The weekly Anglo-African., 1859-07-23
qoenls, Auttootfs auo gkettbrs.
THE CHILD OF JAMES MELVILLE.
Born July 9, l586-Died about January 1888

Born July 8, l586-Died about January, 1888.
This page, if thou wilt be pater (parent-fath-
err that reads it, thou wilt apardone me if nocht
suspend thy censure till thou be a father, as said
the grave Lacedaemonian Agesilaus. ."-Autobiog.
raphy Of James MeI1iLle.
One time-my soul was pierced as with a sword
Contending still with man untaught and wild
When He who to the Prophet lent his gourd,
Gave me the solace of pleasant child
A summer gift-my precious flower was given
very summer fragrance was its life;
Its clear eyes soothed me as the blue of Heaven,
When home turned, weary man of strife
With uniformed laughter musically sweet,
How soon the wakening babe would meet my
kiss;
With outstretched arms its care-wrought father
Oh in the desert what spring was this!
A few short months it blossomed near my heart
A few short months-else toilsome all and sad !,
But that home solace nerved me for my part,
And of the babe was exceeding glad
Alas my pretty bud, scarce formed, was dying
(The Prophets gourd, it withered in night y
And He who gave me all-my hearts pulse try
ing
Took gently home the child of my delight
Not rudely called, not suddenly its perished,
But gradually faded from our love away,
As ii, still, secret dews, its life that cherished,
Were drop by drop withheld, and day by day
Ny blessed Master saved me from repining,
So tenderly he used me for his own;
So beautiful he made by babes declining,
Its dying blessed me as its birth had done
And daily to my board at noon and even,
Our fading flower bade his mother bring,
That we might commune Of our rest in Heaven,
Gazing the while on death, without its sting
And of the ransom for that baby paid
So very sweet at times our converse seemed,
That the sure truth-of grief and gladness made
Our little lamb-by Gods own Lamb redeemed
There were two milk-white doves-1ny wife had
nourished,
And too loved, erewhile, at times to stand,
Marking how each the other fondly cherished
And fed them from my baby's dimpled hand.
So tame they grew, that, to his cradle flying,
Full oft they cooed him to his noontide rest
And, to the murmurs of his sleep replying,
Crept gently in and nestled In his breast!
Twas fair sght-the snow-pale infant sleeping,
So fondly guardaned by those creatures mild );
Watch Ger his closed eyes their bright eye:
keeping
Wondrous the love betwixt the birds and child
Still, as he sickened, seemed the doves too dwin
ing
Forsook their food and loathed their pretty
play;
And on the day he died, with sad note pining
One gentle bird would not be frayed away!
His mother found it, when she rose, sad-hearted,
AT early dawn, with sense of nearing ill
And when, at last, the little spirit parted
The dove died too, as if of its heart chill
The other flew to meet my sad home-riding,
As with a human sorrow in its coo
To my dead child and its dead mate then guild
ing
Most pitifully plained-and parted too
Twas my first hansel''* and "propine"t tc
Heaven
And, as laid my darling meath the sod
Precious his eomforts-once an infant given
And offered with two turtle-doves to God
Lays Of the KIRK and Covenant.
n