OUR GABRIELLE.

 When the harsh days of the winter

Softened¹ into early spring,

And the birds—gay, feathered songsters—

First commenced their carolling,

Kindling² in our hearts o’erflowing

More of love than tongue can tell,

Sweeter than the breath of morning

Came our star-eyed Gabrielle.

And our earth-worn hearts were gladdened

As we gazed into her eyes,—

Liquid mirrors, freshly tinted³

With the hues⁴ of paradise.

Through the long days of the summer,

Bound as with a magic spell,

Warm and warmer in our bosoms⁵

Grew the love of Gabrielle.

[95]

But, alas⁶! the summer faded,

And the autumn leaves grew sear,

And our cherished household blossom

Faded with the fading year.

In the quiet grave we laid her;

There, we trust, she sleepeth well;

And we hope, when life is over,

We shall meet our Gabrielle.

1 softened   

（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
• The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

2 kindling   

n. 点火, 可燃物 动词kindle的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• There were neat piles of kindling wood against the wall. 墙边整齐地放着几堆引火柴。
• "Coal and kindling all in the shed in the backyard." “煤，劈柴，都在后院小屋里。” 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

3 tinted   

adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• a pair of glasses with tinted lenses 一副有色镜片眼镜
• a rose-tinted vision of the world 对世界的理想化看法

4 hues   

色彩( hue的名词复数 )； 色调； 信仰； 观点

参考例句：

• When the sun rose a hundred prismatic hues were reflected from it. 太阳一出，更把它映得千变万化、异彩缤纷。
• Where maple trees grow, the leaves are often several brilliant hues of red. 在枫树生长的地方，枫叶常常呈现出数种光彩夺目的红色。

5 bosoms   

胸部( bosom的名词复数 )； 胸怀； 女衣胸部（或胸襟）； 和爱护自己的人在一起的情形

参考例句：

• How beautifully gold brooches glitter on the bosoms of our patriotic women! 金光闪闪的别针佩在我国爱国妇女的胸前，多美呀！
• Let us seek out some desolate shade, and there weep our sad bosoms empty. 我们寻个僻静的地方，去痛哭一场吧。

6 alas   

int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)

参考例句：

• Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！
• Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。