Manslaughter.
Ho ! maidens fair, come around me and listen,1
Unto my story your rosy ears lend,2
Then if a tear of soft sympathy glisten,3
Muse on the moral that comes at the end—4
Under her mother’s wing, safely enfolded,5
Bloomed a young girl into womanhood’s grace,6
Nature in some happy moment had moulded7
A vision of peace in her innocent face.8
Year after year, as she grew to perfection,9
One who beheld her adoringly sighed,10
Feeding in secret a man’s first affection,11
Waiting in hope for his mistress and bride.12
She in her pure and most perilous sweetness,13
Guiltless of art, at no pains to disguise14
All the rare charm of her nature’s completeness,15
Hid not the light of her beautiful eyes.16
Then came a day when his love had grown bolder,17
Yet half despairing, with pulses that beat,18
All the fond tale of his passion he told her,19
Laid his heart down at his dear lady’s feet.20
“ Surely,” he cried, in a rhapsody pleading,21
“ Love in that tender breast softly must glow.”22
Pity awoke, and with mild interceding,23
Closed the sweet lips as they sought to say No.24
Shone in her eyes as she wavered and trembled—25
Was it so simple to grant this heart bliss ?26
Self all forgotten, she sighed—and dissembled,27
Laid her soft hand with a promise in his.28
Then in her ear the low voice of her mother,29
Grave and beseeching cried : “ What have you done ?30
Is this the choice of your heart, and no other ?31
Bring me no other, child, here as a son.”32
“ Dearest of mothers, ah ! cease to torment me,33
See, when you speak, every nerve in me stirs,34
Take, dear, in peace what the kind gods have sent thee,35
Vex not my spirit with fears and demurs.”36
“ Give me your hand, child, and ere you speak, ponder,37
Look in my eyes, so the truth may not hide,38
Say, with this man could you round the world wander39
Barefoot, but happy, if close to his side ?40
“ Infinite issues around us now hover,41
Mighty with impulse for weal or for woe,42
Does your soul cleave to the soul of your lover ? ”43
Then the girl faltered a faintly-breathed “ No.”44
“ Yet I am bound, and I never will leave him,45
How. could I shatter his love and his trust ?46
She who has stolen his heart must not grieve him,”47
Stern came the low reply : “ Daughter, she must.”48
“ Darling, with honour and truth would you palter ?49
What this man asks can you loyally give ?50
How could you carry a lie to the altar,51
Go to your husband a traitor, and live ?52
“ Dream not to wrap him in placid illusion,53
Into his being your death-chill would creep,54
Duties intricate in direst confusion55
Harass your waking hours, murder your sleep.56
“ Woe to the woman, and endless contrition,57
Who her own lord would betray with a kiss,58
Good angels weep o’er no human perdition,59
Sadder, completer, more hopeless than this.”60
So saved the mother her brand from the burning.61
Who shall deliver a man’s heart in pain ?62
Heal his deep wound, or speak peace to his yearning63
Whose life’s hid treasure lies bleeding and slain.64
Then when your sweethearts around you come wooing,65
Smile not, dear maids, if your hearts whisper Nay ;66
Mischiefs there are, past all human undoing,67
Wounds, whose deep scars last for ever and aye.68