THERS' A MULE I'TH' GARDEN. 67 



" Face to face let us stand ; by the taper-flame's gleaming 

 Canst disco\er the face tliat was stabbed in its dreaming? 

 Id this form canst discover who dared not to stagger 

 When thine bent above io witli hand on the dagger ? 



Face to face Jet ns stand ; from no crypt have I risen — 

 That blow was not fatal — the sepidchre's prison 

 Held never the form that was smote for the nearer 

 Embrace of the treacherous One Avho was dearer. 



Lady Lisle, at the tryst when the daylight was over, 

 You have stayed in the heathery dells with your lover ; 

 And love-oath at the bridals low-kneeling demurely 

 You vowed to me, at that tryst vowing purely. 



Go, be free of the vow and the pledges thou knewest. 

 When the tears that did mingle could consecrate truest, 

 That day when thy whisper was holier than voices 

 Of brooklet and breeze, where the greenwood rejoices. 



Go, be free of the oath, where the swearing was holy. 

 Thy hand clasped in mine, and chaste lids bending lowly, 

 When the benison spoken by priest consecrated 

 A love Avhere the loving was love of love-mated. 



Lady Lisle, ah ! it matters but little that weeping, 



The last of our trysts, I do vow, we are keeping : 



The last tryst did I say ? — Ouce again by this altar 



]\Iust Ave meet, when the choristers sing from the psalter ; — 



At a tryst where the sacristans carelessly cover 

 Husband and wife, when the loving is over ; 

 And a mourner or two turn away in their weeping — 

 Of that tryst, Ladyc, you'll be true in the keeping." 



JOSEPH FOX. 



A CHRISTMAS STORT. 



Hark thi lass, what a wind ! it's a long time sin we had sich a stonn. 

 plk ought to be thanldhil 'ats getten a warm hearthstooan to put ther feet 



