All’s Well. The long night-watch is over ; fresh andchill Comes in the air of morn ; he slumbersstill. Each hour more calm his labouredbreathings grew. “ O God ! may he awaken free from ill ; May this supreme repose dear life re-new !” She rose, and to the casement came, The curtain drew, and blank, greymorn Looked pitiless on eyes grief-worn, On the dying lamp’s red, flickeringflame, And, slowly through the waveringgloom Searching out the shaded room, Fell on a form—the pillowed head So motionless, supinely laid. O, was it death, or trance, or sleep, Had power his sense thus locked tokeep ? She turned, that woman wan andmild She gazed through tears, yet hope-be-guiled ; He was her son, her first-born child,— Ah, hush ! she may not weep. Many a night, with patient eye, Had she watched him—sight of woe ! Fever-chained, unconscious lie ; Many a day passed heavily Since met in glad expectancy Round the cheerful hearth below Young and old, a goodly show, To welcome from the wondrous main, Their wanderer home returned again. The father’s careful brow unbent. The mother happily intent That nothing should be left undone To greet him best ; the youngest one In childish, bright bewilderment, Longer, curious, to look upon Her own, strange sailor-brother sent Afar, before she could remember ; While elder sons and daughtersthought What change in the playmate un-forgotten Time and foreign skies had wrought. Could he be like that fair-haired boy, With curly hair of golden hue, And merry-twinkling eye of blue, Whose tones were musical with joy ? For he had sailed all round the world, In China’s seas our flag unfurled, On Borneo’s coast with pirates fought, From famed spice-islands treasurebrought, Had been where the Upas grew ! But the long June day was closingfast, And yet he did not come ; And anxious looks and murmurspassed. Some gazed without, sate listless some ; Down the hill-side, across the vale, Night-mists are rising, sweeps thegale ; But nought can we see through thegloom ; When, hark ! a step at the wicket-gate, And the brothers rushed out withcall and shout. Welcome, at last, though late ! And round him hurriedly they press, And bring him in to the warm-litroom, To his mother’s fond caress, “ But now is this ? dear son, thy lips arepale And thy brow burneth, and thy speechdoth fail. Hath some sore sickness thus thy frameopprest, Or sinkest thou for want of food andrest ?” “ All’s well—I am at home ; but makemy bed soon, For I am weary, mother, and fain wouldlay me down.” Even while he spake, he tottered, fell ; The heavy lid reluctantly Shrouded the glazing, love-strainedeye. They tenderly raised him ; who maytell, What anguish theirs ? That smotheredcry ! They bore him up the narrow stair ; They laid him on his bed with care ; On snowy pillow,—flower-besprent, (Ah ! for lighter slumber meant.) They knew some pestilential blight Lurked in his blood with deadlymight, And they trembled for the morrow. Thus in the smitten house that night, All joy was changed to sorrow. Yea, swift and near, the fever-fiend Had dogged the mariner’s homewardway. One ocean south, one ocean north, The ship from red Lymoon sailedforth, But fast in her hold the dark curselay ; In vain blew the cool west-wind. Week after week, he now, in vain, Had breathed his pleasant native air ; For still with restless, burning brain, He seemed to toss on a fiery main, ’Neath a sky of copper glare. Under his window a sweet-briar grew, And fragrance his boyhood full wellknew, In at the open lattice flung ; The thrush in his own old pear-treesung. Young voices from the distance borne, Or mower’s scythe at dewy morn, Cock’s shrill crowing, all around Sweet familiar scent or sound, None could bring his spirit peace ; None from wandering dreams release. He heard an angry surf still thunder, Crashing planks beneath him sunder, Tumults that, ever changing, nevercease. “ Look, look ! what glides and glitters inthe brake ? Is it a panther, or green crested snake ? Ah ! cursed Malay—I see his cruel eye ; His hissing arrows pierce me ? Must I lie, Weltering in torture on this hell-hotbrine ; Not one cool drop my parching throatto slake ? Jesus have mercy ! what a fate is mine !” Yet ever his mother’s yearning gaze, Saintly sad, was on him dwelling ; Could it not penetrate the haze Of phantasy, and, frenzy-quelling In heart and brain, soft-healing flow ? His sister came with noiseless tread, And, bending o’er the sufferer’s bed, Lightly laid her smooth, cold palm Upon the throbbing brow ; And with the touch a gradual calm Stole quietly, diffusing slow Sleep’s anguish-soothing balm. Pain’s iron links, a little while Relaxing, let his spirit rove In vision some Atlantic isle, Where waved the tall Areca palm ; Fresh breezes fanned, and gushingrills Murmured, as in green English grove They, winding, deepen from the hills. And momentary smiled, perchance, Dear faces thro’ the shadowy trance, His unclosed eye saw not, thoughnear ; Dear voices reached the spell-boundear, His waking sense had failed to hear. Only a little space—too soon The fiery scourge, from slumber burst, Swept like the tyrannous typhoon, Gathering new rage, the last theworst ; Till the pulse ebbed low, and life Shrank wasted from the strife. At length a dreamless stupor deep Fell on him, liker death than sleep. At eve the grave physician said : “ No more availeth human aid ; Nature will thus his powers restore, Or else he sleeps to wake no more.” Alone his mother watched all night, In silent agony of prayer. When dimly gleamed the dawning light, She thought, “Its ghastly, spectralstare Makes his hue so ashen white,” But, when broadening day shonebright, Froze to despair her shivering dread. None who have seen that leaden mask Over loved features greyly spread, “ Whose superscription this?” needask, Soft she unclosed the door, and said, “ Come,” in whisper hoarse and low ; And silently they came, One by one, the same Who had joyous met by the hearthbelow, Only three short weeks ago. They looked, “ Is it life, or death ?” She beckoned them in, and, withhushed breath Standing around, they saw dismayed That living soul already laid The shadow of the grave beneath. Kneeling beside his hope, his pride, Felled in youth’s prime, his sea-wornson, Aloud the reverend father cried : “ Submissive, Lord, we bow ; Thy will bedone ; Yet grant some token ere my childdepart, Thy love hath ever dwelt within hisheart, And through the vale of darkness safewill guide.” “ Amen, amen,” in faltering responsesighed Mother and children, watchers woe-begone. O mournful vigils, lingering long ! O agonies of hope, that wrong Solemn prayer for swift release, And the soul’s eternal peace ! Now holy calm, now wild desire With sick suspense alternate tire, Till very consciousness must cease. Faint the reluctant hours expire ; The mind flows back ; as in a dream Trivial imaginations stream Over the blank of grief, Bringing no relief. Haply some sudden sound without— A sheep-dog’s bark, or schoolboy’sshout, Or careless whistler passing near— May, unaware, pierce the dull ear, And feeble, mystic wonder wake, And straight the web of fancy break ; The awful Presence over all Hovering unseen, a brooding pall. “ O, look ! what change is there ? canhope revive ? Lift his head gently, give him air——” ——As drive Strong winds through a thunder-cloud,and shear Athwart, on either side, its blackness, Sweeping the empyrean clear ; So, from the stony visage rent, Instantaneously withdrew The heaviness, the livid hue ; And the inward spirit shiningthrough Serene, ethereal brightness lent. His eyes unclosed ; their gaze intent No narrow, stifling limits saw, No aspects blanched by love and awe— Far, far on the eternal bent. Hark ! from his lips the seaman’scheer, Sudden, deep-thrilling, did they hear, “ Land ahead !” The words of welcomerose ; Then he sank back in isolate repose. What land ? O say, thou tempest-tost ! Whither hath thy worn bark drifted, Seest thou thine own dear, nativecoast— Vision by strong desire uplifted— Britain’s white cliffs afar appearing ; Or art thou not, full surely, nearing That unknown strand, that furthestshore, Whence wanderer never saileth more ? But hush ! again he speaks with sted-fast tone, “ Let go the anchor.” Now, the port iswon. O happy mariner! at last, Ocean storms and perils past, Past treacherous rock and shelvingshoal, And the ravening breakers’ roll, Securely moored in haven blest, Thy weary soul hath found its rest, Touching now the golden strand ! Before thee lies the promised land, To thy raptured eyes revealed (Eyes on earth for ever Sealed), Eternity’s reflected splendour Transfigureth the hollow brow ; And the shattered hull must render, Landed, the free spirit now. Wayfarers we, on a homeless sea, Bid thee not return, delay ; But oh ! one word of parting say ! Sweet, solemn, full, those final accentsfell, Pledge of undying peace : he spake,“ All’s well.” Yea, all is well ; that last adieu Opened Paradise to view ; While, on tremulous passing sigh, The happy spirit floated by. O’er mourning hearts in anguishhushed, Effluence ecstatic gushed ; They saw Heaven’s gates of pearl un-fold Paven courts of purest gold, The glorious city on a height Lost in distances of light ; Heard angelic harpings sweet, Voices jubilant, that greet New comers through the floods ofdeath ; Felt softly blow a passing breath Celestial, the winnowings Viewless of ethereal wings. This could not last for mortal strain, Transport sinking down to pain ; Yet a refulgent glimpse of Heaven, Never by cloud or storm-blast riven, Ray from love divine, shall dwell On all who heard that last farewell. Sweet, faint echoes, never dying, Of far homes immortal tell, Where sorrows cease, and tears andsighing ; Still whispering : “All is well, iswell.” H. L.