BETA

Elfie Meadows.

A sunny day in leafy June, white clouds are floating
high,1
Leisurely through the blue expanse, and bees hum
drowsily ;2
In shady nooks the cattle herd, and ruminating
doze,3
While onward, with a rippling song, the glancing river
flows.4
With fairy steps a maiden stroll’d along the rushy
bank,5
Her light foot hardly seem’d to crush the daisies where
it sank.6
The dragon-flies unheeding brush her soft curls as they
pass ;7
The wary lizard boldly peeps from neath his tuft of
grass.8
Beneath her hat of plaited straw her eyes shine soft and
blue9
Her tender, quivering mouth tells tales of feeling deep
and true :10
O Eltie Meadows !— scarce eighteen—how many a heart
has beat11
To kiss the flow’ret in your hand, the daisies ’neath
your feet !12
Yet scorn can dwell in those sweet eyes, cold words
those lips can speak ;13
For many, though you’re scarce eighteen, to gain your
love would seek.14
You wave them off with calm disdain. Have you no
heart to give ?15
Or is it in yourself alone, and for yourself, you live ?16
Not so, sweet Elfie : next your heart a tiny pledge you
wear,—17
Within a case of purest gold a lock of raven hair ;18
And ever and anon you take, and to your lips you
press,19
This token of unfailing love to cheer your loneliness.20
“ And if,” I ask, “ long years should pass, and he
should not return,21
This tribute of a fleeting love you scornfully would spurn ?”22
“ Never,” she says, with flashing eyes ; “ time matters
not to love ;23
And ours is true, —it springs below, but rears its fruit
above.”24
“ Ah, Elfie, but you little know how absence can
estrange,—25
How fondest hearts at last find out ’tis possible to change.”26
She stamp’d her little foot at me. “ I tell you ’tis not so27
With love that bears its flowers aloft, and has its roots
below.”28
Two men and a woman. One man is lying on the ground. The other man and the woman are standing; the woman’s hands are on the man’s shoulders. The trio are in front of a tree; the tree has names, initials, and symbols carved into it. 1/2 page illustration contained within a single-ruled border.
“ Others have said the same,” quoth I, “ who loved as
well as you,29
Yet ten or twenty years have served to prove their love
untrue.”30
Her small white hands she tightly clasp’d, and said,
with face a-glow,31
“ Their love no fruit could bear on high—it had no
root below.”32
“ And yours, my Elfie,” murmered I, “how can you
test its truth,—33
It may be that maturer years will scorn the love of
youth ?”34
“ Nay, try me not too hard,” she said, “I only know
I love,35
And love that has such reot below is perfected above.”36
We two sat on a mossy bank, her soft eyes look’d
before37
Into the river’s crystal depths; fain would I test her
more ;38
But one she little wist was near, had secretly o’erheard39
Words that his inmost heart had touch’d, his deepest
pulses stirr’d.40
“ And what,” he ask’d, in quivering tones, “if some
friend true and tried41
Had told you that your faithless Guy had found another
bride ?”42
Around his neck she wildly flung her arms with joyous
glee :43
“ Ah, never, Guy, would I believe you could be false
to me !”44
T.