As tears will be remembrance in her heart If she should hear her children's cry to-night. Ah Mary, Mother, stand by Heaven's gate And watch the road for one who comes to find In loneliness and fear what Heaven holds To comfort her who leaves the earth behind. OUT OF HEARING No need to hush the children for her sake, She will not wake, mavrone, she will not wake. No need to hush the children for her sake; Even if their glee could yet again outbreak So loud and gay, She will not wake, mavrone, she will not wake. But sorrow a thought have they of merry-make This many a day: No need to hush the children. For her sake So still they bide and sad, her heart would ache At their dismay. She will not wake, mavrone, she will not wake To bid them laugh, and if some angel spake Small heed they'd pay. No need to hush the children for her sake: "JOHN ANDERSON, MY JO" "JOHN ANDERSON, my jo, John," The Graves of a Household Your hands are resting now, John; The heart that loved me so Against my breast shall beat no more, "John Anderson, my jo." "John Anderson, my jo, John," I'll tarry but a while; I've still some work to do, John, To go a weary mile; And then I'll take your path, John, For you will wait for your old wife, "John Anderson, my jo." Charles G. Blanden [1857 3333 THE SPRING OF THE YEAR GONE were but the winter cold, Cold's the snow at my head, And cold at my feet; And the finger of death's at my e'en, Let none tell my father Or my mother so dear,— At the spring of the year. Allan Cunningham [1784-1842] THE GRAVES OF A HOUSEHOLD THEY grew in beauty, side by side, They filled one home with glee; Their graves are severed far and wide By mount, and stream, and sea. The same fond mother bent at night She had each folded flower in sight— One 'mid the forests of the West, The Indian knows his place of rest, Far in the cedar shade. The sea, the blue lone sea, hath one He lies where pearls lie deep; He was the loved of all, yet none O'er his low bed may weep. One sleeps where southern vines are dressed He wrapped his colors round his breast And one-o'er her the myrtle showers The last of that bright band. And, parted thus, they rest who played Around one parent-knee! They that with smiles lit up the hall, Alas for love, if thou wert all, And naught beyond, O Earth! Felicia Dorothea Hemans [1793-1835) THE FAMILY MEETING WE are all here, Father, mother, Sister, brother, All who hold each other dear. Each chair is filled, we are all at home! To-night let no cold stranger come; 3335 The Family Meeting It is not often thus around Our old familiar hearth we're found. Bless, then, the meeting and the spot, Let gentle peace assert her power, We're not all here! Some are away, the dead ones dear, We're not all here! We are all here. Even they-the dead-though dead, so dear, Brings back their faded forms to view. We are all here: Father, mother, Sister, brother, You that I love with love so dear. This may not long of us be said; Oh, then, that wisdom may we know Charles Sprague (1791-1875) THE TWO APRIL MORNINGS WE walked along, while bright and red And Matthew stopped, he looked, and said, A village schoolmaster was he, On a spring holiday. And on that morning, through the grass, We traveled merrily, to pass "Our work," said I, "was well begun; Then, from thy breast what thought, Beneath so beautiful a sun, So sad a sigh has brought?" A second time did Matthew stop; To me he made reply: "Yon cloud with that long purple cleft Brings fresh into my mind A day like this which I have left Full thirty years behind. |