The Tale of Alleyne, Part I

The noon-tide sun with fervid beams Now gilded ev'ry hill, When MARIAN sought the willow shade Beside the ripling rill;

There, as she ply'd the needle's task, Her bosom throbb'd with woe, And down her faded cheek full oft Tears trickled soft and slow.

And often, as she rais'd her eyes Athwart the distant mead, And mark'd the entrance of the wood, Her heart with anguish bled;

For there she trac'd her WILLIAM's steps, As he pursu'd his way, Full lightly to the neighb'ring town, By morning's ruddy ray,

To sell the produce of his land, Of grain a plenteous store; She saw him enter in the wood, But never saw him more.

Now five afflicting years had past, Since she began to mourn The father of her ALLEYNE dear, Who never did return.

ALLEYNE, who knew his mother's wont, When morn's hard toil was o'er, Would duly, to appease her grief, Her pensive haunts explore.

Full fifteen years had crown'd the youth, His form of promise rare, And comely was he to the view, And dutiful as fair.

Daily he grew in the esteem Of Pastor, Knight, and Squire, And oft a casual dole obtain'd, To mend his scanty hire.

Soon as beneath the willow's shade His mother he descries, And views her pond'ring o'er the stream With swoll'n and wat'ry eyes,

He seats him gently by her side, And thus he soothes her woe: "Must then this trickling tide of grief "For ever, ever flow?

"And never will the hand of Time "Abate my mother's pain? "Ne'er shall the smiles she us'd to wear "On ALLEYNE shine again?"

"Ah! can'st thou marvel," MARIAN cries, "That thus my sorrows flow? "Too well, thou know'st, my dearest son, "My cause for constant woe;

"Just such a bright and fervid sun "As this, enrich'd the plain, "When WILLIAM left thy mother's side, "But ne'er return'd again.

"With him we lost the richest crop, "That e'er our glebe bestow'd, "Since when, thou know'st, bleak indigence "Hath made with us abode."

"Too well, I know," the boy replies, "Why thus thy sorrows flow, "Young as I am, I sore regret "And I partake thy woe:

"Yet these continual streaming tears "My mother's health consume; "And lillies sit upon that cheek, "Where once the rose did bloom.

"Assuage thy grief, nor let despair "Thy gentle heart invade, "Since God doth give me daily strength "To lend my mother aid:

"And late and early will I toil, "So thou may'st peace enjoy." Through tears she smil'd, and close embrac'd Her ALLEYNE, her good Boy.

Smiles were the only answer made, She had not power to speak, But, in complacent silence, wip'd The drops from off her cheek.

And duteous ALLEYNE kept his word, He early toll'd and late, And God bestow'd him daily strength To mend their poor estate.

His toils were bless'd; each harvest home Increas'd their little store, And in his twentieth year he saw Want banish'd from their door.

Now (woe the while!) his honest heart Play'd truant from his breast, And sore he long'd in nuptial tye With LUCY to be blest.

LUCY, a neighbour farmer's pride, Who lov'd alike the youth, For she had long with pleasure mark'd His early grace and truth.

Each guess'd the pain the other felt, Yet each that pain conceal'd, For ALLEYNE made his own desires To filial duty yield.