University of Virginia Library

THE CRUSHED MOUSE.

I bear the trouble in my heart, of one
Who hath extinguished life;—yet not the sin
Of malice preconceived. And I confess
Without the form of witnesses,—or weight
Of circumstantial evidence, to spread
Close covered guilt before the jury-box
Where sit the twelve grave burghers, puzzled sore
Between the lawyers, and the bench, to give
A righteous verdict.
Now, the facts are these:—
The time of rest drew near,—and as becomes
A careful housekeeper,—I took my round
To see the bolts well drawn, and windows safe
That all might sleep secure. A closet door
Was left ajar,—and somewhat hastily
I closed the latch. But when the morrow came,
Lo! in its crevice caught, a tiny mouse
Lay pressed and lifeless.
And I did the deed!—
'Twas all in vain, to stroke its silken coat,
And praise its thin, transparent ears, and lay
Its fairy paw in my warm hand, and wish
The heart might beat once more,—for I had forced
The life that God had given, out of that cell
Which all man's wisdom ne'er could reconstruct
Or vivify.
Yes, I,—whose care it was,
To keep a conscience pure from stain of blood,
Save of some gorged musquito,—or perchance
In childhood's thoughtless hours,—some gadding fly,
I, who had bade the spiteful wasp go free,
Whose sting still quivered from my swollen arm,
Swept down the web, and let the spider go,
Spared the piratical black ant, that wrecked
My cupboard's wealth,—I, who had turned aside
That even the hateful snake might pass unharmed,
And won from shouting boys, the hunted toad,
Marked out for torture,—gave all monstrous things,
Cockroach, and dragon-fly, and poplar worm,
Wide passport,—had at once destroyed the boast
Of a whole life.
Yes, I had rent the mesh
Of subtlest net-work nerves, and in those veins
Staunched the warm tide, that on from brain to[illeg.]
Bore innocent joy.—
And what was thine offense
Poor martyred mouse?—
Merely to taste of what
We well could spare, and rear in secret nook,
Thy light-heeled offspring.—But 'tis vain to mourn
Thy fate, or my misdeed.
And so farewell,—
Slight atom of a much enduring race,
Entrapp'd by cats and men. The feline claw
Bared of its velvet, hath been ever swift
To clutch thine ancestors.
Scarce might they
The silent rapture of the nibbled cheese,
In some dark pantry, ere the whiskered foe
With glaring eyeballs from his ambush sprang
Awful as Jeffreys,—to condemn unheard,
To spurn the plea for mercy, sport with pain,
And like a demon, glut himself with blood.
Say, ye who read the future,—Statesmen wise!
Who 'mid the wonders of our age have seen
The imprisoned water moving like a rod,
And on the trembling wire, the human thought
Darting from zone to zone, and ancient crowns
Fall from anointed brows,—is there no time
In this world's history, when the seals shall turn
And the oppress'd and uncomplaints mouse,
Find some oasis, where the savory cheese
Shall swell like mountains and no can be near?