The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1869-07-29
Tts Oazttte.
What 1 Remember.

remember o pair of blue oyes
long sunny brown curls, and
lips that would make you think
of ripe cherries, as much as those
cheeks would of roses.
/ remember pair of dimpled
arms and shoulders, a large straw
hat wreathed with flowers "a Grim
som froek trimmed with white
braid-a pair ofred morocco shoes
and white pinaiore.
l remember q little brown cot
tage among the naples, where a
laughing dabbling stream mean
dered by, and the birds sang all
day long-the steep hill at the
right--the garden with its wealth
of mGrigolds, touch-me-nots. and
evening beauties, the porch fes-
tooned with morning glorics, the
gravelod path bordered with pinks
leading to tho gate--the old well,
with its iron.bound bucket, the
unwieldy sweep and moss.lined
curb-the martin>box and the
white curtains at the parlor WIN
doWs.
1 remember the blue skies, and
downy clouds fecked with Grim.
son, starry nights when tho moon
shone, and winter nights when the
snow lay on the ground, when
there was Ginning OF bells and poals
of laughter.
l remember snatches of rhyme
and the patterirg Of little feet
and the noiso Of playful chattering
to dolls--and tho chime of broken
dishes and certain performances
on jewsharps.
l remember great deal more
than all this. l remember q day
when toys and dolls were gather,
ed up and put away by careful
hands--when the little worn rcd
shoes, and crimson frock, and
white pinafore were laid away, al.
most sacredly, in an unused draw.
er up stairs--when there was no
laughter--pattering of footsteps.
When the crib was showed back
against the wall, and the little
empty chair was put back in dis.
tant corner.
l remember tears and moans-
and o little calm, dead faco In a
coffin.
Dead did | say dead! No, no,
that can not be; you are living in
my heart, in my memory, darling;
living where no sickness or pain
can come; no death destroy. In
heaven, thank God
There Is a little grave out under
tho maple; there are many such
little graves; there arc many bro.
ken hearts; well it ID there is One
who can heal them. There are
many vacant cribs, and empty
chairs, and desolate homes. What
should we do if he had not said,
"Suffer little children to come
unto me-"
Let mo SEQ the little crib and
chair, and crimson dress, and tho
red shoes, and white pinalore;
don't hide them away. Strew tho
playthings that she loved, tho bits
OF broken china, the jewsharp, tho
dolls and paper dresses all around
may shed tears over them, but
they'll not bo bitter ones. Tho
prints OF little fingers on the furni.
ture, don't erase them the marks
OF little footsteps hero and there,
don't etfaco them; tho little hat
with faded flowers twisted around
it, lot it hang whcro her little
hands put il; that won't grievo
mo now; don't turn up tho dogs.
cared leaves Of her little primer;
her fingers made them. Put u
plato at tho tablo where she used
to sit, and high chair at its
place-it will seem tho moro as il
sho was at play, or running in the
garden; not as ifsho were dead
l remember aye, who docs not
remember2 Who is there on tho
wide earth who has not some ia,
cred memory hid away from the
prying eyes of the world--somo
recollection between which and
mammon's worshiper vail is for
ever drawn2 Who could quito for,
geti if hc would? Aye, who would
quito forgot ifbo could?
An experienced old gentleman