"Nine," "ten," "eleven," he cries aloud,
And then (O crown of Fame !)
When midnight pauses in the skies,

He calls the maiden's name!

A WOMAN'S QUESTION.

BEFORE I trust my Fate to thee,
Or place my hand in thine,
Before I let thy Future give
Color and form to mine,

Before I peril all for thee, question thy soul to-night for me.

I break all slighter bonds, nor feel

A shadow of regret:

Is there one link within the Past

That holds thy spirit yet?

Or is thy Faith as clear and free as that which I can pledge to thee?

Does there within thy dimmest dreams

A possible future shine,

Wherein thy life could henceforth breathe,

Untouched, unshared by mine?

If so, at any pain or cost, O, tell me before all is lost.

Look deeper still. If thou canst feel

Within thy inmost soul,

That thou hast kept a portion back,

While I have staked the whole;

Let no false pity spare the blow, but in true mercy tell me so.

Is there within thy heart a need

That mine cannot fulfil?

One chord that any other hand

Could better wake or still?

Speak now-lest at some future day my whole life wither and

decay.

Lives there within thy nature hid

The demon-spirit Change,

Shedding a passing glory still

On all things new and strange?

It may not be thy fault alone-but shield my heart against thy

own.

Some soothe their conscience thus; but thou wilt surely warn and

save me now.

Nay, answer not, I dare not hear,
The words would come too late;
Yet I would spare thee all remorse,
So, comfort thee, my Fate.

Whatever on my heart may fall - remember I would risk it all!

LIFE AND DEATH.

"WHAT is Life, father?"

"A Battle, my child,

Where the strongest lance may fail
Where the wariest eyes may be beguiled,
And the stoutest heart may quail.
Where the foes are gathered on every hand,
And rest not day or night,

And the feeble little ones must stand
In the thickest of the fight."

"What is Death, father?"

"The rest, my child,

When the strife and toil are o'er;
The angel of God, who, calm and mild,
Says we need fight no more;
Who, driving away the demon band,

Bids the din of the battle cease;

Takes banner and spear from our failing hand,
And proclaims an eternal peace."

"Let me die, father! I tremble, and fear

To yield in that terrible strife!"

"The crown must be won for Heaven, dear,

In the battle-field of life;

My child, though thy foes are strong and tried,
He loveth the weak and small;

The angels of heaven are on thy side,

And God is over all !"