Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-02-06
Written for the HERALD.
THE LOST BABE.
By WILD BIRD.


In the bloom OF youth. yet with sorrow oppressed,
For Christmas festivities Mile Is dressed.
She stands by her lord, touching softly his brow,
Caressing the locks so admiriLglv now;
Love conquers, the young wife has courage to say,
Don't drink too much wine at the party to-day,
Dear Harry" And kindly her husband replies,
81 will not you may trust me-" She lifts her eyes
With look SO pleading and tender and true
Az angels might give from the clear starry blue
She turns TO her darling, sweet infant boy
Now robed in rs loveliest; great 10 her Joy.
With motherly hands she now carefully folds
Soft wrsppings about 1t and tenderiy holds
The babe of her vigils so near to her breast.
And through the long ride nothing troubles it's rest
Arrived at the mansion how merry and bright
The hours glide away with their freights Of delight
So sweet and so transient day melts into eve,
Till mid Joy and music tits time to take leave
The infant again must be robed for its ride,
The dear little feet in the wrappings must hide;
The soft, dimpied hands must be hidden to rest,
Aud sweet. goodbye kisses on rosy lips pressed.
The wee, cherub face and the beautiful eyes
Peer out from the blanket "a stars from the skies
CLEAN soft through the eecy clouds gathered between
And whisper of beauty beyond and unseen.
The gentle, young mother Is ready to 60.
And Harry 10 waiting she hastens below,
And there meets her husband half drunken with wine
Her checks crimson bushes the guests divine.
The carriage is waiting, they hasten away;
And grief turns to darkness the hopes of the day.
Then onward 10 silence and chill OF the night,
Homeward the noble steeds aste with delight.
The place nearly reached there's dark, swoi en-
stream
They must ford ere they he slacksns the team
Give the child. Mile it's not safe with you,"
The mothers heart trembl.s, so anxious and true;
She clasps close her dar ing, precious than life
But Harry will now be obeyed by his wife.
His hands unsteady; he thinks ne is strong;
She says she hold it he thinks she is wrong.
And Mile, still fearing. dares not to resist,
And gives to his arms the dear infant to rest.
Through the deep, turbid waters the coursers go
Nor reck Of the coming of anguish and woe.
Then to the bank. eager the dripping steeds b,und
The poor. dizzy father turns tenderly round
And lays the dear bundle on Miles glad arm.
She draws IL still closer, then shrieks in alarm
The blanket is empty the little one lost
In depths of the river whose bed they have crossed
1t slid frsm its wrappings when Harry knew not!
(How fraught with dark danger the love Of a sot.)
They SILVER with terror and wildly look back
On dark, rolling waters that cover the track
The mother looks out through her anguish aud tears
When tn dear little face on the surface appears
Ana then in a moment is hidden from sight
Wrapt in chill, river-waves, dark as the night
Like floods of wild weeping the waters rush on,
And bear in their current the dear little son.
The father Ia sobsred at last. but too late
The soul of his child has gone up through the gate
No druukard pass and no tppler go in,
Nor sny who trife with folly and sin.
And when the bright angel rushed into the q God
And bore the young spirit to dwell with our God
When saints sang the welcome in glorious song.
Then what said the gels as throng after throng
Came forward to smile on the bud that had come
To bloom in tho light OF Gods glorious Homes
The grief Of those parents no words can convey,
For sorrowing memories clouded their way.
By day came the vision, by night came the Dream,
A sweet, little face on the dark, rolling stream
Twas A cohol killed IL. whose murderous hand
Has spread desolation and death Ger the land;
Who rebs men of money and honor and life:
The curse Of the husband and children and wife;
The Father Of Iufamy, Ruin and Shame.
All, none can paint bla ck enough Aicohols name
And when by the angel the " Dragon is chained
And Babylon's mystery read and explained,
And that Cup of Death which Sin mingled for men
IL dashed from the earth leaving gladness again.
How will the NEWS OF THE KINGDOM be sowni
And Jesus shine forth in the hearts of his own,
To conquer with mercy the pride of his foes.
And earths widest desert will bloom the rose
Fdrtbd1N, Mnn., 1879.