TO ISABEL.

Since ere I left my native isle, My childhood's home, life's happy smile And crossed the separating seas, Nothing my lonely heart could please

Till now — and oh, I cannot tell How I admire thee, Isabel! There are, in my dear island green, Most lovely faces to be seen,

Beautiful eyes, with kindly glee, Beamed there in laughing love on me Now I'm alone from day to day, They're all three thousand miles away.

A stranger's face each face I see, And every eye is cold to me, No friendly voice, no kind caress, No spell to break the loneliness,

Until I fell beneath the spell Of thy rare beauty, Isabel I watch thee from my window pane In hopes a stolen glimpse to gain

I know that purely lovely face, I know that form of stately grace, The sweet blue eye, the silken hair Whose tresses shade thy forehead fair

Thy beauty, like God's summer flowers Blesses and cheers this world of ours. Thy smile, the sunshine clear and true Of a bright spirit looking through

But words of mine can never tell All of thy praise fair Isabel Fair Isabel fair Isabel I learned to know thy beauty well

It rose upon my exiled sight A very treasure of delight My loneliness so comforting That my caged heart began to sing

And if I sing thy beauty's fame Thy loveliness is all to blame I loved before I understood That in thy veins flowed Erin's blood

And I could not help but tell Of the fair maiden Isabel On earth the fairest sweetest spot I'll leave and shall regret it not

Since I have left my earthly home What matter is it where I roam Not to the hill I bid farewell But to the gentle Isabel

Accept then from an Irish heart This humble tribute ere we part For thou to me art very dear The lone star of my sojourn here

To thee I sadly bid farewell God bless the maiden Isabel