Page:McClure's Magazine volume 10.djvu/104

St. Ives is a character who will be treasured up in the memory along with David Balfour and Alan Breck, even with D'Artagnan and the Musketeers.—London "Times"

THE LAST PORTRAIT IN STEVENSON'S GALLERY.

From the "St. James's Gazette"

The tale is told: the story ends,
The last of those attractive friends,
Friends whose companionship we owe
To that lost master of romance
With whom we fought against the foe
Or staked the desperate chance:

Since first we tasted the delights
Of Florizel's adventurous nights,
Or paced the "Hispaniola's" deck
And wished John Silver far away,
Or roamed the moors with Alan Breck,
Or supped with Ballantrae.

Now bold St. Ives admittance craves
Among these fascinating knaves;
With him from prison walls we leap,
With him our hearts to wrath are stirred,
With him we tremble, laugh, and weep,
Until the final word.

The story ends; the tale is told,
And though new books new friends may hold,
Though Meredithians we may meet,
Or Wessex lads with Wessex wives,
That portrait gallery is complete
In which we place St. Ives.

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