And　saunterers　pass　with　laugh　and　jest　…
  A　handsome　couple　among　the　rest。
  〃That　smart　proud　pair；〃　says　the　man　to　his　friend；
  〃Are　to　marry　next　week　。　。　。　How　little　he　thinks
  That　dozens　of　days　and　nights　on　end
  I　have　stroked　her　neck；　unhooked　the　links
  Of　her　sleeve　to　get　at　her　upper　arm　。　。　。
  Well；　bliss　is　in　ignorance：　　what's　the　harm！〃
  VI　IN　THE　CEMETERY
  〃You　see　those　mothers　squabbling　there？〃
  Remarks　the　man　of　the　cemetery。
  One　says　in　tears；　''Tis　mine　lies　here！'
  Another；　'Nay；　mine；　you　Pharisee！'
  Another；　'How　dare　you　move　my　flowers
  And　put　your　own　on　this　grave　of　ours！'
  But　all　their　children　were　laid　therein
  At　different　times；　like　sprats　in　a　tin。
  〃And　then　the　main　drain　had　to　cross；
  And　we　moved　the　lot　some　nights　ago；
  And　packed　them　away　in　the　general　foss
  With　hundreds　more。　　But　their　folks　don't　know；
  And　as　well　cry　over　a　new…laid　drain
  As　anything　else；　to　ease　your　pain！〃
  VIIOUTSIDE　THE　WINDOW
  〃My　stick！〃　he　says；　and　turns　in　the　lane
  To　the　house　just　left；　whence　a　vixen　voice
  Comes　out　with　the　firelight　through　the　pane；
  And　he　sees　within　that　the　girl　of　his　choice
  Stands　rating　her　mother　with　eyes　aglare
  For　something　said　while　he　was　there。
  〃At　last　I　behold　her　soul　undraped！〃
  Thinks　the　man　who　had　loved　her　more　than　himself；
  〃My　God'tis　but　narrowly　I　have　escaped。　…
  My　precious　porcelain　proves　it　delf。〃
  His　face　has　reddened　like　one　ashamed；
  And　he　steals　off；　leaving　his　stick　unclaimed。
  VIIIIN　THE　STUDY
  He　enters；　and　mute　on　the　edge　of　a　chair
  Sits　a　thin…faced　lady；　a　stranger　there；
  A　type　of　decayed　gentility；
  And　by　some　small　signs　he　well　can　guess
  That　she　comes　to　him　almost　breakfastless。
  〃I　have　calledI　hope　I　do　not　err　…
  I　am　looking　for　a　purchaser
  Of　some　score　volumes　of　the　works
  Of　eminent　divines　I　own；　…
  Left　by　my　fatherthough　it　irks
  My　patience　to　offer　them。〃　　And　she　smiles
  As　if　necessity　were　unknown；
  〃But　the　truth　of　it　is　that　oftenwhiles
  I　have　wished；　as　I　am　fond　of　art；
  To　make　my　rooms　a　little　smart。〃
  And　lightly　still　she　laughs　to　him；
  As　if　to　sell　were　a　mere　gay　whim；
  And　that；　to　be　frank；　Life　were　indeed
  To　her　not　vinegar　and　gall；
  But　fresh　and　honey…like；　and　Need
  No　household　skeleton　at　all。
  IXAT　THE　ALTAR…RAIL
  〃My　bride　is　not　coming；　alas！〃　says　the　groom；
  And　the　telegram　shakes　in　his　hand。　　〃I　own
  It　was　hurried！　　We　met　at　a　dancing…room
  When　I　went　to　the　Cattle…Show　alone；
  And　then；　next　night；　where　the　Fountain　leaps；
  And　the　Street　of　the　Quarter…Circle　sweeps。
  〃Ay；　she　won　me　to　ask　her　to　be　my　wife　…
  'Twas　foolish　perhaps！to　forsake　the　ways
  Of　the　flaring　town　for　a　farmer's　life。
  She　agreed。　　And　we　fixed　it。　　Now　she　says：
  'It's　sweet　of　you；　dear；　to　prepare　me　a　nest；
  But　a　swift；　short；　gay　life　suits　me　best。
  What　I　really　am　you　have　never　gleaned；
  I　had　eaten　the　apple　ere　you　were　weaned。'〃
  XIN　THE　NUPTIAL　CHAMBER
  〃O　that　mastering　tune？〃　　And　up　in　the　bed
  Like　a　lace…robed　phantom　springs　the　bride；
  〃And　why？〃　asks　the　man　she　had　that　day　wed；
  With　a　start；　as　the　band　plays　on　outside。
  〃It's　the　townsfolks'　cheery　compliment
  Because　of　our　marriage；　my　Innocent。〃
  〃O　but　you　don't　know！　　'Tis　the　passionate　air
  To　which　my　old　Love　waltzed　with　me；
  And　I　swore　as　we　spun　that　none　should　share
  My　home；　my　kisses；　till　death；　save　he！
  And　he　dominates　me　and　thrills　me　through；
  And　it's　he　I　embrace　while　embracing　you！〃
  XIIN　THE　RESTAURANT
  〃But　hear。　　If　you　stay；　and　the　child　be　born；
  It　will　pass　as　your　husband's　with　the　rest；
  While；　if　we　fly；　the　teeth　of　scorn
  Will　be　gleaming　at　us　from　east　to　west；
  And　the　child　will　come　as　a　life　despised；
  I　feel　an　elopement　is　ill…advised！〃
  〃O　you　realize　not　what　it　is；　my　dear；
  To　a　woman！　　Daily　and　hourly　alarms
  Lest　the　truth　should　out。　　How　can　I　stay　here；
  And　nightly　take　him　into　my　arms！
  Come　to　the　child　no　name　or　fame；
  Let　us　go；　and　face　it；　and　bear　the　shame。〃
  XIIAT　THE　DRAPER'S
  〃I　stood　at　the　back　of　the　shop；　my　dear；
  But　you　did　not　perceive　me。
  Well；　when　they　deliver　what　you　were　shown
  _I_　shall　know　nothing　of　it；　believe　me！〃
  And　he　coughed　and　coughed　as　she　paled　and　said；
  〃O；　I　didn't　see　you　come　in　there　…
  Why　couldn't　you　speak？〃〃Well；　I　didn't。　　I　left
  That　you　should　not　notice　I'd　been　there。
  〃You　were　viewing　some　lovely　things。　　'Soon　required
  For　a　widow；　of　latest　fashion'；
  And　I　knew　'twould　upset　you　to　meet　the　man
  Who　had　to　be　cold　and　ashen
  〃And　screwed　in　a　box　before　they　could　dress　you
  'In　the　last　new　note　in　mourning；'
  As　they　defined　it。　　So；　not　to　distress　you；
  I　left　you　to　your　adorning。〃
  XIIION　THE　DEATH…BED
  〃I'll　tellbeing　past　all　praying　for　…
  Then　promptly　die　。　。　。　He　was　out　at　the　war；
  And　got　some　scent　of　the　intimacy
  That　was　under　way　between　her　and　me；
  And　he　stole　back　home；　and　appeared　like　a　ghost
  One　night；　at　the　very　time　almost
  That　I　reached　her　house。　　Well；　I　shot　him　dead；
  And　secretly　buried　him。　　Nothing　was　said。
  〃The　news　of　the　battle　came　next　day；
  He　was　scheduled　missing。　　I　hurried　away；
  Got　out　there；　visited　the　field；
  And　sent　home　word　that　a　search　revealed
  He　was　one　of　the　slain；　though；　lying　alone
  And　stript；　his　body　had　not　been　known。
  〃But　she　suspected。　　I　lost　her　love；
  Yea；　my　hope　of　earth；　and　of　Heaven　above；
  And　my　time's　now　come；　and　I'll　pay　the　score；
  Though　it　be　burning　for　evermore。〃
  XIVOVER　THE　COFFIN
  They　stand　confronting；　the　coffin　between；
  His　wife　of　old；　and　his　wife　of　late；
  And　the　dead　man　whose　they　both　had　been
  Seems　listening　aloof；　as　to　things　past　date。
  〃I　have　called；〃　says　the　first。　　〃Do　you　marvel　or　not？〃
  〃In　truth；〃　says　the　second；　〃I　dosomewhat。〃
  〃Well；　there　was　a　word　to　be　said　by　me！　。　。　。
  I　divorced　that　man　because　of　you　…
  It　seemed　I　must　do　it；　boundenly；
  But　now　I　am　older；　and　tell　you　true；
  For　life　is　little；　and　dead　lies　he；
  I　would　I　had　let　alone　you　two！
  And　both　of　us；　scorning　parochial　ways；
  Had　lived　like　the　wives　in　the　patriarchs'　days。〃
  XVIN　THE　MOONLIGHT
  〃O　lonely　workman；　standing　there
  In　a　dream；　why　do　you　stare　and　stare
  At　her　grave；　as　no　other　grave　there　were？
  〃If　your　great　gaunt　eyes　so　importune
  Her　soul　by　the　shine　of　this　corpse…cold　moon；
  Maybe　you'll　raise　her　phantom　soon！〃
  〃Why；　fool；　it　is　what　I　would　rather　see
  Than　all　the　living　folk　there　be；
  But　alas；　there　is　no　such　joy　for　me！〃
  〃Ahshe　was　one　you　loved；　no　doubt；
  Through　good　and　evil；　through　rain　and　drought；
  And　when　she　passed；　all　your　sun　went　out？〃
  〃Nay：　　she　was　the　woman　I　did　not　love；
  Whom　all　the　others　were　ranked　above；
  Whom　during　her　life　I　thought　nothing　of。〃
  LYRICS　AND　REVERIES
  （continued）
  SELF…UNCONSCIOUS
  Along　the　way
  He　walked　that　day；
  Watching　shapes　that　reveries　limn；
  And　seldom　he
  Had　eyes　to　see
  The　moment　that　encompassed　him。
  Bright　yellowhammers
  Made　mirthful　clamours；
  And　billed　long　straws　with　a　bustling　air；
  And　bearing　their　load
  Flew　up　the　road
  That　he　followed；　alone；　without　interest　there。
  From　bank　to　ground
  And　over　and　round
  They　sidled　along　the　adjoining　hedge；
  Sometimes　to　the　gutter
  Their　yellow　flutter
  Would　dip　from　the　nearest　slatestone　ledge。
  The　smooth　sea…line
  With　a　metal　shine；
  And　flashes　of　white；　and　a　sail　thereon；
  He　would　also　descry
  With　a　half…wrapt　eye
  Between　the　projects　he　mused　upon。
  Yes；　round　him　were　these
  Earth's　artistries；
  But　specious　plans　that　came　to　his　call
  Did　most　engage
  His　pilgrimage；
  While　himself　he　did　not　see　at　all。
  Dead　now　as　sherds
  Are　the　yellow　birds；
  And　all　that　mattered　has　passed　away；
  Yet　God；　the　Elf；
  Now　shows　him　that　self
  As　he　was；　and　should　have　been　shown；　that　day。
  O　it　would　have　been　good
  Could　he　then　have　stood
  At　a　focussed　distance；　and　conned　the　whole；
  But　now　such　vision
  Is　mere　derision；
  Nor　soothes　his　body　nor　saves　his　soul。
  Not　much；　some　may
  Incline　to　say；
  To　see　therein；　had　it　all　been　seen。
  Nay！　he　is　aware
  A　thing　was　there
  That　loomed　with　an　immortal　mien。
  THE　DISCOVERY
  I　wandered　to　a　crude　coast
  Like　a　ghost；
  Upon　the　hills　I　saw　fires　…
  Funeral　pyres
  Seeminglyand　heard　breaking
  Waves　like　distant　cannonades　that　set　the　land　shaking。
  And　so　I　never　once　guessed
  A　Love…nest；
  Bowered　and　candle…lit；　lay
  In　my　way；
  Till　I　found　a　hid　hollow；
  Where　I　burst　on　her　my　heart　could　not　but　follow。
  TOLERANCE
  〃It　is　a　foolish　thing；〃　said　I；
  〃To　bear　with　such；　and　pass　it　by；
  Yet　so　I　do；　I　know　not　why！〃
  And　at　each　clash　I　would　surmise
  That　if　I　had　acted　otherwise
  I　might　have　saved　me　many　sighs。
  But　now　the　only　happiness
  In　looking　back　that　I　possess　…
  Whose　lack　would　leave　me　comfortless　…
  Is　to　remember　I　refrained
  From　masteries　I　might　have　gained；
  A