A Crooked Life [pp. 478-479]

4A CROOKED LIFE.
A CROOKED LIFE.
"Bill, it was often told me, and it's true,
An ill-shaped body holds an ill-shaped mind;
But we were boys together, and you knew
The hunchback's temper. Yet, Bill, you were kind
To me, the cripple. You were kind at school;
You fought my battles when they called me'fool'
And'humpy;' yet I never could see why
You took my part; but-there now, Bill, don't cry The time is short, and I have much to tell;
It might have been far different, but-well,
One boon is left-to-morrow I shall die.
"Bill, you remember how they took me first
Up to the Hall there —me, the butt of all
The village boys? They pitied me, you see.
I had no parents; hungry and athirst,
They took me in; they had enough for me.
I loved them not; their charity was gall
At first-for I, though crooked, yet was proud.
But they were kind-I grew to love the place,
I went to school; I studied hard, and learned.
And then they made me keeper of the gate;
But still I studied, and I gained apace
In knowledge, yet my heart still cried aloud,
'Make fair thy shape with knowledge;' and I yearned
To know all things and thwart my bitter fate.
"And then she came. 0, Bill, must I go on!
She came-the daughter-from a foreign school.
I saw her enter, for I held the gate,
And in her face such utter beauty shone
That I bowed low, and kissed the dust whereon
Her horse had trod; and she looked proudly down
And coldly smiled, and, muttering'Poor fool,'
Passed slowly on. Bill, had she deigned a frown,
And bade me rise, she had not met her fate;
But that cold smile and that'Poor fool'-these moved
My fierce, distorted heart, and I- I loved
With that cruel, biting love, akin to hate.
"Yet she was kind to me-she meant no ill;
She brought me books, and many a winter night
She came alone and talked, or read aloud;
But I could give no thanks, my throat would fill
When I would speak; I could not bear the sight
[Nov.
478