| |
| WE watched beside her thro’ the night— | |
| Thro’ night unto the morning grey, | |
| Till on the casement smote the light, | |
| And sudden flashed the day. | |
| |
| She kept all thro’ a silence deep, | 5 |
| With closed and heavy-lidded eye, | |
| And murmurs as of one asleep, | |
| And now and then a sigh. | |
| |
| Oh, passing sweet she was and fair, | |
| A fragrant lily in its prime, | 10 |
| That fed on honey’d dew and air, | |
| Had blossomed for a time! | |
| |
| Her two white hands extended were | |
| Upon the little snowy bed; | |
| The rippling of her golden hair | 15 |
| With glory touch’d her head. | |
| |
| The little lamp we lit at night, | |
| Which faintly burnt with dull red glow, | |
| Scarce broke the darkness with its light, | |
| Or showed the bed of snow. | 20 |
| |
| It stood upon a table near, | |
| It flickered low, it flickered high; | |
| We wondered, with a strange sad fear, | |
| Which life should soonest die. | |
| |
| One now threw back the window pane, | 25 |
| The close-drawn curtains were withdrawn; | |
| There came a smell of fresh’ning rain | |
| From off the fragrant lawn. | |
| |
| And in the dim and dewy grove, | |
| The sweet birds piped from every bush; | 30 |
| ’Midst glistening boughs sang songs of love— | |
| Sweetest of all, the thrush. | |
| |
| We did not speak or move the while, | |
| Fast held in wonder to our place, | |
| Watching a rare and radiant smile | 35 |
| Transfigure all her face. | |
| |
| But hushed, and awed, and very still, | |
| We prayed in thrilling silence near; | |
| And down our faces flowed at will, | |
| Unchecked, the burning tear. | 40 |
| |
| When all at once, as we stood there, | |
| There rose a sudden, startling cry, | |
| That stayed our weeping, checked our prayer, | |
| As came it ringing by. | |
| |
| She started forward on the bed, | 45 |
| She raised her trembling hands on high; | |
| All paleness from the face had fled, | |
| Now flushed with ecstasy. | |
| |
| Her eyes were lifted up to heaven, | |
| Her parted lips did gently stir; | 50 |
| We felt Christ, and the Spirits seven, | |
| Communion held with her. | |
| |
| Her look of rapture grew and grew, | |
| As tho’ before her wondering sight | |
| There stretched the way she must pass thro’, | 55 |
| All lined with angels bright. | |
| |
| Our hearts were filled with deep’ning awe, | |
| We dared not move, or speak a word; | |
| We knew she saw what no one saw, | |
| And heard what no one heard. | 60 |
| |
| So for a space the rapture lay | |
| Upon her glowing cheek and brow; | |
| And dawnings of a brighter day | |
| Seemed breaking on her now. | |
| |
| The arms relaxed, a shadow stole | 65 |
| O’er quivering lip, and cheek, and brow; | |
| We knew full well the golden bowl | |
| Was being broken now. | |
| |
| I clasped her gently to my breast, | |
| And held her closely there, until | 70 |
| The aching head had sunk to rest, | |
| The tossing arms were still. | |
| |
| The glory soon was past and gone, | |
| The light went slowly from her eyes, | |
| Though still beneath their lashes shone | 75 |
| A look of sweet surprise. | |
| |
| We knew that she had passed away, | |
| So deep the awe upon her face; | |
| We knew her ransom’d spirit lay | |
| Fast clasped in Christ’s embrace; | 80 |
| |
| Who called her to His home above, | |
| And drew her to His happy side; | |
| Where now they walked in perfect love, | |
| The Bridegroom and His Bride. | |
| |
