The Three Mr gins. 377 



" Pray tell us, aged mother, how can we 



Find this sweet youth, and we will seek with thee, 



Vox we would have this wondrous Rem," cried they. 

 "Search long and faithfully," exclaimed the dame, 

 " And when you find him whisper low your name ! '' — 



And on the morrow each one went her way. 



The years sped by. 

 It chanced one boist'rous winter day. 



With sorrow's storms and cold beset, 

 On Middle Age, life's roughest way. 



Again this virgin trio met. 



And she whose name was Beauty came ahead, 



As one who, weeping, mourneth for the dead : 



Her brow was wrinkled and her pallid face 



Had lost the sweetness of its youth-tide grace. 



Bow'd was her head and icy-cold her breath. 



Her lips blue with the chill of coming death. 



" Thrice 'round the weary world I've been," said she 



" I've braved the storms and tides of sorrow's sea, 



I've faced the pangs and bitterness of Care 



To seek this wondrous jewel everywhere ; 



Once saw I this sweet youth, and as he came 



I whispered in his yearning ear my name. 



Alas ! he lingered by me but a day. 



Then on his snow-white charger dashed away." 



Next she whose name was Fortune forward came. 



With head bent down as if with care and shame. 



She walked with feeble footsteps weak and slow ; 



Her raven locks turned white by winter's snow. 



The erstwhile pureness of her marble brow 



Rude care had mocked with Sorrow's footprints now. 



And faithless Time had left no single trace 



To mark the vigor of her virgin grace. 



' Long have I sought this gem," she weeping said, 



' In lands of Living and in lands of Dead ; 



Once I too saw this youth, and as he came 



I shouted proudly forth my glorious name : 



I saw him turn his god-like head and sigh 



As on his snowy steed he hastened by." 



Then she whose name was Trust came down the way, 



Burst from her lips a flood of melody, 



The while the coldness of the snow-bound air 



Seemed changed to honeyed fragrance rich and rare. 



Her dancing feet sped o'er the chilly ground, 



Weird echo-music floated all around. 



And deep within her eyes a hidden light 



Beamed with a soft effulgence, ever bright. 



The mellow accents of her voice rang clear 



And echoed from the hilltops far and near : 



" I too saw this fair youth, and as he came 



I spoke with trembling lips my humble name. 



Then at my feet he cast his diadem — 



Lo ! gentle sisters, I have brought the gem." 



