The Bride Of A Year.

She stands in front of her mirror
    With bright and joyous air,
Smoothes out with a skilful hand
    Her waves of golden hair;
But the tell tale roses on her cheek,
    So changing yet so bright,
And downcast, earnest eye betray
    New thoughts are hers to-night.

Then say what is the fairy spell,
    Around her beauty thrown,
Lending a new and softer charm
    To every look and tone?
It is the hidden consciousness -
    The blissful, joyous thought
That she, at length hath wholly won
    The heart she long had sought.

To-morrow is her bridal day,
    That day of hopes and fears,
Of partings from beloved friends,
    Of sunshine and of tears:
To-morrow will she says the words,
    Those words whose import deep
Will fix her future lot in life -
    Well might she pause and weep!

Yet, only once, a passing cloud
    Rests on her girlish brow,
Her dark eye gleameth restlessly -
    She's thinking of her vow.
But quick as light and fleecy clouds
    Flit o'er a summer sky,
The shadow passeth from her brow,
    The trouble from her eye.

In silvery tones she murmurs forth
    "My heart is light and glad,
Youth, beauty, hope, are all mine own,
    Then, why should I be sad?
To graver hearts leave graver thoughts
    And all foreboding fears,
For me, life's sunshine and its flowers, -
    I am too young for tears!"