The Pearl
(Jesus The Pearl Of Great Price.)
"O lady fair, these silks of mine are beautiful and rare
The richest web of Indian loom, which beauty's queen might wear;
And my pearls are pure as thine own neck,
with whose radiant light they vie;
I have brought them with me a weary way
Will my gentle lady buy?"
And my lady smiled on the worn old man,
through the dark and clustering curls.
Which veiled her brow as she bent to view his
silks and glittering pearls;
And she placed their price in the old man's hand,
and lightly turned away,
But she paused at the wanderer's earnest call
"My gentle lady, stay!"
"O lady fair, I have yet a gem which a purer
luster flings
Than the diamond flash of the jeweled crown
on the lofty brow of kings,
A wonderful pearl of exceeding price, whose
virtue shall not decay,
Whose light shall be as a spell to thee, and a
blessing on thy way!"
The lady glanced at the mirroring steel where
her form of grace was seen,
Where her dark eyes shone clear, and her dark
locks waved their clasping pearls between;
"Bring forth the pearl of exceeding worth
thou traveler gray and old,
And name the price of thy precious gem, and
my page shall count thy gold!"
The cloud went off from the pilgrim's brow, as
a small and meager book,
Unchased with gold or gem of cost, from his
folding robe he took.
"Here, lady fair, is the pearl of price; may it
prove as such to thee!
Nay, keep thy gold, I ask it not, the word of
God is free!"
The hoary traveler went his way, but the gift
he left behind
Hath had its pure and perfect work on that
high-born maiden's mind;
And she hath turned from the pride of sin to
the loveliness of truth,
And given her human heart to God in its beautiful hour of youth!
J. C. Fletcher.