turn from his heedless ways, And bear a true repentance, he shall live. Then I, the spirit of your once fond wife, Come from the realms of bliss, do thee adjure; Turn to thy God, and give Him worship due, And mourn not with a needless sorrow more. Then, but a season longer, ye shall come And join me in this never-ending bliss.” Awe-struck and dumb the wondering Henry stood, And took communion from the Holy One; In adoration bound, he knew not whence p. 102To make an answer fit, and would have knelt, Like as before a God, to worship them. But, ere he knew, they had on pinions bright Resumed their course unto the regions whence He saw them come; and, with a wondering look, He watched them still ascend, until the gates Of heaven opened, and they entered in. Then it was morn, and Henry woke from sleep, And looked in wonder on the things around, And felt bewildered for a time to know How hither he had come, and whence the cause. Then fragments of the dream broke on his mind, And yet awhile the joys, the cares, the woes Came clear in their intensity, as when He had endured them in the days just gone. The chilly numbness from his limbs removed, He turned to wander homeward, being now Refreshed by sleep and more in spirit soothed, Reflecting long and deep on the stern truths And troubles tending on the lives of men. Then came the vision of the night before Clear as the waters of a Summer stream, And bore its beauties to his soul anew, Wherefrom he saw a lucent line ascend, Of comfort and of warning to his life, Bidding his soul to higher things ascend, p. 103As vapors rise—as vapors rise and flow— To seek the presence of the sunny heights, Sore of their sojourn in the sphere below; And thus reflected on his bygone days: “Ah me! ah me! my latter life hath been A sorry semblance of the lives of men, Who seek for pleasures in a barren land, And look for comfort in an empty urn, And lose the aim wherefore they live and die Amid the luring of deluding joys. O error bold! ye now thyself reveal Within the chaos of departed time, That she, my wife, received the honor due Unto my God, for she was as my God,— The idol I adored, my constant theme. Forget! forgive! I will return again Unto a nobler purpose, and will give Unto my God the reverence which is meet, And yet a cherished recollection hold, Because of her who hath departed, and Who came to warn me of my error here. Then in a future day I shall ascend, And share beside her an eternal joy.” Again he thought, “But can the babe be dead? It which should be my only comfort now. But now I cannot murmur; I will say, p. 104‘God’s will be done!’ He knoweth what is good.” In manner thus he pondered full and deep, Until the hall he reached, then entered in. And all the household wondered whence he came, For that their lord 

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