Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-04-04
THE DUMB CHILD.

she was my only g1ri.
asked for her as some most precious thing;
For. all unfinished was Loves jeweled ring,
TIL set with thls son pearl
The shades that time bro't forth could not see,
How pure, how perfect seemed the gifito me.
Oh! many son old tune
used 10 sing unto that deadened oar,
And sufercdnot the slightest footstep near,
Lestsh might wake too soon;
And heshed her brothers. laughter while she lay
All needlcssosre. might have let them play.
'Twniong ere believed;
That this one daughter might not speak 70 me;
Waited and watehed-God knows how patiently
How willingly deceived.
Vain Love was long he uniIring nurse OF Faith
And tended Hope until 1t starved to death.
OH ifshe could but hear
Por one short hour, tin her tongue might teael
To call me mother In the broken speech
That thrills The mothers ear.
Alas, Hose sealed lips never may be stirred
To thedeep music Of that holy word
MY heart it sorcly tries,
To soc her kncel with such reverent air
Beside her brothers al their evening prayer;
orlift those earnest eyes
To watch our lips IS though our word she knew,
Then move her own, as she were speaking too.
I've watched her looking up
To The bright wonder OF a sunset sky,
With such depth Of meaning IN her eye,
That could almost hope
Tho struggling soul would burstits binding cords,
Aud the long pcnt up thoughts aow forth in words,
The song ofbird and bee,
Tue chorus Of The breezes, streams and groves,
All The grand music TO which nature moves,
Arc wasted melody
To her; the world Of sound a fuacless void;
Whiieeven silence hath iis charms destroyed.
Her face Is very fair
Her blue eye beautiful; OF finest mould
The son white brow, o'er which, IN waves Of gold
Ripples her shining hair,
Alas ihlr lovely temple closed nzust be,
For lie who made 1, keeps the master key.
Wills he he mind within
Should from earih's nabel-elamor be keptffee,
Fen that Ills stu, small voice. and step might b
Heard, at Is inner shrine,
Through hat deep hush Of SOUL with clearer tril'
That I should grieyss o, murmuring heart, b
san
She seems 10 have sense
or quiet gladness; in her noIsolsss play,
She hath a pleasant smiio, gcnilsway
Whose volceless sioquence.
Touches ail hearts, lhoagh had once the fear
That even her father would not care for her.
Thaak God tits not soi
And when.his sons are playing msrrily,
She comes and leans her head upon his knee.
o, at such times, know,
BY his full eye, and tones snbdued and mild,
How his heart yearns over his silent child.
Not Of all gins berefi,
Even now. How could say she did not speak;
What real language lights her eye and cheek,
Andrender thanks 10 Him who left
Unto her soul, yet open avenues
For Joy to enter and for love 70 usel
And God in love doth give
To her defect beauty OF IL own;
And We a deeper tenderness have known
Through that for VII ieh wo grieve,
ct shall the seal be melted from her ear.
Yea, and my voice shall an it--but nothcre.
Whom that new senseis given,
What rapture viii its nrst expcricncebc
That never woke 70 meaner melody
Than the rich songs Of heaven
To HEAR tho falitonedianthcms swelling round,
While angels teach The ccstaciss OF soundi