A maiden fair was weeping; Her warrior lover gone, Yet not for noisy war-strife, He leaves her thus alone. Valiant in battle—bravely The gory plains he trod, Nor feared the deadly sword-thrust, Nor th’ battles death-strewn sod. And ofttimes ’mid the strife-clang, He thought of his fair bride; Whom he should press in triumph, So closely to his side. When all at once he altered, He laid his armour by, He said, his eyes were opened To see earth’s vanity. Eternity seemed opening Her vista to his view, He trembled at the prospect, Graver he daily grew. Men tried their skill all vainly To dissipate his fear; But Rudolph only answered— “Eternity is near! They say this life is joyous, ’Tis all too short for me, I must seek joys that fade not, Throughout Eternity. All—all of earth I’ll banish, Its hopes, its loves, its smile; And live alone for Jesus, In Enlli’s {33} sainted isle.” This stern resolve all firmly, Rudolph right soon did make; And parents, lover, glory, For Christ he did forsake. “These things for money promptly, Earth’s servants oft forego, Then I, for years eternal, Relinquish _all_ below. I’ll live alone for Jesus In the Monastic Life, And in the sacred cloister I’ll wage the wondrous strife With Satan, like our Master, Amid the desert wild, I’ll give my will to Jesus, Just as a little child, That thus I soon ‘may enter The Kingdom’ of the Lord, As said our Saviour Jesus, In His own Holy Word.” But Mabel pines; young Rudolph, She pineth sore for thee; To thee her troth she plighted, In love’s first purity. Within her bower she waiteth, Her eyes with weeping sore, They cannot stay her sorrow, She mourneth more and more. “Go, tell her,” said young Rudolph, “Go, tell the lady fair, That I have found a Lover, Of Beauty wondrous rare. Yes, tell her He is chiefest ‘Among ten thousand’ too, Yea, ‘altogether lovely,’ His Love is ever true. Tell her, my Love is Jesus, The Prince of Peace—the King, Whose Beauty all the Angels Eternally do sing.” But Rudolph, list! she pineth, Oh, canst thou break her heart? Wilt thou prove false to Mabel, So cruelly thus part? Her rosy blush is waning, Her cheek is growing pale, Her maiden heart is breaking, Soon will her young life fail. As Rudolph listened, tear drops Flashed in his dark blue eye, His manly breast was heaving A deep, a piercing sigh. Oh! tell her, brother, tell her, She must not weep for me; Say that I long to meet her Where parting may not be. My love is all unaltered, But the eternal years Have stole my heart from Mabel, And earth’s sad vale of tears!