THE RECONCILIATION.

———

BY MISS L. VIRGINIA SMITH.

———

The midnight shadows deepen on, the earth is still and lone,

And starry lamps in heaven’s blue hall are fading one by one,

For cold gray clouds wreathe o’er them like a dim and misty veil,

And through their foldings peers the moon—a spirit wan and pale.

As far away the gentle breeze is sighing mournfully

It seems a murmur from the shore of olden memory,

And while its cadence floats afar thy voice I seem to hear—

Like music in some troubled dream it steals upon my ear.

My heart beats faster as the sound fades out upon the night,

And pants to drink again that tone of rapture and delight;

At such an hour it cannot deem that voice is cold and strange,

In such an hour it will forget that hearts like thine can change.

No—never, it shall not be so—the thought is burning pain,

Which like the levin’s blighting fire comes crushing through my brain;

It cannot be our friendship’s bright and glowing dream is o’er,

It must not be that we shall meet as we have met no more.

Have I offended?—then forgive—’twill be the nobler part—

And oh, forget that I have wronged thy warm and generous heart,

For careless words though lightly said come keenly to the mind,

To chill its glowing depths with tones like winter’s frozen wind.

Ah! “cast the shadow” from thy heart, and mine shall glow with thine

In purer flames, whose fairy gleams in rainbow beauty shine,

Its thoughts of thee shall brighten then though all around be sad,

Its every dream of thee be sweet—its every vision glad—