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urs, Till the old chimney howled and whined As if it were a frightened beast, That witnessed from its dizzy post The loathsome forms and grewsome feast And hideous mirth of ghoul and ghost, As on they crowded from the East. The willow, gathered into sheaves Of scorpions by spectral arms, Swung to and fro, and whipped the eaves, And filled the house with weird alarms That hissed from all its tortured leaves. And in the midnight came the rain;-- In spiteful needles at the first; But soon on roof and window-pane The slowly gathered fury burst In floods that came, and came again, And poured their roaring burden out. They swept along the sounding street, Then paused, and then with shriek and shout Hurtled as if a myriad feet Had joined the dread and deafening rout. But ere the welcome morning broke, The loud wind fell, though gray and chill The drizzling rain and drifting smoke Drove slowly toward the westward hill, Half hidden in its phantom cloak. And through the mist a clumsy smack, Deep loaded with her clumsy freight, With shifting boom and frequent tack, Like a huge ghost that wandered late, Reeled by upon her devious track. XIX. So Mildred, with prophetic ken, Saw in the long and rainy day The dreaded host of friendly men And friendly women, kept away, And time for love, and book, and pen. But while she looked, with dreaming eyes And heart content, upon the scene, She saw a stalwart man arise Where the wild water lashed the green, And pause a breath, to signalize Some one beyond her stinted view; Then turn with hurried feet, and straight The deep, rain-burdened grasses through, And through the manse's open gate, Pass to her door. At once she knew That some faint soul, in sad extreme, Had sent for succor to the manse, And knew its master would redeem To sacred use the circumstance That made such havoc of her dream. XX. She saw the quiet men depart, She saw them leave the river-side, She saw them brave with sturdy art The surges of the angry tide, And disappear; the while her heart Sank down in dismal loneliness. Then came her vexing thoughts again; And quick, as if she broke duress Of heavy weariness or pain, She sought the study's dim recess, Where rank on rank, against the wall, The mighty men of every land Stood mutely w
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