Chapter M: A. Donohue & Company

PRINTERS AND BINDERS 407-429 Dearborn Street CHICAGO

CONTENTS. "SWEET DANGER" A FATAL IMPRESS LOVE I WILL BE TRUE THE FAREWELL THE KINGDOM OF LOVE LOVE WILL WANE THREE-FOLD A MAIDEN'S SECRET LINES FROM "MAURINE" ART AND LOVE ONE WOMAN'S HISTORY WHY THE SPRING IS LATE RIVER AND SEA LOVE IN THE GARDEN WHEN YOU GO AWAY LINES ON H--'S FOOT A BABY IN THE HOUSE RESIGNED IN FAITH I TOLD YOU LOST ONLY A SAD MISTAKE SONG OF THE WHEELMAN "THE OLD MOON IN THE NEW MOON'S ARMS" THE SOUL'S FAREWELL TO THE BODY LONG AGO TAKE MY HAND THE WILD BLUE-BELLS A WAIF A FACE AT THE WINDOW SEARCHING OUR BLESSINGS GOING AWAY BE NOT WEARY GROWING OLD THE SUMMONS CONVERSION ONE WOMAN'S PLEA IF A PLEA FOR FAME A MOTHER'S WAIL "THE SAME OLD STRAIN" LIMITLESS DENIED WARNED RICH AND POOR OVER THE ALLEY AT THE WINDOW ONLY A KISS MY SHIP FINIS LINES OVER THE WATER FLOWERS FOR THE BRAVE THE PEOPLE'S FAVORITE AN ARMY REUNION THE CAMPFIRE INDEPENDENCE ODE

"SWEET DANGER."

The danger of war, with its havoc of life, The danger of ocean, when storms are rife, The danger of jungles, where wild beasts hide, The danger that lies in the mountain slide,-- Why, what are they but all mere child's play, Or the idle sport of a summer day, Beside These battles that stir and vex The world forever, of sex with sex?

The warrior returns from the captured fort, The mariner sails to a peaceful port; The wild beast quails 'neath the strong man's eye, The avalanche passes the traveler by-- But who can rescue from passion's pyre The hearts that were offered to feed its fire? Ah! he who emerges from that fierce flame Is scarred with sorrow or blackened with shame.

Battle and billow, and beast of prey, They only threaten the mortal clay; The soul unfettered can take to wing; But the danger of love is another thing. Once under the tyrant Passion's control, He crushes body, and heart, and soul. An hour of rapture, an age of despair, Ah! these are the trophies of love's warfare.

And yet forever, since time began, Has man dared woman and woman lured man To that sweet danger that lurks and lies In the bloodless battle of eyes with eyes; That reckless danger, as vast as sweet, Whose bitter ending is joy's defeat. Ah! thus forever, while time shall last, On passion's altar must hearts be cast!

A FATAL IMPRESS.

A little leaf just in the forest's edge, All summer long, had listened to the wooing Of amorous birds that flew across the hedge, Singing their blithe sweet songs for her undoing. So many were the flattering things they told her, The parent tree seemed quite too small to hold her.

At last one lonesome day she saw them fly Across the fields behind the coquette summer, They passed her with a laughing light good-by, When from the north, there strode a strange new comer; Bold was his mien, as he gazed on her, crying, "How comes it, then, that Thou art left here sighing!

"Now by my faith thou art a lovely leaf-- May I not kiss that cheek so fair and tender?" Her slighted heart welled full of bitter grief, The rudeness of his words did not offend her, She felt so sad, so desolate, so deserted, Oh, if her lonely fate might be averted.

"One little kiss," he sighed, "I ask no more--" His face was cold, his lips too pale for passion. She smiled assent; and then bold Frost leaned lower, And clasped her close, and kissed in lover's fashion. Her smooth cheek flushed to sudden guilty splendor, Another kiss, and then complete surrender.

Just for a day she was a beauteous sight, The world looked on to pity and admire This modest little leaf, that in a night Had seemed to set the forest all on fire. And then--this victim of a broken trust, A withered thing, was trodden in the dust.

LOVE.

The day is drawing near, my dear, When you and I must sever; Yet whether near or far we are, Our hearts will love forever, Our hearts will love forever.

O sweet, I will be true, and you Must never fail or falter; I hold a love like mine divine, And yours--it must not alter, O, swear it will not alter.