A Life Sketch

A Life Sketch

Little white hands,

Pale, pleading face,

Beseeching, imploring—

O! piteous case!

Hear the harsh answer—

See the rough blow;

Mad, like a torrent,

The bitter tears flow.

A demon the man,

An angel the wife;

Ill-mated, ill-fated—

Death wedded to life!

May-time long gone,

He won that sweet heart,

And promised to love it

Till death should them part.

Glad was that May-time

With promise of bliss;

Sad it should ever

Have an autumn like this.

She fondly cleaveth

To happiness past—

Despairing, scarce daring

To think it would last.

Trusting to win him

Back from the wrong:

Great is thy loving—

God made thee strong;

St[?]

Harsh answer, rough blow—

To hide e'en in smiles

Thy sorrow, thy woe.

Dreary, dark life—

Year sighing to year,

"Love slighted, love blighted,

And no one to cheer!"

Fading away,

Pure woman in all;

Thy faith lives forever,

To touch and recall

Memories holy;

Kind look and kind tone

Shall haunt him and vanquish

That cold heart of stone.

Labor is ended—

Death brings thee release!

Thy teaching, far reaching,

Shall lead him to peace.

No fancy is this,

Or fiction of rhyme,

But a story of life—

Its teachings sublime.

Unattributed

1:38, p. 1

4.7.1860