Page:Lyrics of Life, Coates, 1909.djvu/110

 90 So, as she thought, the wondrous vision spake,—

"To serve thee, if I may, e'en though I make

Confession, grievous unto me, who know

My folly was forgiven long ago. . ..

"A youth was I who fondly pleasure sought,

Careless to ask how dearly it was bought;

Who passed my days in idleness, nor guessed

How close the coils of evil round me pressed,

"Till, like some swimmer boastful of his strength

Who dares too far, I faced the truth at length—

Perceived the awful distance I had come,

And, battling back, despaired of reaching home.

"Then I had perished in my utter need,

Had no one trusted me beyond my meed;

But—I reached port at last, my fate withstood,

Because one woman still believed me good."

Softly the vision faded, and was gone.

The young wife by the river stood alone;

Musing, she lingered there a little while,

And to her pensive lips there came a smile.