Page:The Fall of the Alamo.djvu/220

 4. And with it came a holy awe to reign Within our hearts, a namelesss, dreaming-glee, A deep contempt for worldly, hollow gain, A pride in voluntary poverty, A sweet delight in self-inflicted pain, Withal a longing for humility, As if our all we joyfully would give, If we but in our "second I" could live. 5. 'T was Eve—the eve of hallowed recognition., When under Anahuac's verdant bower Our blended love first oped our spirit's vision To greater light, to consciousness of power. When we conceived the purport of our mission: Through Love to reach at Truth. No higher dower —We weened,—could Earth contain or Heaven above; We were contented here to live and love. 6. Then came the Night—the night of Grief which cast Around our lives her black-draped velvet-cloak; Muffling our joy, too beautiful to last. She put on us her trials' cross and yoke. Yet all for good—the first pain's harshness past, Her earnest mildness hallowed it and woke Within our hearts a swift presentiment, With which our tears in harmony were blent.