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BALLADS.

MARY GARVIN.

FROM the heart of Waumbek Methna, from the lake that never fails,

Falls the Saco in the green lap of Conway's inter

vales;

There, in wild and virgin freshness, its waters foam and flow,

As when Darby Field first saw them, two hundred years ago.

But, vexed in all its seaward course with bridges, dams, and mills,

How changed is Saco's stream, how lost its freedom of the hills,

Since travelled Jocelyn, factor Vines, and stately Champernoon

Heard on its banks the gray wolf's howl, the trumpet of the loon !

With smoking axle hot with speed, with steeds of fire and steam,

Wide-waked To-day leaves Yesterday behind him like a dream.

Still, from the hurrying train of Life, fly backward far and fast

The milestones of the fathers, the landmarks of the

past.

But human hearts remain unchanged: the sorrow

and the sin,

The loves and hopes and fears of old, are to our own akin;

And, in the tales our fathers told, the songs our mothers sung,

Tradition, snowy-bearded, leans on Romance, ever

young.

O, sharp-lined man of traffic, on Saco's banks today!

O, mill-girl watching late and long the shuttle's restless play!

Let, for the once, a listening ear the working hand beguile,

And lend my old Provincial tale, as suits, a tear or smile!

The evening gun had sounded from gray Fort Mary's walls;

Through the forest, like a wild beast, roared and plunged the Saco's falls.

And westward on the sea-wind, that damp and gusty grew,

Over cedars darkening inland the smokes of Spurwink blew.

On the hearth of Farmer Garvin blazed the crackling walnut log;

Right and left sat dame and goodman, and between them lay the dog,

Head on paws, and tail slow wagging, and beside him on her mat,

Sitting drowsy in the fire-light, winked and purred the mottled cat.

MARY GARVIN.

253

Twenty years!" said Goodman Garvin, speaking sadly, under breath,

And his gray head slowly shaking, as one who speaks of death.

The Goodwife dropped her needles: "It is twenty years, to-day,

Since the Indians fell on Saco, and stole our child away."

Then they sank into the silence, for each knew the other's thought,

Of a great and common sorrow, and words were needed not.

"Who knocks?" cried Goodman Garvin. The door was open thrown;

On two strangers, man and maiden, cloaked and furred, the fire-light shone.

One with courteous gesture lifted the bear-skin from his head:

"Lives here Elkanah Garvin ?" "I am he," the Goodman said.

"Sit ye down, and dry and warm ye, for the night is chill with rain."

And the Goodwife drew the settle, and stirred the fire amain.

The maid unclasped her cloak-hood, the fire-light glistened fair

In her large, moist eyes, and over soft folds of dark brown hair.

Dame Garvin looked upon her: "It is Mary's self I see !

Dear heart!" she cried, "now tell me, has my child come back to me?"

"My name indeed is Mary," said the stranger, sob. bing wild;

"Will you be to me a mother? I am Mary Garvin's child!

" She sleeps by wooded Simcoe, but on her dying day

She bade my father take me to her kinsfolk far

away.

"And when the priest besought her to do me no such wrong,

She said, 'May God forgive me! I have closed my heart too long.

"When I hid me from my father, and shut out my mother's call,

I sinned against those dear ones, and the Father of us all.

"Christ's love rebukes no home-love, breaks no tie of kin apart;

Better heresy in doctrine, than heresy of heart.

"Tell me not the Church must censure: she who wept the Cross beside

Never made her own flesh strangers, nor the claims of blood denied;

"And if she who wronged her parents, with her child atones to them,

Earthly daughter, Heavenly mother! thou at least wilt not condemn !"

"So, upon her death-bed lying, my blessed mother

spake;

As we come to do her bidding, so receive us for her sake."

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