The ladies' garland. [volume] (Harpers-Ferry, Va. [W. Va.]) 1824-1828, 1824-09-18
EGENRy "
TR0N THE BOSTON TELEGRAPH.
TIE MOTHER.

Wore not the hue OF health. Its little bosom
just hcav'd with its faint breath, and ever often
sob escap'd its heart, and big tear
Game rushing to its eye. Its blood.ess lin
sccmd not the prey Of fell disease, but death
Came calmly DER its frame, like a thin mist
Over a lake at even, a melting
OF distant music on the silent sea-
The mother WATCHED her infant, as it Dincd
And sickened on her bosom and she hushd
Its low and plalntlve murnl'rings at night
When all around was Sleep and the air
In It's unecholng silence gave no sound,
She sat with heavy eyes by her child,
And hushd her very breath, lest it should wake
And find its grief again. Night after night
She thus did keep her sigils; and when day
Rose Gu her WealIed senses, and She fam
o"id lay her down to rest, the weak complaining
Other aWaken'd babe o'ercamc her WEAKNESS
And she retus'd to listen to the voice
Ofthose who read consumption in the flush.
That deepencd on her check and onl, once
While her SICK babe was sleeping, did she walk
Abroad in the cool air; and then met her
by the lone grave of him who in his lfc
Had loy d full tenderly that babe and her
She knew her child would die: but she had thought
That she would watch its suiferings, and stand bv
To do that office which affection loves,
And yet doth weep, to do,-of closing up
The cold and stiffened lid-and she had hop'd
That when It's pulse still, and its young heart
Was silent i'll its bosom, that her hands
Would shroud its limbs for burial, and her lips
Press the last kiss upon its clav-cold cheek
BEFORE the foul worms riot.-Rut she sunk
Beneath her ccaseless Watching, and consumption
Qulckend his fearful work. Her pulse grew quick,
And her limbs FAINT, and restless fevertollowed
With his consuming thirst-and wild delirium
Selz'd on her heated br,in-and she would clasp
Her pillow IN her frenzy, and CRY hush
sleep on my babe-v oud that thy mothers heart
Could bear thy pam for tlec-sleep on sleep OH
And when at times she Wept, and the cold tears
Came down In freshness on her bosom, reason
Would tor a moment gleam-lnd then She knew
That she had not her babe-and She Remembered
That 1t was sick and wastng-and a sorrow,
Such as a mothers heart alone can feel,
Sat heavily upon her.
Twas the hour
OF inldniSl't-and the heavy air lay Stumbling
As if in 4 deep trancc-and the green leaves
Forgot their undulations, and press'd down
BY the night-t;tfng dew, seem'd overpow cred
BY resistlcss sleep. The watch-dog's bark
Was heard not in the distance, all except
At hourly intervals, when the Gliding clock
Rung out the passing hour one sullen howl
Broke in upon its echoes and again
unbrohcn silence reign'd. The weary nurse
Had Kept her drowsy watch, and the SICK mother
Lay still upon her pillow, singing ftfuy
low and soothing lullaby and when
Her voice grew faint, and hcrparchd tongue refus'd
To do its office more, she smld and said,
lis well, my wailng babe thy mothers voice
Grows weak in lulling thee, and her fond heart
Which llv'd not, but to quel thy infant tears
And soothe thy grief awhile, is fading with thee
And so its we'll and will only wait
10 see thee plume thy wing, and then my life
Which flows from thee its fountain, will dry up,
and shall follow SOON" She would have spoken
OF INN who gave that infant child its being;