HUMAN LIFE.

Western Star, Issue 1018, 23 January 1886, Page 3

HUMAN LIFE.

I stootl By the towers of Ai-denveile, And the bells rang forth a jocund peal; Loudly and merrily rang they then, O'er field and valley and, silvan glen And each cheek look'd bright as the blush of morn, And each voice sounded gay as the huntsman's horn, And each heart was glad, for an heiress was born. And again by those portals proud did I stand, And prancing forth came a gallant band; And there was a priest in his robes of white ; And there was a maiden youthful and bright : And a gallant knight rode by her side, And the sounds of joy echoed far and wide, For the heiress was Rudolph dc Courcy's bride. I stood by those time-worn towers again, And once more came forth a gallant train; And I saw that same prie it, but. sad was his pace, ; And I saw that same knight, but lie shrouded his face And I saw not that maiden in beauty's bloom, — But a shroud and a bier and a sable plume! Tor the heiress was borne to her forefathers' tomb. And such is human life at best, A mother's, a lover's, the green earth's breast, A wreath that is formed of flowrets three, Primrose, and myrtle, and rosemary ; A hopeful, a joyful, a sorrowful stave ; A launch, a voyage, a whelming wave; The cradle, the'bridal bed, and the grave.