Page:Livingstone in Africa.djvu/117

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LIVINGSTONE IN AFRICA.
95

Upon her weary way through wild and wood,
Under the sunblaze; till her bleeding feet
Refuse their office; till she faints and falls!
Whom the tormentors, with a curse and jeer,
Torture to sense of cruel life once more:
Two burdens doth she carry; one, her babe:
She cannot bear them both; they snatch the babe
From her, for all the wailing and wrung hands;
Tossing it crush'd upon a mossy stone.
They goad her on; full blinding tears have darken'd
All the parch'd earth; she cannot stumble far—
Now shouts arise to kill her—it is done!
Christ saith to Satan: "Hold! the child shall sleep!"