Page:All quiet along the Potomac and other poems.djvu/37

 Where the fair &quot;Montijo&quot; a picture stood&mdash; Far the fairest thing in the royal wood;

And it touched her cap with its plume of snow, Lit the golden wealth of the tress below, Showed the hunting-suit all of courtly green, With the royal &quot;N&quot; on the buttons' sheen;

Then it softly kissed, with a tender grace, The lifted glance of her lovely face. O maiden fair, both the bird and sun Know a woman s heart and an empire won.

Where the mould'ring dust of the Pharaohs slept, And the desert sand over temples crept, Came a barge ablaze with the fleur-de-lis To the bridal-rite of the wedded sea.

Once again the sun with his tropic stare, Looking fondly down on her face so fair, Underneath the folds of the banners bright, Saw a royal form in its robe of white&mdash;

Saw the wealth and pomp of an empire shed On the jewelled locks of Eugénie's head&mdash; Saw the queenly wave of the snowy hand As the courtiers bent to the burning sand.

A stripling pale and sad and worn, From love and hope and kingdom torn,