_ 136 SELECT POETRY

Regardless of whate’er she felt,
It followed down the plain ;

She owned her sins, and down she knelt,
And said her prayers again.

Then on she sped, and hope grew strong,
The white park-gate in view ;

Which pushing hard, so long it swung,
That ghost and all passed through !

Loud fell the gate against the post,
Her heart-strings like to crack ;

For much she feared the grisly! ghost
Would leap upon her back.

Still on—pit-—pat—the goblin went,
As it had done before :

Her strength and resolution spent,
She fainted at the door.

Out came her husband, much surprised ;
Out came her daughter dear ;
Good-natured souls! all unadvised
Of what they had to fear.

The candle’s gleam pierced through the night,
Some short space o’er the green
And there the little trotting sprite
Distinctly might be seen.
An ass’s foal had lost its dam
Within the spacious park ;
And, simple as a playful lamb,
Had followed in the dark.

' Grisly —dreadful —hideous.