Central High School - Almanac Yearbook (Toledo, OH)

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Though crack'd my voice, I ll sing the song for thee, For she has taught it me, I know it well. 'Tis called by some the Spanish Lover's,P1aint: 'The sun shines not when thou'rt away, The world seems sad and weary: Ne'er more shall I be glad or gay, 'Till my 1ov'd one is near me. I fain would sit, and sing of thee, Forever and evermoreg .I swear by the stars above thee, H 'Tis thee I'1l always adore. I'l1 play upon my sweet guitar, And sing of thee, Love's dulcet star.' I turn'd. 'Twas but a passing glimpse I had, But at that sight my heart with rapture thrill'd. A maid .sat there, upon a balcony, With twanging lute passing the hours away. I stopp'd. Again that song rang out. My heart, Pierc'd through and through, by love, beat with fierce joy. I raised my eyes to her's, a moment gazed, We had confess'd our love-each knew the truth. I Day after day sped on in sweetest bliss, In rapture, indescribable in words, A Till on the hush of Sabbath's sacred morn, The clanging, moaning, sobbing, groaning bells Rang out their dire alarm, K The Plague! The Plague! ' She died. Yet I was leftia shatterid wreck To drag a useless life through endless years. 'Twas thus I came to this deserted home Of Mother Church. 'A hermit I became, Yet I 'curse not my lot 3 for, though she's dead, She's dearer even now to me' than e'er She was in life. The years roll on, but can Not dull the brightness of her faceg old Time Makes each line dearergi butJI wish the day Would come full soon, when I may follow her To that place where we never more shall part. God's benison, my son, and a good night I ' The aged hermit rose, and turn'd to go, H

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Reveal'd stood a man 3 his head was crown'd With a White aureole of hair. His face Was Wrinkl'd with old age, a long White beard Descended to the girdle at his waist. Pax vobiscum ! Why comest thou, my son, Along this road, unused to stranger's feet This many a year? Tell me what seekest thou?' 'Tis food I ask, and lodging for the night, Oh reveren'd father 3 cans't thou give it me? Yea, verily, I can. Wilt thou come in, And share with me my frugal meal? I know That thou art Weary. Thrice a thousand thanks g Good father, lead the way, I'll follow thee. The monk set forth upon the board their meal A simple one-yet such their eager zest, Their hunger soon was satisfied. The monk Aroseg and then the stranger thus adclress'd: What doest thou, my son, so far away From chosen haunts of men? Why wand'rest thou Among these mountains gray? Myfather, I Would gladly tell thee all, but that I fear To rouse harsh mem'ries, painful to my soul. Dost thou think that thou canst conceal from Thy secret? 'Tis no secret to my heart. I, too, have felt love's pangs. Under his lash 3 II1 I, too, have suifer'd. Wouldst thou learn my tale? It was long years ago, in fair Seville, That Fate my steps directed down a street Perfum'd with blossoms of the orange trees That fring'd the Way. The birds were twittering, Their hearts with happiness were iill'd. Above That harmony celestial there came A tone as pure, and ringing sweet, as if An angel had come down to sing of love. In rapture I was steep'd. Again that voice, A maid was singing of a lover dear, Whose 1ov'd one to a distant clime had gone.

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QMassive structure, tall, impressive D And two nights of stairs ascending, Heard a sound of sad forebodingf Heard the bell, the tardy signal: But alas! Among the Seniors One familiar face was missingf One desk vacant in room forty 1' 'Twas the Visage of our hero, 'Twas' the desk of our friend Bobby-7 He the darling of the poets, He the pride of all his teachers. Where, you wonder, is our hero With-his spectacles rnost learned, With his hair, oh! so poetic, With his smile beyond description? on this same bright winter's morning- Came great trouble on poor Bobby, Came great swelling and excrescence. And he rose with strange sensations, , Strange sensations that the mumps bring Had the mumps upon the left side, Had the mumps upon the right side, And the mumps had he on both sides. And besides this great protub'rance, And besides this mighty swelling, Bobby had another sorrow, . And his pain and grief were doubled By the advent of some molars- Of his longed-for teeth ,of Wisdom, But, alas, no longer longed for. K And they brought with them such anguish That he wished them where they came from Thus, a week, our Bobby suifered, And he went no longer schoolward. Now, I answer, hence this epic, Hence this tale of great affiictiong Hence this solemn tale of trouble,- Tale of trouble and misfortune, And of grievous agitation.