LADY ELA.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 207, 18 June 1887, Page 3

LADY ELA.

Lady E!a, them art lovely, and thy face is very fair, But thy heart is false and fickle, there 19 evil cunning there ! How many knights havo gone for thee, to death and danger's track I Gone for the \vitcliery of thy smile, butnc\cr more come back ! Tis said thou art a wizard's child, who once "was skilled to tell Of magic charms and sorcery; he loved his art too well \ Death was the harvest that he reaped for being over wise, And they s i.v the father's spirit looks from out the daughter's a es.— She stands upon the terrace high, a knight is by her side ; His armour rings and flashes bright, her eyes are full of piidc. "Go forth, bit" Knierht, and conquer, and if then you speak of lo^e I may listen, hut I tell you, your passion you must prove!" " A ring upon thy finger, and a bracelet on thy ■wrist, And a kiss upon thy red lips that never yet were kissed, And then," lie answered gravely, " I'll motint and ride away. And ill befall the turemost who meets me in the fray." And though she would forbid it, and her cheek is cold and pale, She utters not a word to that knight fn shining mail, And the ring is on her finger, the bracelet on her wrist, And he has kissed the red lips that ne'er till now were kissed. Farewell !" lie uttered solemnly, " thou'rt sipsned and scaled as mine, The meaning. Lady, of my words," thou mayst not yet divine, But know that though I die or live, no other one shall dare To touch those lips at once to me so fatal and so fair !" And still she cannot speak-sho can only gaze and gaze Till his knightly figuro melts to a vague and shadowy haze, And f»he strives to be as she ha? boon, but it is, all in vain ; Sho is his, alive or dead, she \ull ne'er be free again. Would'st know the end? Right gallantly he bore him in the fray And many were the honours that he bravely bore away, But -while glory touched his forehead with tho _ laurel crown of fame The inexorable summons of a stronger warrior came. He died. Beneath a lofty fane, his hoad was laid to rests And prayers arid masses chanted, that hi 3 spirit might be blessed ; And ever, morn and eve, as the choir their anthem sing, Stole in that lonely lady of the bracelet and tho ring. And years passed on. One even, as the shadows deepened round, Her still and silent figure by his monument they found, But cold and lifeless Ela lay ; she did but come to bring Back to the giver, at the last, the bracelet and the ring. INDA. I