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Why should this be?

Elmina, dost thou shun me?—Have we not, E'en from the hopeful and the sunny time When youth was as a glory round our brows, Held on through life together?—And is this, When eve is gathering round us, with the gloom Of stormy clouds, a time to part our steps Upon the darkening wild?

There needs not this. Why shouldst thou think I shunn'd thee?

Should the love That shone o'er many years, th' unfading love, Whose only change hath been from gladdening smiles To mingling sorrows and sustaining strength, Thus lightly be forgotten?

Speak'st thou thus? —I have knelt before thee with that very plea, When it avail'd me not!—But there are things