And　our　thoughts　were　all　in　mourning　for　the　dear；　dead　Long　Ago！
  In　a　night　like　this　we　parted。　Hearts　were　sad　though　they　were　young；
  And　you　left　me　very　lonely；　dark…haired　Maid　of　Gerringong。
  Said　my　darling；　looking　at　me；　through　the　radiance　of　her　tears：
  ‘‘Many　changes；　O　my　loved　One；　we　will　meet　in　after　years；
  Changes　like　to　sudden　sunbursts　flashing　down　a　rainy　steep　…
  Changes　like　to　swift…winged　shadows　falling　on　a　moony　deep！
  And　they　are　so　cheerless　sometimes；　leaving；　when　they　pass　us　by；
  Deepening　dolours　on　the　sweet；　sad　face　of　our　Humanity。
  But　you'll　hope；　and　fail　and　faint　not；　with　that　heart　so　warm　and　true；
  Watching　for　the　coming　Morning；　that　will　flood　the　World　for　you；
  Listening　through　a　thirsty　silence；　till　the　low　winds　bear　along
  Eager　footfalls　…　pleasant　voices；''　said　the　Maid　of　Gerringong。
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  Said　my　darling；　when　the　wind　came　sobbing　wildly　round　the　eaves：
  ‘‘Oh；　the　Purpose　scattered　from　me；　like　the　withered　autumn　leaves！
  Oh；　the　wreck　of　Love's　ambition！　Oh；　the　fond　and　full　belief
  That　I　yet　should　hear　them　hail　you　in　your　land　a　God…made　chief！
  In　the　loud　day　they　may　slumber；　but　my　thoughts　will　not　be　still
  When　the　weary　world　is　sleeping；　and　the　moon　is　on　the　hill；
  Then　your　form　will　bend　above　me；　then　your　voice　will　rise　and　fall；
  Though　I　turn　and　hide　in　darkness；　with　my　face　against　the　wall；
  And　my　Soul　must　rise　and　listen　while　those　homeless　memories　throng
  Moaning　in　the　night　for　shelter；''　said　the　Maid　of　Gerringong。
  Ay；　she　passed　away　and　left　me！　Rising　through　the　dusk　of　tears；
  Came　a　vision　of　that　parting　every　day　for　many　years！
  Every　day；　though　she　had　told　me　not　to　court　the　strange　sweet　pain；
  Something　whispered　…　something　led　me　to　our　olden　haunts　again：
  And　I　used　to　wander　nightly；　by　the　surges　and　the　ships；
  Harping　on　those　last　fond　accents　that　had　trembled　from　her　lips：
  Till　a　vessel　crossed　the　waters；　and　I　heard　a　stranger　say；
  ‘‘One　you　loved　has　died　in　silence　with　her　dear　face　turned　away。''
  Oh！　the　eyes　that　flash　upon　me；　and　the　voice　that　comes　along　…
  Oh！　my　light；　my　life；　my　darling　dark…haired　Maid　of　Gerringong。
  。
  。
  。
  。
  。
  Some　one　saith；　‘‘Oh；　you　that　mock　at　Passion　with　a　worldly　whine；
  Would　you　change　the　face　of　Nature　…　would　you　limit　God's　design？
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  Hide　for　shame　from　well…raised　clamour；　moderate　fools　who　would　be　wise；
  Hide　for　shame　…　the　World　will　hoot　you！　Love　is　Love；　and　never　dies''
  And　another　asketh；　doubting　that　my　brother　speaks　the　truth；
  ‘‘Can　we　love　in　age　as　fondly　as　we　did　in　days　of　youth？
  Will　dead　faces　always　haunt　us；　in　the　time　of　faltering　breath？
  Shall　we　yearn；　and　we　so　feeble？''　Ay；　for　Love　is　Love　in　Death。
  Oh！　the　Faith　with　sure　foundation！　…　let　the　Ages　roll　along；
  You　are　mine；　and　mine　for　ever；　dark…haired　Maid　of　Gerringong。
  Last　night；　dear；　I　dreamt　about　you；　and　I　thought　that　far　from　men
  We　were　walking；　both　together；　in　a　fragrant　seaside　glen；
  Down　where　we　could　hear　the　surges　wailing　round　the　castled　cliffs；
  Down　where　we　could　see　the　sunset　reddening　on　the　distant　skiffs；
  There　a　fall　of　mountain　waters　tumbled　through　the　knotted　bowers
  Bright　with　rainbow　colours　reeling　on　the　purple　forest　flowers。
  And　we　rested　on　the　benches　of　a　cavern　old　and　hoar；
  And　I　whispered；　‘‘this　is　surely　her　I　loved　in　days　of　yore！
  False　he　was　who　brought　sad　tidings！　Why　were　you　away　so　long；
  When　you　knew　who　waited　for　you；　dark…haired　Maid　of　Gerringong？
  ‘‘Did　the　strangers　come　around　you；　in　the　far…off　foreign　land？
  Did　they　lead　you　out　of　sorrow；　with　kind　face　and　loving　hand？
  Had　they　pleasant　ways　to　court　you　…　had　they　silver　words　to　bind？
  Had　they　souls　more　fond　and　loyal　than　the　soul　you　left　behind？
  Do　not　think　I　blame　you；　dear　one！　Ah！　my　heart　is　gushing　o'er
  With　the　sudden　joy　and　wonder；　thus　to　see　your　face　once　more。
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  Happy　is　the　chance　which　joins　us　after　long；　long　years　of　pain：
  And；　oh；　blessed　was　whatever　sent　you　back　to　me　again！
  Now　our　pleasure　will　be　real　…　now　our　hopes　again　are　young：
  Now　we'll　climb　Life's　brightest　summits；　dark…haired　Maid　of　Gerringong。
  ‘‘In　the　sound　of　many　footfalls；　did　you　falter　with　regret
  For　a　step　which　used　to　gladden　in　the　time　so　vivid　yet？
  When　they　left　you　in　the　night…hours；　did　you　lie　awake　like　me；
  With　the　thoughts　of　what　we　had　been　…　what　we　never　more　could　be？
  Ah！　you　look　but　do　not　answer　while　I　halt　and　question　here；
  Wondering　why　I　am　so　happy；　doubting　that　you　are　so　near。
  Sure　these　eyes　with　love　are　blinded；　for　your　form　is　waxing　faint；
  And　a　dreamy　splendour　crowns　it；　like　the　halo　round　a　saint！
  When　I　talk　of　what　we　will　be；　and　new　aspirations　throng；
  Why　are　you　so　sadly　silent；　dark…haired　Maid　of　Gerringong？''
  But　she　faded　into　sunset；　and　the　sunset　passed　from　sight；
  And　I　followed　madly　after；　through　the　misty；　moony　night；
  Crying；　‘‘do　not　leave　me　lonely！　Life　has　been　so　cold　and　drear；
  You　are　all　that　God　has　left　me；　and　I　want　you　to　be　near！
  Do　not　leave　me　in　the　darkness！　I　have　walked　a　weary　way；
  Listening　for　your　truant　footsteps　…　turn　and　stay；　my　darling；　stay！''
  But　she　came　not　though　I　waited；　watching　through　a　splendid　haze；
  Where　the　lovely　Phantom　halted　ere　she　vanished　from　my　gaze。
  Then　I　thought　that　rain　was　falling；　for　there　rose　a　stormy　song；
  And　I　woke　in　gloom　and　tempest；　dark…haired　Maid　of　Gerringong！
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  WATCHING
  LIKE　a　beautiful　face　looking　ever　at　me
  A　pure　bright　moon　cometh　over　the　sea；
  And　I　stand　on　the　crags；　and　hear　the　falls
  Go　tumbling　down；　through　the　black　river…walls；
  And　the　heart　of　the　gorge　is　rent　with　the　cry
  Of　the　pent…up　winds　in　their　agony！
  You　are　far　from　me；　dear；　where　I　watch　and　wait；
  Like　a　weary　bird　for　a　long…lost　mate；
  And　my　life　is　as　dull　as　the　sluggish　stream
  Feeling　its　way　through　a　world　of　dream；
  For　here　is　a　waste　of　darkness　and　fear；
  And　I　call　and　I　call；　but　no　one　will　hear！
  O　darling　of　mine；　do　you　ever　yearn
  For　a　something　lost；　which　will　never　return？
  O　darling　of　mine；　on　the　grave　of　dead　Hours；
  Do　you　feel；　like　me；　for　a　handful　of　flowers？
  Through　the　glens　of　the　Past；　do　you　wander　along；
  Like　a　restless　ghost　that　hath　done　a　wrong？
  And；　lying　alone；　do　you　look　from　the　drouth
  Of　a　thirsty　Life　with　a　pleading　mouth？
  When　the　rain's　on　the　roof；　and　the　gales　are　abroad；
  Do　you　wash　with　your　tears　the　feet　of　your　God？
  Oh！　I　know　you　do；　and　he　sitteth　alone；
  Your　wounded　Love；　while　you　mourn　and　moan　…
  Oh！　I　know　you　do；　and　he　never　will　leap
  From　his　silence　with　smiles；　while　you　weep　…　and　weep！
  Your　coolness　shake　down；　ye　gathered　green　leaves；
  For　my　spirit　is　faint　with　the　love　that　it　grieves！
  Is　there　aught　on　the　summit；　O　yearner　through　Night；
  Aught　on　the　summit　which　looks　like　the　light；
  When　my　soul　is　a…wearied　and　lone　in　the　land；
  Groping　around　will　it　touch　a　kind　hand？
  There　are　chasms　between　us　as　black　as　a　pall；
  But　bring　us　together；　O　God　over　all！
  And　let　me　cast　from　me　these　fetters　of　Fear；
  When　I　hear　the　glad　singing　of　Faith　so　near；
  For　I　know　by　the　cheeks；　which　are　pallid　and　wet；
  And　a　listening　life　we　shall　mingle　yet！
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  Oh！　then　I　will　turn　to　those　eloquent　eyes；
  And　clasp　thee　close；　with　a　sweet　surprise；
  And　a　guest　will　go　in　by　the　heart's　holy　door；
  And　the　chambers　of　Love　shall　be　left　no　more。
  THE　OPOSSUM…HUNTERS
  HEAR　ye　not　the　waters　beating　where　the　rapid　rivers；　meeting
  With　the　winds　above　them　fleeting；　hurry　to　the　distant　seas；
  And　a　smothered　sound　of　singing　from　old　Ocean　upwards　springing；
  Sending　hollow　echoes　ringing　like　a　wailing　on　the　breeze？
  For　the　tempest　round　us　brewing；　cometh　with　the　clouds　pursuing；
  And　the　bright　Day；　like　a　ruin；　crumbles　from　the　mournful　trees。
  When　the　thunder　ceases　pealing；　and　the　stars　up　heaven　are　stealing；
  And　the　Moon　above　us　wheeling　throws　her　pleasant　glances　round；
  From　our　homes　we　boldly　sally　'neath　the　trysting　tree　to　rally；
  For　a　night…hunt　up　the　valley；　with　our　brothers　and　the　hound！
  Through　a　wild…eyed　Forest；　stari