Classic Poem

AND THE REASON WHY HE GAVE IT .

" I F thy debtor be poor, " old Christoval said,
" Exact not too hardly thy due;
For he who preserves a poor man from want
May preserve him from wickedness too.

" If thy neighbor should sin, " old Christoval said,
" O never unmerciful be;
But remember it is through the mercy of God
That thou art not as sinful as he.

" At sixty-and-seven, the hope of Heaven
Is my comfort, through God's good grace;
My summons, in truth, had I perish'd in youth,
Must have been to a different place. "

" You shall have the farm, young Christoval, "
My master Henrique said;
" But a surety provide, in whom I can confide,
That duly the rent shall be paid. "

I was poor, and I had not a friend upon earth,
And I knew not what to say;
We stood in the porch of St. Andrew's Church,
And it was St. Isidro's day.

" Take St. Isidro for my pledge, "
I ventured to make reply;
" The Saint in Heaven may be my friend,
But friendless on earth am I. "

We enter'd the Church, and went to his shrine,
And I fell on my bended knee —
" I am friendless, holy Isidro,
And therefore I call upon thee!

" I call upon thee my surety to be;
My purpose is honest and true;
And if ever I break my plighted word,
O Saint, mayst thou make me rue! "

I was idle, and quarter-day came on,
And I had not the rent in store;
I fear'd St. Isidro's anger,
But I dreaded my landlord more.

So, on a dark night, I took my flight,
And stole like a thief away;
It happen'd that by St. Andrew's Church
The road I had chosen lay.

As I past the Church door, I thought how I swore
Upon St. Isidro's day;
That the Saint was so near increased my fear,
And faster I hasten'd away.

So all night long I hurried on,
Pacing full many a mile,
And knew not his avenging hand
Was on me all the while.

Weary I was, yet safe, I thought;
But when it was day-light,
I had, I found, been running round
And round the Church all night.

I shook like a palsy, and fell on my knees,
And for pardon devoutly I pray'd;
When my master came up — " What, Christoval
You are here betimes! " he said.

" I have been idle, good Master, " said I,
" Good Master, and I have done wrong;
And I have been running round the Church
In penance all night long. "

" If thou hast been idle, " Henrique replied,
" Henceforth thy fault amend!
I will not oppress thee, Christoval,
And the Saint may thy labor befriend. "

Homeward I went a penitent,
And from that day I idled no more;
St. Isidro bless'd my industry,
As he punish'd my sloth before.

" When my debtor was poor, " old Christoval said,
" I have never exacted my due;
But remembering my master was good to me,
emsp;I copied his goodness too.

" When my neighbor hath sinn'd, " old Christoval said,
" I judged not too hardly his sin,
But thought of the night by St. Andrew's Church,
And consider'd what I might have been. "