There ever wakes an evil wraith

There ever wakes an evil wraith
To test the courage of my faith,
As life's dark passages are thridded,--
"Alone! Alone!" are the words it saith.

Ah, no! the wraith's an angel one
Whose face is always to the sun,
A guardian of the heart's temptations,
That saves by fear ere the course be run.

'Tis Father love each round of day
That shadows in a twilight grey,
Or with Love's raven pinion covers,
To tempt His child from itself away.