The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-04-07
Youths Department.
THE THREE SONS.
ny REV. ]. MoULrRIE, A. M.

cannot say how this may be,
know his face is fair,
And yet his chiefest comeliness
Is his sweet and serious air.
know his heart is kind and fond,
know he loveth me,
Bot he loveth yet his mother more,
With greater fervencY.
But that which others most admire,
Is the thought that fills his mind,
The food for grave, inspiring speech,
He every where doth find.
Strange questions doth he ask of me,
When wo together walk;
He scarcely thinks as children think,
Or talks as children talk.
Nor cares he much for childish sports,
Dotes not on bat or ball,
But looks on nanhood's ways and works,
And apty mimics all
His little heart is busy still.
And oltentimes perplexed
With thoughts about this world OF ours,
And thoughts about the next
lie kuees at his dear mothers knees,
She teaches him to pray,
And strange, and sweet, and solemn, then,
Are the words which he will say.
vi, sHOulu my SSHtio GNU 10 spdIeut
To manhood's years, like me,
A holier and n wiser man
trust that he will be.
And when look into his eyes,
And on his thoughtful brow,
dare not think what should feel,
Were 10 lose him now.
IL.
have n son, n second son,
A simple child Of three;
I'll not declare how bright and fair
His little features be.
do not think his light blue ego
Is like his brothers. keen,
Nor his brow so full Of childish thought,
As his hath ever been.
But his little hearts fountain pure,
or kind and tender feeling,
And his every looks CLEAN Of light,
Rich depths Of love revealing.
When he walks with me, the country folk
Who pass us in the street,
Will shout for joy. and bless my boy,
He looks so mild and sweet.
payreow is he to all,
And yet with chez fu tone,
VIII sing his little song of love, .
When left to sport alone.
His presence is like sunshine, sent
To gladden. home, the earth,
To comfort in all our griefs,
And sweeten all our mirih.
Should he grow up to ripper years,
God grant his heart may prove
As sweet home for heavenly grace,
As now for earthly love.
As If, beside his grave, the tears
Our aching eyes must dim,
God comfort us for all the love
Which we shall lose in him.
Ill.
have a son, third sweet son,
His age cannot tell,
For they reckon not by ye airs and months,
Where he hath go ne to dwell,
To Us, for fourteen anx ious months,
His infant smiles were given,
And then he babe farewell TO earth,
And went TO live in heaven.
cannot tell what form Is his,
What looks he weareth now,
Nor guess how bright glory crowns
His shining seraph brow.
The thoughts that filed his sinless soul,
The bliss which he doth feel,
Are numbered with the secret things
Which God will not reveal.
But know, for God hath told me this,
That he is now at rest,
Where other blessed infants are,
On their Savour's loving breast
What'er befals his brethren twain,
His bliss can never cease;
Their 10, may here be grief and fear,
But his is certain peace.
1t may be that the tempter's wiles
Their souls from bliss may sever,
But, if our own poor faith fail not,
He must be ours forever.
When we think on what our darling is,
And what he still must be;
When we muse on that worlds perfect bliss,
And this worlds misery;
When we groan beneath this load Of siu.
And feel this grief and pain,
Oh, we'd rather lose our other two,