kind salute.
But the sudden move capsized him; and he frantic efforts made
To learn swimming in one lesson—then he loudly called for aid.
And the treacherous boat escaped him and went drifting from his clasp,
And he raised his hands in horror, without e'en a straw to grasp;
And again for help he shouted; then retreated 'neath the wave;
Then appeared again, and pleaded for a friendly hand to save.
Then the girl, with heart swift-beating, rushing to the lakelet's brim,
Said, “My chance has come: thank Heaven that a girl has learned to swim!”
And he raised his hands in horror, without e'en a straw to grasp;
And again for help he shouted; then retreated 'neath the wave;
Then appeared again, and pleaded for a friendly hand to save.
Then the girl, with heart swift-beating, rushing to the lakelet's brim,
Said, “My chance has come: thank Heaven that a girl has learned to swim!”
And she sprang into the water, and her arms with vigor plied,
And 'twas not so many minutes ere she hovered at his side;
And she bent her shapely shoulder to his eager, trembling hand,
And went swimming toward the safety of the help-deserted land.
But a sturdy breeze came sweeping from the rude, unfriendly shore,
And the cold wind pressed against her, and her strength availed no more.
And 'twas not so many minutes ere she hovered at his side;
And she bent her shapely shoulder to his eager, trembling hand,
And went swimming toward the safety of the help-deserted land.
But a sturdy breeze came sweeping from the rude, unfriendly shore,
And the cold wind pressed against her, and her strength availed no more.
Then she struggled—oh, how bravely! but her efforts were in vain:
And she kept above the water—but no vantage could she gain;
And she prayed to God in Heaven, hoping He might lend an ear;
But Heaven seemed so far above her, and destruction was so near!
And she wildly gazed to shoreward, with a weak, despairing cry;
But no help appeared in answer, and it seemed that one must die.
And she kept above the water—but no vantage could she gain;
And she prayed to God in Heaven, hoping He might lend an ear;
But Heaven seemed so far above her, and destruction was so near!
And she wildly gazed to shoreward, with a weak, despairing cry;
But no help appeared in answer, and it seemed that one must die.
And the struggling man looked at her, and then whispered in her ear,
“You can reach the shore in safety, if you only leave me here;
It were better one should perish than that death should capture two;
You have risked your life to save me—I will give my life for you.
You have shown yourself a heroine; you have done your best to save!”
Then he loosed his hold upon her, and was sinking in the wave.
“You can reach the shore in safety, if you only leave me here;
It were better one should perish than that death should capture two;
You have risked your life to save me—I will give my life for you.
You have shown yourself a heroine; you have done your best to save!”
Then he loosed his hold upon her, and was sinking in the wave.
Then a thousand thoughts were darting through her peril-quickened brain,
And sweet home and friends and parents stood before her, clear and plain;
And she saw the joys and pleasures that had lingered at her feet,
And life empty seemed no longer—it was wondrous dear and sweet!
And the question flashed upon her—and the answer were a strife—
“Shall I leave this man behind me in the hope to save my life?”
And sweet home and friends and parents stood before her, clear and plain;
And she saw the joys and pleasures that had lingered at her feet,
And life empty seemed no longer—it was wondrous dear and sweet!
And the question flashed upon her—and the answer were a strife—
“Shall I leave this man behind me in the hope to save my life?”
The author, having gone thus far, has always been unable to extricate the young people from their predicament, without drowning one or both of them. Several hundred sequels to the poem have been written by people in different parts of the country, suggesting various methods: but few of them were at all logical, or satisfactory.
| Songs of two centuries | |