Page:The Atlantic Monthly Volume 9.pdf/38

its

vine wrath, seemed, a

by

save, her Lord, gain power like Him power —a which should save that soul endangered! “Ah,” she dear and to

his salvation

a

so

“I

l”

it

would give my life-blood, drop, only might avail for

if

by

thought, drop

in

so

of

so

all

to

their Madonnas. singular how religious exercises and appliances take the character the nature that uses them. The pain and penance, which many her day bore cowardly expedient for averting di

WHAT was she like

2

THE TRUE HEROINE. I

cannot tell.

at

-

I

only know God loved her well. Two noble sons her gray hairs blest, And he, their sire, was now rest.

She never had

a

And why her children loved her so, And called her blessed, all shall know: selfish thought,

Nor valued what her hand had wrought. of

in

In

be

just love; spite She could And cherished hates she dwelt above;

was

a

It

sick-rooms they that had her care Said she was wondrous gentle there. fearful trust, she knew,

guide her young immortals through; But Love and Truth explained the way, And Piety made perfect day. be

To

to

pure and true, She taught them And brave, and strong, and courteous, too; She made them reverence silver hairs,

She won them ever

to

And feel the poor man's biting cares. her side;

Its

Home was their treasure and their pride: food, drink, shelter pleased them best, And there they found the sweetest rest.

is

them,

a

of

in

their

It

she viewed

becoming associated

her Redeemer. “Jesu dulcis memoria,” was the thought that car redeeming sweetness with every ried pain. suffering with Could she thus,

stead that solemn, transparent countenance, that spiritual clearness light and radiance, which the old Floren

as

of of

humble way the sufferings

in

But it did not spoil her beauty,–it on ly changed character. The roundness and bloom melted away,–but there came

tine painters gave

27

Heroine. as

The True

1862.]