7]
And at her mother's porch a garland hung,
While thus their rural roundelay they sung:--

* * * * *

And we were up as soon as day,[58] 160
To fetch the summer home,
The summer and the radiant May, 162
For summer now is come.

In Madern vale the bell-flowers bloom,[59]
And wave to Zephyr's breath:
The cuckoo sings in Morval Coombe,
Where nods the purple heath.[60]

Come, dance around Glen-Aston tree--
We bring a garland gay,
And Mary of Guynear shall be 170
Our Lady of the May.

But where is William? Did he not declare,
He would be first the blossomed bough to bear!
She will not join the train! and see! the flower
She gathered now is fading! Hour by hour
She watched the sunshine on the thatch; again
Her mother turns the hour-glass; now, the pane
The westering sun has left--the long May-day
So Mary wore in hopes and fears away.
Slow twilight steals. By the small garden gate 180
She stands: Oh! William never came so late!
Her mother's voice is heard: Good child, come in;
Dream not of bliss on earth--it is a sin:
Come, take the Bible down, my child, and read;
In sickness, and in sorrow, and in need,
By friends forsaken, and by fears oppressed,
_There_ only can the weary heart find rest.
Her thin hands, marked by many a wandering vein,
Her mother turned the silent glass again;
The rushlight now is lit, the Bible read, 190
Yet, ere sad Mary can retire to bed,
She listens!--Hark! no voice, no step she hears,--
Oh! seek thy bed to hide those bursting tears!
When the slow morning came, the tale was told,
(Need it have been?) that William's love was cold.
But hope yet whispers, dry the accusing tear,--
When Sunday comes, he will again be here!
And Sunday came, and struggling from a cloud.
The sun shone bright--the bells were chiming loud--
And lads and lasses, in their best attire, 200
Were tripping past--the youth, the child, the sire;
But William came not. With a boding heart
Poor Mary saw the Sunday crowd depart:
And when her mother came, with kerchief clean,
The last who tottered homeward o'er the green,
Mary, to hear no more of peace on earth,