"Good neighbors mine," he sternly said, "This passes harmless mirth or jest; I brook no insult to my guest. "She is indeed her mother's child; But God's sweet pity ministers Unto no whiter soul than hers. "Let Goody Martin rest in peace; "I know who swore her life away; And, as God lives, I'd not condemn An Indian dog on word of them." The broadest lands in all the town, The skill to guide, the power to awe, None dared withstand him to his face, "Her mother only killed a cow, Or witched a churn or dairy-pan; Poor Mabel, in her lonely home, Sat by the window's narrow pane, The river, on its pebbled rim, Made music such as childhood knew; The door-yard tree was whispered through By voices such as childhood's ear She saw the rippled waters shine; Sweet sounds and pictures mocking so She strove to drown her sense of wrong, To teach her bitter heart to pray. Poor child! the prayer, begun in faith, "Oh! take me from the scornful eyes And hide me where the cruel speech And mocking finger may not reach! "I dare not breathe my mother's name: A daughter's right I dare not crave To weep above her unblest grave! "Let me not live until my heart, With few to pity, and with none To love me, hardens into stone. "O God! have mercy on thy child, Whose faith in thee grows weak and small, And take me ere I lose it all!" A shadow on the moonlight fell, And murmuring wind and wave became Had then God heard her? Had he sent He laid his hand upon her arm: "You know rough Esek Harden well; And if he seems no suitor gay, And if his hair is touched with gray, "The maiden grown shall never find His heart less warm than when she smiled, Upon his knees, a little child!" Her tears of grief were tears of joy, “O truest friend of all!” she said, "God bless you for your kindly thought, And make me worthy of my lot!" He led her through his dewy fields, To where the swinging lanterns glowed, And through the doors the huskers showed. "Good friends and neighbors!" Esek said, "I'm weary of this lonely life; In Mabel see my chosen wife! "She greets you kindly, one and all; The past is past, and all offence Falls harmless from her innocence. "Henceforth she stands no more alone; You know what Esek Harden is:He brooks no wrong to him or his." Now let the merriest tales be told, For now the lost has found a home; O, pleasantly the harvest-moon, Between the shadow of the mows, On Mabel's curls of golden hair, On Esek's shaggy strength it fell; And the wind whispered, "It is well!" 23 SKIPPER IRESON'S RIDE1 JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER Of all the rides since the birth of time, Or one-eyed Calendar's horse of brass, 4 6 Islam's prophet on Al-Borák,— 5 Body of turkey, head of owl, Skipper Ireson stood in the cart. 1. "The story of 'Skipper Ireson' was told to Mr. Whittier by a schoolmate at the Academy, who came from Marblehead. He supposed it was a tradition of the last century, was not aware that the poor man who was so harshly treated was a contemporary of his own; for the poet was nearly a year old when the Skipper took his ride." Pickard, Life and Letters of Whittier. It is but justice to say that, according to Mr. Samuel Roads his History and Tradition of Marblehead, Ireson was probably not more to blame than his crew; and, possibly, not at all. He seems to have tried to stay by the sinking vessel, but his crew refused to obey. Fearing the wrath of the people of Marblehead, they threw all the blame upon Skipper Ireson. It is interesting to note that during the ride, Ireson maintained a dignified silence, and after he was released his only remark was, "I thank you for my ride, gentlemen, but you will live to regret it. And they did. 2. Apuleius's Golden Ass. "The Golden Ass," a romance by Apuleius, a Roman philosopher of about the second century. 3. Calendar's horse of brass. The reference is to a wonderful horse of brass in the Arabian Nights. 4. 5. Islam's prophet. Mohammed. Al-Borák. A wonderful animal with a human face, two wings, and a peacock's tail, on which Mohammed rode to the seventh heaven, 6. Marblehead. Then a small fishing village a few miles north of Boston, |