A Village Courting

O shy and simple Village Girl,
With daisy-drooping eyes;
Like light asleep within the pearl,
Love in your young life lies.
A hundred times in meadow and lane
With careless hearts we walked;
But we shall never meet again,
And talk as we have talked.
All in a moment life was crossed,
In a fairy spell I'm bound;
Yet fear to tell you what I've lost,
Or know what I have found.

When last I met you, tearful-meek
The emerald gloaming came;
Some veil fell from you, in your cheek
The live rose was aflame!
So distant and so dear you grew,
More near, yet more estranged,
Aud at your parting touch I knew
That all the world was changed.
All in a moment life was crossed,
In a fairy spell I'm bound;
Yet fear to tell you what I've lost,
Or know what I have found.

Your fairness haunts me all night long,
I walk in a dream by day;
My silent heart breaks into song,
And the prayerless kneels to pray.
Ten times a day the hot tears start,
For very pride of you:
Would God you were safe 'at home in my heart,
To rest the rough world through.
All in a moment life was crossed,
In a fairy spell I'm bound;
Yet fear to tell you what I've lost,
Or know what I have found.

My heart! She comes by lane and stilo,
With glances shy and sweet;
Making the sunlight with her smile,
And music with her feet.
Ah! could I clasp her in mine arm
Until she named the hour
"When life should move from charm to charm,
And love from flower to flower!
All in a moment life was crossed,
In a fairy spell I'm bound;
Yet fear to tell her what I've lost,
Or know what I have found.