The child looked upward into space With eager and inquiring eyes, And o'er its sweet and thoughtful face Came a faint glory, and a grace Transmitted from the skies. With the last odorous sigh of May, Like dew, its spirit passed away To mingle in eternal day, With angels perfect made. HOUSEHOLD WORDS. MY CHILD. A LIGHT is from our household A voice we loved is stilled, A place is vacant at our hearth gone, Which never can be filled; Has hushed its weary throbbings here, To throb in bliss above. Yes, to the home where angels are, Her trusting soul has fled, THE LITTLE BOY'S BURIAL. Two dark-eyed maids, at shut of day, With calm sad brows, and raven hair, And one was pale, and both were fair. Bring flowers, they sang, bring flowers unblown, To strew the bier of Love, the child. Close softly, fondly, while ye weep, His waxen hands, across his breast. And make his grave where violets hide, Place near him, as ye lay him low, His waggish eyes in sport he wound. But we shall mourn him long, and miss The patter of his little feet, Sweet frowns and stammered phrases sweet; And graver looks, serene and high, The bow, the band shall fall to dust, Not thus his nobler part shall dwell, Shall break these clods, a form of light, BRYANT. CAN I WISH HIM BACK AGAIN? COULD I wish that this young inhabitant of heaven should be degraded to earth again? Or would it thank me for that wish? Would it say that it was the part of a wise parent, to call it down from a sphere of such exalted services and pleasures to our low life here upon earth? Let me rather be thankful for the pleasing hope, that though God loves my child too well to permit it to return to me, He will ere long bring me to it. And then that endeared paternal affection, which would have been a cord to tie me to earth, and have added new pangs to my removal from it, will be as a golden chain to draw me upwards, and add one further charm and joy even to paradise itself. DODDRIDGE. THE DEATH OF A LITTLE CHILD. GENTLE Shepherd, Thou hast stilled In this world of care and pain, Lord, Thou wouldst no longer leave it, To the sunny heavenly plain Dost Thou now with joy receive it; Ah, Lord Jesus, grant that we And the lovely pastures see That its heavenly food are giving, Then the gain of death we prove MEINHOLD. MISS WINKWORTH'S Translation, "Lyra Germanica," 2d Series. (Longman & Co.) |