The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-08-16
BY MRS. A. L. STANLEY.

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Where a clear brook wandered slowly,
Wandered 'mong the flowers and moses
In sweet and lovely dell,
Lived dainty little fairy,
With stop so light and airy,
With a voico like mellow music,
And they called her Baby Nell.
In her checks, so fresh and glowing,
Dancing dimples coming, going,
In her eye soft slumberous shadows,
Such bewitching tales did tell,
And no wonder when folks met her
That they stopped to kiss and pet her,
Not soul could e'er forget her,
Who had known sweet Baby Nell.
And the ferns upon the mountains,
And the tall grass by the fountains,
And the dainty pale-lipped lilies,
Where the flower spirits dwell;
And the poplars, trembling, dreaming,
And the tall reeds waving, streaming,
When they heard her footsteps passing,
Nodded low at Baby Nell
And her mother, dear, had taught her,
That her precious little daughter
Must be gentle, kind and loving,
And the truth must ever tell;
That in all things she must obey,
Must never linger or delay,
But do her bidding kindly, quickly,
Like darling little Nell.
That the angels, good while keeping
Watch o'er her would oft be weeping,
If naughty word she uttered.
Or a naughty lie should tell;
And her mother, good, desiring
That each night before retiring,
She should say her snow / lay me-"
Little precious Baby Nell.
And the children all about her,
Said they could not live without her;
Said the flowers would not blossom
In that cory sun-lit dell;
Said the brooks would cease to murmur,
In the long delightful summer,
And the birds forget their singing.
Were it not for Baby Nell
SO they wandered every morning,
While the rosy day was dawning,
Gathering dainty buds and blossom.
For the one they loved so we'll;
And each day they made a garland
For that lovely little darling,
Made a crown Of buds and roses,
For the brow of Baby Nell.
Like little Cupid knseling
On the moss, her form revealing,
With the dimples coming. going,
In the checks Of little Nell;
Curls all free from hat or bonnet,
Golden head, with flowers on it,
Such a wonderous, winsome beauty,
Was that witching Baby Nell.
But there came blightipg fever,
Which among them long did hover,
And shadow, dark aud palling,
Hung above that happy dell;
For that mothers star-eyed blossom
Dropped and faded on her BOSOM,
And the light went out so softly.
From the eyes OF Baby Nell.
That the children gazed and wondered,
Thinking only, that she slumbered.
That she sweetly slept and slumbered.
When she walked she would be we'll.
But the mother. in her sorrow,
Said, "she will not wake tomorrow,
we must say farewell, dear children,
To my precious BABY Nell.
q. the little hearts then throbbing'
o. the weeping and the sobbing,
From that group Of mourning children,
1t would break my heart to tell
And they pressed their grieved kisses
And their tender, sweet caressess.
On lips, and brow, and dimple,
OF their darling Baby Nell.
And the grasses and the flowers,
And the dew-drops and the showers,
And the singing, signing willows.
Waved and wept sad farewell;
And the naples in the meadow,
Cast a silent, mournful shadow,
And the brooklet sobbed and murmured
At the loss Of Baby Nell.
And little grave they made her,
Softly, gently, down they laid her.
Strewing blossoms of the summer,
Der the breast Of little Nell;
And the children came each morning
With their hearts all full of mourning,
With their baskets full Of flowers,
For the grave OF BABY Nell.
Little children learn lesson,
May II prov to you blessing;
o, be truthful. kind and gentle.
Then will 10 among you dwell;
Would you ris on each Tomorrow,
With heart all free from sorrow'
With heart all pure and sinless'
Then be good like Baby Nell.