THE EVIL EYE.

———

BY MARY L. LAWSON.

———

Past from my heart the place and hour

When first I met and owned thy power —

To shadow life with vain regret,

And clouds that darkened when we met —

But still through changing years I see

The lengthened gaze then fixed on me,

As, thrilling with a strange surprise,

I trembled ’neath those earnest eyes.

I know not whence their lustre came —

They quiver with a living flame;

Their liquid light, like diamonds beam,

Through ebon lashes darkly gleam,

Or softly melt with passion’s ray,

That chase their baleful shades away,

Or with a hidden power control

The strongest impulse of the soul.

Those eyes have bent their glance on mine,

Each hidden feeling to divine

’Mid love’s first dream—and love’s decay —

Though from their gaze I turned away;

Read every hope and timid fear,

And smiled away the doubting tear;

Knew all I strove not to impart —

The weakness of my woman’s heart.

In parting once they met mine own,

And cold in stern reproach they shone,

And lost the anguish of the hour

Beneath their dark and withering power —

The blighting sting no words can tell —

That lurked beneath that calm farewell,

The silent glance that left behind

The fevered pulse and wasted mind.

Since then, through thoughts of joy and pain.

Those haunting eyes their spell retain,

And silently they’ve watched me weep

O’er lonely graves where dear ones sleep;

But in my deepest wo’s increase

Their beams have never whispered peace,

Though kindly words were breathed again,

I sought those speaking eyes in vain.

When steeped in wo, or wild with mirth,

The fickle, fleeting joy of earth,

Bound to the world with reckless thrall,

Those fated eyes have marked it all,

And taught the lip with mocking art

To act the tempter’s wily part,

The soul with dreams of bliss to fill

And gently veil the lurking ill.

Alone!—by life’s rough storms distressed,

Unprized, uncared for and oppressed,

Still wert thou near with tender tone,

That spoke of days forever gone,

Till softened memory made thee dear,

And half dispelled each chilling fear —

But starting from my heart’s warm sighs

I marked the gleaming of those eyes.

Some demon power thy soul must bear,

Though angel guise thy features wear,

Arrayed in love alluring mien

To stand my better thoughts between,

Sin imaged form to tempt away —

The holier hopes for which I pray —

A watch above my heart to keep

Till it has sunk to dreamless sleep.