1830.] [ ;403 



LIGHT AND SHADOW. 



All that's bright must fatle." 



ALAS ! that early Love should fly; 

 That Friendship's self should fade arid die, 

 And glad hearts pine with cankering fears, 

 And starry eyes grow dim with tears ! 

 For years are sad and withering things, 

 And Sorrow lingers, and Joy has wings ; 

 And Winter steals into sunny bowers, 

 And Time's dull footstep treads on flowers ; 

 And the waters of life flow deep and fast, 

 And they bear to the sorrowful grave at last. 



There were two young hearts that were twins in love, 



As pure as the passion that lives above; 



Two flowers were they on a single stem, 



And the world was the Garden of Eden to them ; 



And all things looked bright in the morning beam, 



And life was as sweet as an angel's dream ; 



But death has a stern and a pitiless heart, 



And the nearest and dearest at length must part. 



The Dark One came, with his fatal eye, 



And the fairest faded as he drew nigh ; 



And her pure soul passed from its dwelling away, 



And her beauty was changed into mouldering clay. 



Jt was a fearful sight to see 



The one that was left in his misery, 



As he gazed with a stedfast eye on the dead, 



Watching her charms as they faded and fled ! 



For the beauty of death soon passes away, 



When touched by the withering hand of decay. 



First, she looked lovely, as if in sleep; 



Then, a rigid and marble look did creep 



O'er her breathless form with a stealthy pace, 



And her shrunk limbs lost their languid grace 



The placid languor of deep repose, 



When slumber sinks down after music's close ; 



And the tender blush her cheek forsook, 



And her features a stony stiffness took ; 



And her dim eyes sunk, and their beauty was o'er, 



And her sweet lips settled, to charm no more. 



His dreary life still holds him fast, 

 Like a chain around a prisoner cast ; 

 For those who long to die, live on, 

 When all that made life dear is gone. 



J. R. O. 



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