Page:Bohemian legends and other poems.djvu/89

Then a chill of horror shook him—
And his hair it stood on ends.
With his thoughts in wild confusion
From the church his steps he bends.

To the priest he goes, and wildly
Tells him of the wondrous tale.
Though astonished the priest calmly
Speaks of God who cannot fail.
“See this wild fear we must conquer.”
Holy water now he takes,
Sprinkles it upon them saying,
“God will save us for His sake.”

To the church he bends his footsteps,
With his own eyes now to see,
While the warden half-dead follows,
That strange sight once more to see.
And there truly, he can see them,
People that he knows full well,
At the altar they are gazing,
They are praying, one can tell.

Not one turns to look about him,
They are praying with a will.
As the clock strikes one, the shadows
Pass away in silence chill.
Here it changes, there it changes,
And the lights fade one by one;
Then the scene grows dim and faded,
Like a dream that now is done.

Little time had passed, and several
Went from out this world away;
Then another one was bidden
All his farewells quick to say;
And before the year was finished
Every one that they had seen
Had been called by God Almighty,
To a brighter, happier scene.