Maurine and Other Poems.

by Ella Wheeler Wilc.o.x.

_I step across the mystic border-land,_ _And look upon the wonder-world of Art._ _How beautiful, how beautiful its hills!_ _And all its valleys, how surpa.s.sing fair!_

_The winding paths that lead up to the heights_ _Are polished by the footsteps of the great._ _The mountain-peaks stand very near to G.o.d:_ _The chosen few whose feet have trod thereon_ _Have talked with Him, and with the angels walked._

_Here are no sounds of discord--no profane_ _Or senseless gossip of unworthy things--_ _Only the songs of chisels and of pens._ _Of busy brushes, and ecstatic strains_ _Of souls surcharged with music most divine._ _Here is no idle sorrow, no poor grief_ _For any day or object left behind--_ _For time is counted precious, and herein_ _Is such complete abandonment of Self_ _That tears turn into rainbows, and enhance_ _The beauty of the land where all is fair._

_Awed and afraid, I cross the border-land._ _Oh, who am I, that I dare enter here_ _Where the great artists of the world have trod--_ _The genius-crowned aristocrats of Earth?_ _Only the singer of a little song;_ _Yet loving Art with such a mighty love_ _I hold it greater to have won a place_ _Just on the fair land's edge, to make my grave,_ _Than in the outer world of greed and gain_ _To sit upon a royal throne and reign._

MAURINE

_PART I._

I sat and sewed, and sang some tender tune, Oh, beauteous was that morn in early June!

Mellow with sunlight, and with blossoms fair: The climbing rose-tree grew about me there, And checked with shade the sunny portico Where, morns like this, I came to read, or sew.

I heard the gate click, and a firm quick tread Upon the walk. No need to turn my head; I would mistake, and doubt my own voice sounding, Before his step upon the gravel bounding.

In an unstudied att.i.tude of grace, He stretched his comely form; and from his face He tossed the dark, damp curls; and at my knees, With his broad hat he fanned the lazy breeze, And turned his head, and lifted his large eyes, Of that strange hue we see in ocean dyes, And call it blue sometimes, and sometimes green And save in poet eyes, not elsewhere seen.

"Lest I should meet with my fair lady's scorning, For calling quite so early in the morning, I've brought a pa.s.sport that can never fail,"

He said, and, laughing, laid the morning mail Upon my lap. "I'm welcome? so I thought!

I'll figure by the letters that I brought How glad you are to see me. Only one?

And that one from a lady? I'm undone!

That, lightly skimmed, you'll think me _such_ a bore, And wonder why I did not bring you four.

It's ever thus: a woman cannot get So many letters that she will not fret O'er one that did not come."

"I'll prove you wrong,"

I answered gayly, "here upon the spot!

This little letter, precious if not long, Is just the one, of all you might have brought, To please me. You have heard me speak, I'm sure, Of Helen Trevor: she writes here to say She's coming out to see me; and will stay Till Autumn, maybe. She is, like her note, Pet.i.te and dainty, tender, loving, pure.

You'd know her by a letter that she wrote, For a sweet tinted thing. 'Tis always so:-- Letters all blots, though finely written, show A slovenly person. Letters stiff and white Bespeak a nature honest, plain, upright.

And tissuey, tinted, perfumed notes, like this, Tell of a creature formed to pet and kiss."

My listener heard me with a slow, odd smile; Stretched in abandon at my feet, the while, He fanned me idly with his broad-brimmed hat.

"Then all young ladies must be formed for that!"

He laughed, and said.

"Their letters read, and look, As like as twenty copies of one book.

They're written in a dainty, spider scrawl, To 'darling, precious Kate,' or 'Fan,' or 'Moll.'

The 'dearest, sweetest' friend they ever had.

They say they 'want to see you, oh, so bad!'

Vow they'll 'forget you, never, _never_, oh!'

And then they tell about a splendid beau-- A lovely hat--a charming dress, and send A little sc.r.a.p of this to every friend.

And then to close, for lack of something better, They beg you'll 'read and burn this horrid letter.'"

He watched me, smiling. He was p.r.o.ne to vex And hector me with flings upon my s.e.x.

He liked, he said, to have me flash and frown, So he could tease me, and then laugh me down.

My storms of wrath amused him very much: He liked to see me go off at a touch; Anger became me--made my color rise, And gave an added l.u.s.ter to my eyes.

So he would talk--and so he watched me now, To see the hot flush mantle cheek and brow.

Instead, I answered coolly, with a smile, Felling a seam with utmost care, meanwhile.

"The caustic tongue of Vivian Dangerfield Is barbed as ever, for my s.e.x, this morn.

Still unconvinced, no smallest point I yield.

Woman I love, and trust, despite your scorn.

There is some truth in what you say? Well, yes!

Your statements usually hold more or less.

Some women write weak letters--(some men do;) Some make professions, knowing them untrue.

And woman's friendship, in the time of need, I own, too often proves a broken reed.

But I believe, and ever will contend, Woman can be a sister woman's friend, Giving from out her large heart's bounteous store A living love--claiming to do no more Than, through and by that love, she knows she can; And living by her professions, _like a man_.

And such a tie, true friendship's silken tether, Binds Helen Trevor's heart and mine together.

I love her for her beauty, meekness, grace; For her white lily soul and angel face.

She loves me, for my greater strength, may be; Loves--and would give her heart's best blood for me And I, to save her from a pain, or cross, Would suffer any sacrifice or loss.

Such can be woman's friendship for another.

Could man give more, or ask more from a brother?"

I paused: and Vivian leaned his ma.s.sive head Against the pillar of the portico, Smiled his slow, skeptic smile, then laughed, and said: "Nay, surely not--if what you say be so.

You've made a statement, but no proof's at hand.

Wait--do not flash your eyes so! Understand I think you quite sincere in what you say: You love your friend, and she loves you, to-day; But friendship is not friendship at the best Till circ.u.mstances put it to the test.

Man's, less demonstrative, stands strain and tear, While woman's, half profession, fails to wear.

Two women love each other pa.s.sing well-- Say Helen Trevor and Maurine La Pelle, Just for example.

Let them daily meet At ball and concert, in the church and street, They kiss and coo, they visit, chat, caress; Their love increases, rather than grows less; And all goes well, till 'Helen dear' discovers That 'Maurine darling' wins too many lovers.

And then her 'precious friend,' her 'pet,' her 'sweet,'

Becomes a 'minx,' a 'creature all deceit.'

Let Helen smile too oft on Maurine's beaux, Or wear more stylish or becoming clothes, Or sport a hat that has a longer feather-- And lo! the strain has broken 'friendship's tether.'

Maurine's sweet smile becomes a frown or pout; 'She's just begun to find that Helen out'

The breach grows wider--anger fills each heart; They drift asunder, whom 'but death could part.'

You shake your head? Oh, well, we'll never know!

It is not likely Fate will test you so.

You'll live, and love; and, meeting twice a year, While life shall last, you'll hold each other dear.

I pray it may be so; it were not best To shake your faith in woman by the test.

Keep your belief, and nurse it while you can.

I've faith in woman's friendship too--for man!

They're true as steel, as mothers, friends, and wives: And that's enough to bless us all our lives.

That man's a selfish fellow, and a bore, Who is unsatisfied, and asks for more."

"But there is need of more!" I here broke in.

"I hold that woman guilty of a sin, Who would not cling to, and defend another, As n.o.bly as she would stand by a brother.

Who would not suffer for a sister's sake, And, were there need to prove her friendship, make 'Most any sacrifice, nor count the cost.

Who would not do this for a friend is lost To every n.o.bler principle."

"Shame, shame!"

Cried Vivian, laughing, "for you now defame The whole sweet s.e.x; since there's not one would do The thing you name, nor would I want her to.

I love the s.e.x. My mother was a woman-- I hope my wife will be, and wholly human.

And if she wants to make some sacrifice, I'll think her far more sensible and wise To let her husband reap the benefit, Instead of some old maid or senseless chit.

Selfish? Of course! I hold all love is so: And I shall love my wife right well, I know.

Now there's a point regarding selfish love, You thirst to argue with me, and disprove.