She doubted, once upon a time, JOHN HAY. Because it took away her sight, She looked and said, "There is no light!" It was thine eyes, poor Italy! That knew not dark apart from bright. This flame which burnt for Italy, It would not let her haters sleep. They blew at it with angry breath, And only fed its upward leap, And only made it hot and deep. Its burning showed us Italy, And all the hopes she had to keep. This light is out in Italy, Her eyes shall seek for it in vain! For her sweet sake it spent itself, Too early flickering to its wane, Too long blown over by her pain. Bow down and weep, O Italy, Thou canst not kindle it again! UNAWARES. THE wind was whispering to the vines Till from a slow-consenting cloud And sudden something in me stirred, Ah! glad was I as any bird I had a carven missal once, 20 305 Though merely in a childish wise How often in the bitter night Then have I said: "Ah! Christ the Lord! I took you through deep soundings where My heart withdrew into itself, JOHN HAY. [U. s. A.] A WOMAN'S LOVE. A SENTINEL angel sitting high in glory Heard this shrill wail ring out from Purgatory: "Have mercy, mighty angel, hear my story! "I loved, and, blind with passionate ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS. love, I fell. [U. s. A.] ON THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS. O prison with the hollow eyes! blessed prison-walls! how true The freedom of the soul that chooseth you! Here, too, a little child Stood by the drift, now blackened and defiled; And with his rosy hands, in earnest play, Scraped the dark crust away. Checking my hurried pace, To watch the busy hands and earnest face, I heard him laugh aloud in pure delight, That underneath, 't was white. Then, through a broken pane, A woman's voice summoned him in again, With softened mother-tones, that half excused The unclean words she used. And as I lingered near, His baby accents fell upon my ear: "See, I can make the snow again for you, All clean and white and new!" Ah! surely God knows best. Our sight is short; faith trusts to him the rest. Sometimes, we know, he gives to human hands To work out his commands. Perhaps he holds apart, By baby fingers, in that mother's heart, WILLIAM C. GANNETT. [U. s. A.] LISTENING FOR GOD. I HEAR it often in the dark, O, may it be that far within My inmost soul there lies Those voices of surprise? Is just the heaven where God himself, O God within, so close to me That every thought is plain, Be judge, be friend, be Father still, And in thy heaven reign! Thy heaven is mine, my very soul! Thy words are sweet and strong; They fill my inward silences With music and with song. They send me challenges to right, Now journey inward to thyself, MARY G. BRAINERD, [U. S. A.] GOD KNOWETH. I KNOW not what shall befall me, |