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Show TWO WOMEN. (By Theodosia Pickering Garrison.) She creut into the vacant church. Through empty aisles and bare; A faint perfume hung o'er the gloom, Vague as an unprayed prayer; In robe and crown each saint looked down And frowned to see her there. Each gazed upon her from his place Peter and John and Paul; She found nor peace nor pain's surcease, So coldlv looked thev all As she faltered lone to the altar stone, Where shone the candles tall. And there enthroned. Immaculate, Tender and Dure and wise. She saw the grace of woman's face, The love of woman's eyes; And Mary's smile bent down the while, Above her mute surprise. Not hers to know the might that lies In throned majesty: She could but guess the tenderness, The sister sympathy; She made her prayer to Mary there With lowly heart and knee. The tall saints watched her as she went Each in his gold and blue. Aloof from her. a trespasser, Stern men thev stood and true, But Mary smiled, and the clasped Child-He Child-He understood and knew. |