THE FAMILY OF o'BORE. 



" Plunge in this well to-morrow ! thou shalt rise 

 Beautiful as thy mind ! and shalt be made 



A Bride before three mornings gild the skies, 

 And of the youth, too, that thou art afraid 



Thou wilt betray thy love for, with those eyes ! 

 As for thy sisters but I must not shade 



Thy joy by telling thee tlieir destiny 



They have deserv'd it for their cruelty. 



" Farewell, and do my bidding now away !" 

 He said, and vanish'd from the maiden's sight, 



While follow'd all his train each smiling fay 

 Nodding to Kathleen as they took to flight : 



But she, I wis, knew not well what to say, 

 Or do, for wonderment, joy, and affright ! 



She nibbed her eyes, and gave herself a shake. 



And scarcely could believe she'd been awake ! 



And then she laughed outright, and gladsome hied 

 Home to her sisters ; but took special care 



Not to let slip her secret, though they tried 

 To find what kept her out in the night air 



So long and plainly saw she strove to hide 



Smiles which she was not often wont to wear : 



So vexed were they to see her look thus glad, 



That out of spite they asked, " if she were mad." 



She answer'd not but went to bed and rose 

 Next morn betimes ; then, having waited on 



Her sisters 'till they had put on their clothes, 

 And down-stairs to receive the guests had gone, 



Unnoticed, off to the wild wood she goes, 

 To make her magic toilette there, alone. 



'Twas waxing late, and solitude was round ! 



And her heart beat as she approach'd the ground ! 



And when she stood beside the fairy well, 

 'Twas darkly deep, and beautifully clear, 



And cool invitingly. Her bosom's swell 



Grew wilder, and her cheeks more crimson were, 



As hurriedly she gjanc'd around the dell, 

 To try if there was any stranger near ; 



And started at each sound that the faint breeze 



Made, as it sigh'd among the leafy trees, 



But all was solitary and secure, 



And pleasant by the fairy- haunted tide. 



That seemed to gush more freshly to allure 

 The girl no longer on its brink t'abide ; 



But since you see she's going to undo her 

 Vesture, pray, modest reader; turn aside, 



For here, preparatory to her dip, 



Tis necessary that the lady strip. 



Tis done ! and she is 'mid the waters bright. 

 That kiss her sides, and sleek her length of hair 



Along her shoulders, and her bosom white, 

 And make for her a natural mirror there, 



