R
Robert Harrison
Guest
THE MAID OF ROVERDALE
(At first meeting)
THUS I SPOKE “OH WHY, THOU FAIR MAID OF ROVERDALE,
WHY DOST THOU WEEP SO BITTERLY ON THIS EARLY MORN?”
IN STUNNED SUPRISE SHE LOOKED AT ME WITH FACE SO PALE,
AND UPTILTED A TEAR STAINED FACE LOOKING ALL-FORLORN,
WITH SUMMONED EFFORT SO SHE REPLIED WITH TREMBLING LIP,
“OH KIND SIR, THEY HAVE TAKEN MY THOMAS TO YONDER SHIP
WHICH DOTH LIE AT ANCHOR IN ROVERDALES CURVED BAY.
IN TRUTH MY CHILD NOR I HAVE NOT EATEN FOR MANY A DAY,
AND I DO WORRY WHAT IS TO BECOME OF US BOTH SO ALONE,
FOR WE HAVE NEITHER FAMILY, FRIEND, SHELTER OR HOME”.
IT WAS THEN I NOTICED THE BUNDLE AT HER CHEST,
SHE MOVED THE GARMENT TO SHOW BABE AT HER BREAST.
IT WAS A CHILD SO PALE IN ITS DEATHLY COUNTINANCE
THAT I COULD ONLY SIGH, AND DID AVERT MY GLANCE.
SO WITH SADNESS OF HEART I OFFERED HER MY HAND,
WHICH GRATEFULLY SHE TOOK, HARDLY ABLE TO STAND
ON TREMULOUS FEET, AND STOOD SWAYING TO MY ALARM.
THEREFORE, WITH SWIFTNESS, I TOOK HER IN MY FREE ARM.
“OH THANK YOU KIND SIR”, SHE SAID IN COURTEOUS REPLY,
“FOR I AM COMFORTED BY YOUR KINDNESS TO ONE SUCH AS I”.
“NOW, NOW, COME MY CHILD, COME HOME WITH ME” I SAID,
“SIR, WILT THOU FIRSY BURY MY CHILD FOR I KNOW IT BE DEAD”.
THUS, GENTLY I TOOK THE DEAD BABE, SO COLD AND LIFELESS
THIS MAID FROM ROVERDALE, MY LIFE, WOULD NOW BLESS.
WE HAD TRAVELLED BUT HALF A MILE TOWARDS ROVERDALE
WHEN SHE STOPPED, AND TURNING GAVE ME AN ANGELS SMILE,
SLOWLY SLIPPING FROM MY ARM TO THE GROUND OF THE VALE,
THUS IN PEACEFUL DEATH SHE JOINED HER BLESSED CHILD.
(At first meeting)
THUS I SPOKE “OH WHY, THOU FAIR MAID OF ROVERDALE,
WHY DOST THOU WEEP SO BITTERLY ON THIS EARLY MORN?”
IN STUNNED SUPRISE SHE LOOKED AT ME WITH FACE SO PALE,
AND UPTILTED A TEAR STAINED FACE LOOKING ALL-FORLORN,
WITH SUMMONED EFFORT SO SHE REPLIED WITH TREMBLING LIP,
“OH KIND SIR, THEY HAVE TAKEN MY THOMAS TO YONDER SHIP
WHICH DOTH LIE AT ANCHOR IN ROVERDALES CURVED BAY.
IN TRUTH MY CHILD NOR I HAVE NOT EATEN FOR MANY A DAY,
AND I DO WORRY WHAT IS TO BECOME OF US BOTH SO ALONE,
FOR WE HAVE NEITHER FAMILY, FRIEND, SHELTER OR HOME”.
IT WAS THEN I NOTICED THE BUNDLE AT HER CHEST,
SHE MOVED THE GARMENT TO SHOW BABE AT HER BREAST.
IT WAS A CHILD SO PALE IN ITS DEATHLY COUNTINANCE
THAT I COULD ONLY SIGH, AND DID AVERT MY GLANCE.
SO WITH SADNESS OF HEART I OFFERED HER MY HAND,
WHICH GRATEFULLY SHE TOOK, HARDLY ABLE TO STAND
ON TREMULOUS FEET, AND STOOD SWAYING TO MY ALARM.
THEREFORE, WITH SWIFTNESS, I TOOK HER IN MY FREE ARM.
“OH THANK YOU KIND SIR”, SHE SAID IN COURTEOUS REPLY,
“FOR I AM COMFORTED BY YOUR KINDNESS TO ONE SUCH AS I”.
“NOW, NOW, COME MY CHILD, COME HOME WITH ME” I SAID,
“SIR, WILT THOU FIRSY BURY MY CHILD FOR I KNOW IT BE DEAD”.
THUS, GENTLY I TOOK THE DEAD BABE, SO COLD AND LIFELESS
THIS MAID FROM ROVERDALE, MY LIFE, WOULD NOW BLESS.
WE HAD TRAVELLED BUT HALF A MILE TOWARDS ROVERDALE
WHEN SHE STOPPED, AND TURNING GAVE ME AN ANGELS SMILE,
SLOWLY SLIPPING FROM MY ARM TO THE GROUND OF THE VALE,
THUS IN PEACEFUL DEATH SHE JOINED HER BLESSED CHILD.
