we sat in silence. Then he groaned
And fell upon his knees and hid his face,
And stretched his hand toward me wailing out--
'I cannot bear this burden on my soul;
O Paul!--O God!--forgive me or I die.'

"His anguish touched my heart. I took his hand,
And kneeling by him prayed a solemn prayer--
'Father, forgive him, for he knew not what
He did who broke the bond that bound us twain.
O may her spirit whisper in his ear
Forever--God is love and all is well.

"The iron man--all bowed and broken down--
Sobbed like a child. He laid his trembling hand
With many a fervent blessing on my head,
And, with the crust all crumbled from his heart,
Arose and led me to her silent couch;
And I looked in upon my darling dead.
Mine--O mine in heaven forevermore!
God's angel sweetly smiling in her sleep;
How beautiful--how radiant of heaven!
The ring I gave begirt her finger still;
Her golden hair was wreathed with immortelles;
The lips half-parted seemed to move in psalm
Or holy blessing. As I kissed her brow,
It seemed as if her dead cheeks flushed again
As in those happy days beneath the pines;
And as my warm tears fell upon her face,
Methought I heard that dear familiar voice
So full of love and faith and calmest peace,
So near and yet so far and far away,
So mortal, yet so spiritual--like an air
Of softest music on the slumbering bay
Wafted on midnight wings to silent shores,
When myriad stars are twinkling in the sea:

[Illustration: 'AND I LOOKED IN UPON MY DARLING DEAD.']

"'_Paul, O Paul, forgive and be forgiven;
Earth is all trial;--there is peace in heaven_.'

"Aye, Captain, in that sad and solemn hour
I laid my hand upon the arm of Christ,
And he hath led me all the weary way
To this last battle. I shall win through Him;
And ere you hear the _reveille_ again
Paul and Pauline, amid the psalms of heaven,
Embraced will kneel and at the feet of God
Receive His benediction. Let me sleep.
You know the rest;--I'm weary and must sleep.
An angel's bugle-blast will waken me,
But not to pain, for there is peace in heaven."

He slept, but not the silent sleep of death.
I felt his fitful pulse and caught anon
The softly-whispered words "_Pauline_," and "_Peace_."
Anon he clutched with eager, nervous hand,
And in hoarse whisper shouted--"_Steady, men_!"
Then sunk again. Thus passed an hour or more
And he woke, half-raised himself and said
With feeble voice and eyes strange luster-lit:

"Captain, my boat is swiftly