Page:The story of Saville - told in numbers.djvu/97

 Sedately pacing life’s minuet, while steadily all the while A horrid design is forming, a fungus spreads cancerous-vile,— I have held the hand of a friend one hour and the next his spirit had fled, Dismissed by self and violent means—Who knows? Had I sisterly said A word of love I might have dissolved and melted his purpose dread,— Clasp close the near ones about your hearth, let never caresses lack, For the turn of a card, the fall of a leaf, may speed them adown the track Facile, declivitous, into the bourne of the Acheron valley black! Yet no,—this were not of the least avail; no aid that is won from without Is offeree to cope with interior foes, to vanquish and put them to rout,— The brood ignoble and self-engendered must even self-stifled be, For a wanton zephyr deracinates not the sturdiest forest tree, And often this deadly virus breeds in a strong determinate mind, 93