to hold, to see again.”  She said, “Good-bye for ever.”

p. 47THE BLOW RETURNED

p. 47

I struck you once, I do remember well. Hard on the track of passion sorrow sped, And swift repentance, weeping for the blow; I struck you once—and now you’re lying dead!

Now you are gone the blow no longer sleeps In your forgiveness hushed through all the years; But like a phantom haunts me through the dark, To cry “You gave your own belovèd tears.”

Stript now of all excuses, stern and stark, With all your small transgressings dimmed or fled, The ghost returns the blow upon my heart I struck you once—and now you’re lying dead.

p. 48VALE

p. 48

Good-bye, sweet friend, good-bye, And all the world must be Between my friend and me; And nothing is, dear heart, But hands that meet to part; Good-bye, sweet friend, good-bye.

Good-bye, sweet love, good-bye, And one long grave must be Between my love and me; What comfort there, dear heart, For hands that meet to part? Good-bye, sweet love, good-bye.

p. 49THE SKELETON IN THE CUPBOARD

p. 49

Just this one day in all the year Let all be one, let all be dear; Wife, husband, child in fond embrace, And thrust the phantom from its place. No bitter words, no frowning brow, Disturb the Christmas festal, now The skeleton’s behind the door.

Nor let the child, with looks askance, Find out its sad inheritance From souls that held no happiness, Of home, where love is seldom guest; But in his coming years retain This one sweet night that had no pain; The skeleton’s behind the door.

In vain you raise the wassail bowl, And pledge your passion, soul to soul. You hear the sweet bells ring in rhyme, You wreath the room for Christmas time p. 50In vain. The solemn silence falls, The death watch ticks within the walls; The skeleton taps on the door.

p. 50

Then let him back into his place, Let us sit out the old disgrace; Nor seek the phantom now to lay, That haunted us through every day; For plainer is the ghost; useless Is this pretence of happiness; The skeleton taps on 

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