"O hear me, hear me, Lord in Heaven, O curse this woman, at whose house By night and day, in bed and bower, So having prayed, steady and slow, I saw poor Ellen kneeling still, And when the prayers were done, we all But ere she from the church-door stepped She smiled and told us why: "It was a wicked woman's curse," She smiled, and smiled, and passed it off And if her heart was not at ease, This was her constant cry"It was a wicked woman's curse God's good, and what care I?" There was a hurry in her looks, Her struggles she redoubled: "It was a wicked woman's curse, And why should I be troubled ?” These tears will come-I dandled her But Mary heard the tale: her arms I saw young Edward by himself He snatched a stick from every fence, He snapped them still with hand or knee, And then away they flew! As if with his uneasy limbs He knew not what to do! You see, good sir! that single hill? He heard it there, he heard it all, Now Ellen was a darling love And Ellen's name and Mary's name Whene'er he said his prayers. T And in the moment of his prayers He loved them both alike: Yea, both sweet names with one sweet joy Upon his heart did strike! He reached his home, and by his looks And they clung round him with their arms, And Mary could not check her tears, Dear Ellen did not weep at all, And turned her face, and looked as if THE THREE GRAVES. PART IV. O see a man tread over graves Το I hold it no good mark: "Tis wicked in the sun and moon, And bad luck in the dark! You see that grave? The Lord he gives, The Lord he takes away: O Sir! the child of my old Lies there as cold as clay. age Except that grave, you scarce see one Than tread upon these three! Ay, Sexton! 'tis a touching tale." And Mary's sister told it me, For three good hours and more; Though I had heard it, in the main, From Edward's self before. Well! it passed off! the gentle Ellen To market she on market-days, To church on Sundays came; All seemed the same: all seemed so, Sir! But all was not the same! Had Ellen lost her mirth? Oh! no! When by herself, she to herself Must sing some merry rhyme; She could not now be glad for hours, And when she soothed her friend, through all Her soothing words 'twas plain And oft she said, I'm not grown thin! And gazed upon her, and at first Then harder, till her grasp at length And once her both arms suddenly She felt them coming, but no power "O Christ! you're like your mother!" So gentle Ellen now no more Lingering he raised his latch at eve, |