Sekectecd Noetrg.

Evening Star, Issue 4236, 23 September 1876, Page 4

Sekectecd Noetrg.

' THE FALLEN ANGEL. • «• Shortly after midnight on Wednesday, ftVdung woman was observed te climbontothe parapet of the Albert Embankment, and exclaiming in a loud voice, { I can bear this life no longer,' deliberately jumped uito the river."—* Evening Standard, April 9, 1876; Ah ! beautiful to look at, Both in figure and face, And radiant to look at, • With " wreathed smiles and grace And innooent to look at, In silks, and frills, and lace : But what of the sin That enters in :To her soul with a stealthy pace, . -Undermining ' AH heaven's designing ! Look at the dainty fingers, Jewelled, and gloved, and all I Look at the artful fingera, Toying with parasol! Look at the mincing air, The Bimper And the whimper, Decoys for the vulgar Btare Of cad or clown Or flattering knave, Or passion's slave. Or the veriest wretoh in town ! Great God I that the flower of thy creation, Should lie in wait, Like a thing at the gate, *SCo hasten her own and another's damnation. And all for what! foT gold ! Bought in the shambles, and sold Fornlthy lucre—for gold— That brazen curse, And worse! That fiend, Coined and Queea'd, With the stainlesß grace Of a regal face! G«U ! gold I ! gold ! ! • The tempter of young and old— The price of a lamp from the fold— The price of honor and truth— The price of virtue and youth; Aboul'bloss For dross — That demon incarnate—Gold!

Somebody's erring chill; Bomebod'a missing child; A desolate home somewhere, And a wail of distress somewhere, Uttered with agony wild! The bleat of the dam For the poor stray lamb, ■ ..."• Lured from the fold By gold! . Or deceit, Sowing tares 'stead of wheat, And that mother's blessing and piayer, Following her everywhere— Or a voice from the grave, mayhap, or above,; Entreating forgiveness with ttilrs of leve.

Ah, beautiful to look at—.New! AnnVradiant to look at— Now! But a time will come— Too sotin! And oh, what a time— Too soon! When the bloom and the grace, Aid the bugles and lace, Will kave all passed away from figore and

face, Leaving no trace Of the teeth that were white, Or the looks that were bright, Or the eyes filled with light, But the scales of the leper installed in their place. And what then, Dissemblers of men ? And what then, Devils of men ? Soon or late 'tis a desperate game, The butterfly life that can end but in shame

How lightly she glides along— A blot on the human throng— With, her arch fascinations At railway stations; To luncheon or dine, Take biscuits or wine, Or a trip out of town on the railway line, Or a stroll on the mall, or a sail on the river— TJie beautiful, beautiful, beautiful river.

* * * * The play is played out, and the curtain falls, Hung down by the ominous bell of St. Panls's, Chiming the midnight hour. The worm has crept into the heart of the flower, And the night is cold—so cold ! And the world is cold—so cold ! Hark ! a muffled groan, or a prayer— Now a shriek on the air, And a cry of despair—"No longer, no longer this lite can I .. bear!" Then a leap in the dark from the Thames bank walls . Into the river— , Thebeauttful, beautiful liver 7 So refreshing in life's mad fever, And: rolling on ever, and ever, and ever, To. wash, out the guilt, of a lopt soul— NbveeT

." Found drowned 1" Another stray waif of the city, A stranger to hope and to pity, ~, " Found drowned 1" So the neighboring gossips said; So the account in the papers read ; So the jury found* man-to man j Sa'tlie coroner's entry ran. " Found drowned. 1" arid there an end— Self-arraigned/ and. world-condemned, Tifl- tKe deep shall yawn, and the graves t/ , shall rend, An&'the dead/arise, , At the blast of the trump for the Oreat .Assize! '. <J, : Litters Baska.