Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-05-01
Wasblngtun gsntin rl.
THE THREE SONS.

lhe author OF tins exquisite piece is the Rev
Thomas Moultrie, an esteemed clergyman Of
the Church Of England. The conception OF
the poem is quite original; the description OF
the three little boys is picture for painter
the sentiment is extremely touching.
| have a son, little son. boy just five years old
With eyes oflhoughtiul earnestness and mind OF
gentle mould
They tell me that unusual grace in all his ways
appears,
That my child is grave and wise of heart beyond
his childish years.
cannot say how this may be, know his face is
fair,
And yet his chielest comelness is his sweet and
serious air
know his heart is kind and fond, | know he oveth
But loveth yet his mother more with grateful fer
vency;
But that which others most admire is the thought
which fills his mind,
The food for grave inquirng speech he everywhere
doth find.
Strange questions doth he ask of me. when we to-
gether walk;
He scarcely thinks children think, or talks as
children talk.
Nor cares he much for childish sports, dotes not
on bat or ball,
But looks on manhoods ways and works, and aptly
His little heart is busy slll and oftentimes per-
plext
With thoughts about this world of ours, and
thoughts about the next
He kneels TO his dear mothers knee, she teacheth
him 10 pray,
And strange and sweet, and solemn then, are The
words which he will say
Oh, should my gentle child be spared 10 manhood's
years like me,
holier and wiser man trust that he will be:
And when | look into hrs eyes and stroke his
thoughtful brow,
| dare not think what ! should feel, were 10 lose
him now.
| have soma second soma simple child OF
three;
III moi declare how bright and fair his little iea-
lures be-
How silver sweet those tones Of his, when he
prattles my knee.
l do-not think his light blue eye is, Ike his bro
theirs, keen,
Nor his brow so full Of childish thought as his has
But his ule hearts fountain pure Of kind and
tender feeling,
And his every looks a'geam OF light, rich depths
oflove revealing.
When he walks with me, the country folk, who
pass MS in the street,
Will shout for Joy, and bless my boy, he looks so
mild and sweet.
payJellow is he'to all and YET with cheerful
tone
VIII sing his little songs of love- when len 10 sport
alone.
His presence is like sunshine sent to gladden. home
and hearth,
To comfort us in all our grets, and sweeten all
our mirth.
shond he grow up rper years, God grant his
heart may prove
As sweet home for heavenly grace, now for
earthly love.
And if beside his grave the tears our aching eyes
God comfort US for all the love which we shall
lose in him.
have son, third sweet son; his age cannot
tell,
For they reckon not by years and months where
he has gone 10 dwell
To US, for fourteen anxious months his infant
smiles given,
And then he bade farewell to Earth, and went 10
live i'll Heaven.
cannot tell what form is his what look he weareth
now.
Nor guess how bright glory crowns his shining
seraph brow;
The thoughts that I'll his sness soul, the bliss
which he doth feel,
Are number'd with the secret things which God
will not reveal;
But know (for God hath told me ths) that he is
at rest,
Where other blessed infants be, on their Saviours
loving breast.
know his spirit feels no more this weary load Of
flesh,
But his sleep is bessd with endless dreams Of JOY
for ever fresh
know the angels fold him close beneath their
glitterng wings,
And soothe him with song that breathes Of Hea
ven's divinest things
/ know that we shall meet our babe lhis mother
dear and ID
Where God for aye shall wipe away all tears from
every eye
Whaie'er beials his brethren twain, hrs bliss can
never cease;
Their lot may here be grief and fear, but his is Ger
tain peace
II may be that the lempters wiIes their souls from
bliss may sever,
But, flour own poor faith fail not he must be ours
forever
When we think of what our darling is, and what
we still must be,
When we muse on that worlds perfect bliss, and
this worlds misery;
When we groan beneath this load of sin, and feel
this grief and pain;
Oh we'd rather lose our other two than have him
here again.