 | [The bandit, in] The Atlantic souvenir for MDCCCXXX |  |
182
THE BANDIT.
Young Leon wore a glance of pride,
That made his rivals quail,
And won fair Lelia for his bride,
The violet of the vale.
She loved him—and when whispers rose,
She deem'd her dearest friends his foes—
Fled with him, and her all of life
Centred in those fond words—his wife.
That made his rivals quail,
And won fair Lelia for his bride,
The violet of the vale.
She loved him—and when whispers rose,
She deem'd her dearest friends his foes—
Fled with him, and her all of life
Centred in those fond words—his wife.
To her, whate'er his mood had been,
A smile of love he wore,
As summer skies are most serene,
When the dark storm is o'er;
And yet at times a trembling came
Upon her, when he breathed her name,
Calling her wife—it seem'd like guilt,
The dark, mysterious awe she felt.
A smile of love he wore,
As summer skies are most serene,
When the dark storm is o'er;
And yet at times a trembling came
Upon her, when he breathed her name,
Calling her wife—it seem'd like guilt,
The dark, mysterious awe she felt.
183
A shout upon the moaning wind!
The echoes of the dell awoke;
Again! it thrill'd his startled mind,
As though his victim spoke;
And all unveil'd his deeds arise,
Blood! from the ground in thunder cries,
And the fierce bandit shrinks beneath
The voice of conscience whispering death.
The echoes of the dell awoke;
Again! it thrill'd his startled mind,
As though his victim spoke;
And all unveil'd his deeds arise,
Blood! from the ground in thunder cries,
And the fierce bandit shrinks beneath
The voice of conscience whispering death.
The felon's death, the doom of scorn,
And worse, the thought to bear,
His Lelia and her babe unborn
The infamy must share.
Then, then crime's scorpion lash he felt,
Wild fear, remorse, and grief, and guilt;
For love's soft light, when turn'd within,
Reveals the soul's dark stains of sin.
And worse, the thought to bear,
His Lelia and her babe unborn
The infamy must share.
Then, then crime's scorpion lash he felt,
Wild fear, remorse, and grief, and guilt;
For love's soft light, when turn'd within,
Reveals the soul's dark stains of sin.
He grasps his trusty knife—‘One stroke
These terrors will allay’—
But what wild shrieks from Lelia broke!
His brand is torn away;
‘Leon, dear Leon, help! they come!’
She deem'd it life—he felt it doom.
Thus shapes the heart from inward sense,
To guilt its fears—to hope its innocence.
These terrors will allay’—
But what wild shrieks from Lelia broke!
His brand is torn away;
‘Leon, dear Leon, help! they come!’
She deem'd it life—he felt it doom.
Thus shapes the heart from inward sense,
To guilt its fears—to hope its innocence.
| [The bandit, in] The Atlantic souvenir for MDCCCXXX | |