O faithful heart in silence suffering--
True unto death to one she could but count
A perjured villain, cheated as she was!
Captain, I prayed--'twas all that I could do.
God heard my prayer, and with a solemn heart,
Bearing the letters in my hand, I went
To ask a favor of the man who crushed
And cursed my life--to look upon her face--
Only to look on her dear face once more.
"I rung the bell--a servant bade me in.
I waited long. At last the father came--
All pale and suffering. I could see remorse
Was gnawing at his heart; as I arose
He trembled like a culprit on the drop.
'O, sir,' he said, 'whatever be your quest,
I pray you leave me with my dead to-day;
I cannot look on any living face
Till her dead face is gone forevermore.'
"'And who hath done this cruel thing?' I said.
'Explain,' he faltered. 'Pray _you_, sir, explain!'
I said, and thrust the letters in his hand.
And as he sat in silence reading hers,
I saw the pangs of conscience on his face;
I saw him tremble like a stricken soul;
And then a tear-drop fell upon his hand;
And there we sat in silence. Then he groaned
And fell upon his knees and hid his face,
And stretched his hand toward me wailing out--
'I cannot bear this burden on my soul;
O Paul!--O God!--forgive me or I die.
Pages:
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142