Page:The Poets and Poetry of the West.djvu/289

 1840-50.] FORTUNATUS COSBY. 273 Sti-etdi'd hard by in the verdurous shade, The hunter forgets his ruthless trade, The stag from his lair, And the timid hare, Gaze in his face and are not affray'd. And there, as the Red man's legends tell, A maiden dwelt in that lonely dell ; Fair as the face in a poet's dream, — Pure as the purest mountain stream, When its waters burst From their caverns first — Or drops of dew in the morning's gleam. Her step as agile, as light and free. As spotted fawn's on its native lea ; Her smile as bright as the sunset's glow, Pier voice as silvery, sweet and low. As the fountain's gush, Or song of the thrush. Or zephyrs that curl the water's flow. And innocent thoughts in her bosom lay. As sands of gold in the spring-brook play — As blithe birds dwell in the greenest bowers. Or, honey-bees mid the sweetest flowers ; And her dark eyes shone With bright dreams alone. As the dial tells only of radiant hours. And thither the timorous antelope. And the rock-goat on the mountain's slope — The humming-bird and the humble-bee, The birds that sing in the leafy tree — The mavis and merle, To that gentle girl Came at her call, exulting and free. She lov'd as the young and guileless love. As woman loves or the gentle dove ; And day by day more passionate grew, More trusting and tender, for well she knew That her image dwelt In a heart that felt A love as warm and a love as true. And there, when the setting sun had spread His gorgeous hues on the mountain's head. And shadows lay on the golden mist, Their due feet came to that fairy tryst ; And the stillness round, It was so profound That the wild deer paus'd to look and list. "And what to them was the world beside?" Its wrath and wrong, by that fountain's tide ? The stars look'd down from the distant sky. And spirits smil'd from their place on high — And a blessing fell On that glassy well. And Time, the destroyer, pass'd it by. That gentle girl to the fountain sped. With shells and flowers to wreathe her head ; And the maiden gaz'd with maiden pride. Nor dream'd her love was at her side, Till his shadow lay In the water's play. And show'd the Chief to his conscious bride. And there, at the morrow's dawn, they met, And they came again when the stars were set; And each to the other was all-in-all, And they linger'd there in love's sweet thrall. Till the joyous sun. His journey begun, Wak'd the glad earth with his matin call. And the next day, and still the next, they came. And the maiden wept, but not for shame — And the gushing tears fell fast and warm. For with the next moon that cherish'd form. Too surely she knows, On the war-path goes. O'er mountain and plain — in sunshine and storm. 18