Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-04-24
THE DUMB CHILD.

She is my only girl;
asked for her as some most precious thing,
For all unfinished was Loves jewelled ring,
Till set with this soft pearl:
The shade that time brought forth could not see;
How pure how perfect seemed the gift to me!
Oh. many a soft old tune
I used to sing unto that deadened ear,
And suffered not the lightest footstep near,
Lest she might wake too soon;
And hushed her brothers. laughter while she lay
All, needless care, might have let them play!
'Twas long ere believed
That this one daughter might not speak to me;
Waited and watched, God knows how patiently!
How willingly deceived:
Vain love was long the untiring nurse of Faith,
And tended Hope untilit starved to death.
ssoh. if she could but hear
For one short hour. till her tongue might teach
To call me mother, in the broken speech,
That thrills the mothers ear!
Alas! those sealed lips never may be stirred
To the deep music of that lovely word.
ssMy heart is sorely tried
To see her kneel with such reverent air
Beside her brothers at their evening prayer:
Or lift those earnest eyes
To watch our lips, as though our words she knew
Then move her own, as she were speaking, too.
.sl've watched her looking up
To the bright wonder of sunset sky,
With such depth of meaning in her eye,
That could almost hope
The struggling soul would burst the binding chords.
And the long pcnt up thoughts flow forth in words.
s.The song Of bird and bee,
The chorus of the hreezes, streams and groves,
All the grand music to which Nature moves,
Are wasted melody
To her; the world of sound tuneless void;
While even Silence hath its charm destroyed.
s.Her face is very fair;
Her blue eye beautiful; Of finest mould
The soft white brow, o'er which, waves of gold,
Ripples her shining hair.
Alas this loves, temple closed must be.
For He who made it, keeps the master key.
.swisls He the mind within
should from earth's Bahel-clamor be kept free,
Even that HIS still small voice and step might be
Heard at its inner shrine,
Through that deep hush Of soul, with clearer thrill
Then should Igrieve? Oh, mur murng heart be still.
ssShe seems to have sense
OF quiet giadness in her noiseiess play,
She hath pleasant smile, gentle way,
Whose goiceess eioquencc
Touches all hearts, though had once the fear
That even nER FATHER would not care for her.
s.Thank God it is not so!
And when his sons are playing merrily,
She comes and leans her head upon his knee,
Oh. at such times know
By his full eye, and tones suhdued and mild
How his heart yeatnS over MS Shehk Chliu.
s.Not Of all gifts bereft,
Even now. How could say she did not speak?
What real language lights her eye and cheek,
And renders thanks to him who left
Unto her soul yet open avenues
For joy to enter and for love to use.
.And God in love doth give
To her defect beauty of its own.
And we a deeper tenderness have known
Through that for which we grieve,
Yet shall the seal be melted from her ear,
| Yes, and m; voice shall till it--but not here.
ssWhen that new sense is given.
What rapture ill its first experience be,
That never woke to meaner melody,
Than the rich songs Of heaven.
To hear the full toned anthem swelling round,
| While angels teach the ecstacies Of sound!