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Article THE PRODIGAL'S BRIDE. ← Page 2 of 3 →
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The Prodigal's Bride.
Were offer'd to me eyes to look upon her , But coupled with a heart to dare that look — I'd spurn the gift , and dwell in darkness still . Mai . One parting word !
Ever . Have you not sham'd her ? Love . ' The love of brawlers at their tavern cups , — ' The love protested twenty times a day By the same tongue to twenty vacant ears , — The love of canker'd age for radiant youth , — The love of av ' rice grinning ' its heaps
oer , — Is noble , honest , wise and dignified To that base selfishness you dare call love , — To that cold , cruel thing , you think a heart . Mai . I came prepar'd for this-for this and more 1 repar d , not steel'd against your curses . Ever . No , sir—no .
Tho' cursing be the sword of impotence , The ready instrument of wrong'd old age , I will not use it;—and a time may come ' When you yourself may marvel at my peace Possess a child , your sole hope , wealth , enjoyment In this darken'd world—let her he to you
As your own pulse—the echo of your voice—The light of your blind eyes ; -the gentle thing That makes you bold-the simple , guileless thing That makes you weak , remembering her weakness ,-Let her be all earth to you , and , earth pass'd , The hope to meet , a hope that brighten ' s heav ' n _ I hen the blossom
, see s of her virgin mind Mildew'd and blighted by a villain ' s breath And when you'd curse the wretch ,-remember , ne < Mai . irom this time forth , my path be strew'd with fire Shame my companion , torture my reward , The world indi gnant hissing me to death — Eternal obloquy my epitaph ,
If with light thoughts I woo'd that peerless girl And for this day-no day so darkl y doom'd— ' Yearn'd not , with hope as deep and love as pure As ever at the altar ' s foot was bless'd , Since holy priest united man and maid ! Ever . Go on . Mai . By falsehood , basest infamy Have I been duped .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Prodigal's Bride.
Were offer'd to me eyes to look upon her , But coupled with a heart to dare that look — I'd spurn the gift , and dwell in darkness still . Mai . One parting word !
Ever . Have you not sham'd her ? Love . ' The love of brawlers at their tavern cups , — ' The love protested twenty times a day By the same tongue to twenty vacant ears , — The love of canker'd age for radiant youth , — The love of av ' rice grinning ' its heaps
oer , — Is noble , honest , wise and dignified To that base selfishness you dare call love , — To that cold , cruel thing , you think a heart . Mai . I came prepar'd for this-for this and more 1 repar d , not steel'd against your curses . Ever . No , sir—no .
Tho' cursing be the sword of impotence , The ready instrument of wrong'd old age , I will not use it;—and a time may come ' When you yourself may marvel at my peace Possess a child , your sole hope , wealth , enjoyment In this darken'd world—let her he to you
As your own pulse—the echo of your voice—The light of your blind eyes ; -the gentle thing That makes you bold-the simple , guileless thing That makes you weak , remembering her weakness ,-Let her be all earth to you , and , earth pass'd , The hope to meet , a hope that brighten ' s heav ' n _ I hen the blossom
, see s of her virgin mind Mildew'd and blighted by a villain ' s breath And when you'd curse the wretch ,-remember , ne < Mai . irom this time forth , my path be strew'd with fire Shame my companion , torture my reward , The world indi gnant hissing me to death — Eternal obloquy my epitaph ,
If with light thoughts I woo'd that peerless girl And for this day-no day so darkl y doom'd— ' Yearn'd not , with hope as deep and love as pure As ever at the altar ' s foot was bless'd , Since holy priest united man and maid ! Ever . Go on . Mai . By falsehood , basest infamy Have I been duped .