Richland beacon., 1873-05-24

face should see,
Ne'er look in her laughing baby eyes as danced
her on my knee;
Nor marked, rs the happy wears rOll'd on, each
vary ing, changing mood
The baby pranks, and the childish grace, and the
blush OF maidenhood.
Then our boy was born, and my life stood still, ,
with sudden horror and fright -
o Jack, old man, shall ever forget that trying,
awcsOme night,
When | paced this room here, through am !
through, with u groping, helpless dread,
While my darlng's precious life upstairs was
hanging on IA thread
But God heard my prayers-the blind man
prayers-and spared her to me, my sweet,
And our home grew merry with cradle songs an
the patter of little feet;
With the patter of little baby feet, that would
toddle up 10 my chair,
To lay little soft head on my knee, that loved
TO nestle there.
So the years passed on, and even life now often
seem'd hard 10 me;
But when sat in the cventide, with my little one
on my knee,
While Bessie would sing us some quaint old song
of love or of doughty deed,
I'd think how good and pleasant il was 10 the life
had thought to lead.
Let's see, tits twelvemonths ago since first
noticed, with strange surprise,
That the darkness seem Il To grow lighter-like at
times to my poor blind eyes,
And yearning, passionate, trembling hope crept
into my heart and brain; [
But never IA word | said to the wife, lest my
thoughts should he false and vain
Never a word said to my love, lest her heart
should be overcast,
To know had cherish ii hope like this 10 find
ita myth at last;
Bat quietly told my story TO WILL rs We saun-
ter'd up and down
The garden, and We two thought of plan for
getting me up to town.
Then spoke to the wife of book ia planned
that fancied would answer well,
But wanted some talk with "A firm in town 10 see
if they thought I would sell:
And Willie had promised TO 80 with me and see
me through II, said,
For knew that she couldn't leave the BARNS, or
I'd like her 10 go instead.
She tried to persuade me from it AT first, and
dolefully prOphesied
All sorts of accidents and mishaps and then she
pleaded and tried
To get me to take her with us, too; but at last We
settled 1t right
And Willie was pledged again and again not to
trust me out of his sight.
So we went 10 town for Il week or so, and you II
easily understand
My futterin- hopes, and doubts, and fears, now
the test was near al hand:
Enough, that one wondrous day, Saul-like, the
scales dropp'd of fIom my sight,
And tainted in willie's broihery arms in a
sudden burst o. light!
was dazed and giddy-like for n while, but
soon got round again;
And o, the grateful, passionate joy that throbb'd
in my every vein!
Dear God, what happy world IL was-hOw win
some and fair To see!
The very stones of the London streets seem'd
beautiful to me!
And deep, deep down in my heart of hearts there
nestled this crowning bliss
go, what will she feel, my Bessie, my love, when
she comes 10 hear of this
the tears OF joy, o the claspng arms, o the
bonnie head on my breast
When | come to tell her the glorious news, my
beautiful, my best!''
We sat far into that happy night, and dear old
Will
All, the rose like spell of those rich deep hours
is a fragrant memory stilli--
And we talk d of the dear ones down at home,
and the story we had to tell,
And the wOndrOuS love of the Master above, who
''dOeth all things well -
We spoke of Bessie again and again, and Away:
with mOistes'd eyes,
And We felt 'tw0uld he best to spare my love tee
suddena glad surprise;
SO was to keep on my old blue 'specs' by way
And to o. patiently iSf bide the hitting time ror gently
breaking the news.
You can easily guess what my feelings wer'
when got back home at last;
| And how, as trOd on the threshold here, m,
heart beat thick and fast;
And how had nearly told her all, in burst o
| passionate bliss,
| AS my darling flew to welcome me home with
| loving clasp and kiss.
Dear heart, twas the same sweet bonnie face
| nay, BONNER than before,
With the old soft charm in the lustrouS eyes tina
had won my heart of yore!
| Sweet eyes, that were moist with tender tears tina
went to my heart to see;
| God knows that | never knew till then the depth
| of her love for me! q
She put nv hat and my stick away, and WI
| tender an wfely care
Led me, who SEEM d so helpless and dark, to m
| old ACCUSTOMED chair;
| And there she left me minute or so, With kls
| and Il gentle word,
While She ran to bring the children down; an
my heart was kindly stirr'd
As looked about at the pleasant room, and ol
on the garden view,
That all seem'd so familiarly strange, so old, an
yet so new,
And iropp'd back into my chair once mor'
with longing akin to pain,
As heard the children come skurrying down
welcome me home again.
0 Jack there are times and feelings, old maj
| that language can ever paint;
And words, when speak of that crowning seem
, seem YSak, and feeble, and faint
Feeble indeed to show one tithe of my bosom
passionate swell;
But dare say you can picture it all far bett
than words could tell.
could scarcely see them at first for the tears tn
dmm'd my yearning sight,
. As they ran to meet me with eager joy, n
younglings bonnie and bright;
And then they clamber'd d up on my knees, Wi
merry, welcoming cries,
And look d for the first time in my life in
little darling's eyes!