WITH DRAWINGS 8? DECORATIONS BY GEORGE WHARTON EDWARDS-sr SAN 0\£GU •oanway alif . 91204 I 4-0828 Oversize 9 i\ipO(^ I " C'^A^ — ^' ■^^?ly^y^yZ^^^<^-i' .^-^^^■C^fi>tL ty/ ^^^^-^ sry^USTUr (DO'BSQAr ^ S J):0 yi^wyoJi^ - 1)0(0^ -M^/r^ ^ Co/^i^^^fAy Copyright, 1 890, by Dodd, Mead & Company ^ JmU<^ ^ly^m. O (kilt nil ikuL l&um^i (h H ^JjlkiM/y - rfc kuMnV^WwlA . lUnlM ii-j. Page I, Title page. 4, Copyright. 5, Dedication. 7, Half title. 9, List of Drawings and Decorations. I •?, The Sun Dial. 16, "Tricked in the autumn with the yellow rain. 17, Head Band. Page 21, "Here would the ringdoves linger." 25, "Folded, inscribed, and niciied it in the stone." 29, "And spied the tiny letter in the nook." 33, "The single tear that tear-worn eyes will shed." 37, "Blue-eyed, frank-faced, with clear and open brow. 41, "Took out the note; — held it as one who feared The fragile thing he held would slip and fall." 45, "And sauntered past, singing a roundelay." 47, Finis. 49, Tail Piece. is an old dial, dark with many a stain ; In summer crowned with drifting orchard bloom, Tricked in the autumn with the yellow rain, And white in winter like a marble tomb ; iikl round about its gray, time-eaten brow Lean letters speak — a worn and shattered row : 31 am a ^I)aDc -. a ^IjaDoinc too arte tl)ou -. I marfic t\)c Zimt: 0avc, (15o60ip, t)O0t tl)ou 00c? ,ere would the ringdoves linger, head to head ; And here the snail a silver course would run, Beating old Time ; and here the peacock spread His gold-green glory, shutting out the sun. [he tardy shade moved forward to the noon ; Betwixt the paths a dainty Beauty stept, That swung a flower, and, smiling, hummed a tune, — Before whose feet a barking spaniel leapt. 'er her blue dress an endless blossom strayed ; About her tendril-curls the sunlight shone ; And round her train the tiger-lilies swayed, Like courtiers bowing till the queen be gone. 'he leaned upon the slab a little while, Then drew a jewelled pencil from her zone, Scribbled a something with a frolic smile, Folded, inscribed, and niched it in the stone. [he shade slipped on, no swifter than the snail ; There came a second lady to the place, Dove-eyed, dove-robed, and some- thing wan and pale — An inner beauty shining from her face. [he, as if listless with a lonely love, Straying among the alleys with a book, — Herrick or Herbert, — watched the circling dove, And spied the tiny letter in the nook. hen, like to one who confirmation found Of some dread secret half-accounted true, — Who knew what hands and hearts the letter bound. And argued loving commerce 'twixt the two. the bent her fair young forehead on the stone ; The dark shade gloomed an instant on her head ; And 'twixt her taper-fingers pearled and shone The single tear that tear-worn eyes will shed. he shade slipped onward to the fall- ing gloom ; There came a soldier gallant in her stead, Swinging a beaver with a swaling plume, A ribboned love-lock rippling from his head ; lue-eyed, frank-faced, with clear and open brow, Scar-seamed a little, as the women love ; So kindly fronted that you mar- velled how The frequent sword-hilt had so frayed his glove ; [ho switched at Psyche plunging in the sun ; Uncrowned three lilies with a back- ward swinge ; And standing somewhat widely, like to one More used to "Boot and Saddle" than to cringe * \s courtiers do, but gentleman withal, Took out the note; — held it as one who feared The fragile thing he held would slip and fall ; Read and re-read, pulling his tawny beard ; lissed it, I think, and hid it in his breast ; Laughed softly in a llattered happy way, Arranged the hroidered baldrick on his chest, And sauntered past, singing a roundelay. 'he shade crept forward through the dying glow; There came no more nor dame nor cavalier ; But for a little time the brass will show A small gray spot — the record of a tear. ./ ''"r'^' 'nX /r- UCSOUTHtRNRb., 1 b 000 979 276 3