West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-06-15
A Mothers Address to her Dumb
Child.

She is my only girl.
l asked for her, as some most precious thing,
For all unfinished was loves jeweled ring,
Till set with this fair pearl;
The shade that time brought forth could lot
see, f..
How pure, how perfect seemed that gift to me.
Oh. many a soft old tune
fused to sing unto that deadened ear,
And suffered not the lightest footsteps near,
Lest she mi ght wake too soon,
And hushed her brothers laughter while she
lay;
All, needless care, 1 might have left them
play.
Twas long ere 1 believed
That this one daughter might not speak to
me,
Waited and watched, God knows how fer
vently,
How willingly deceived.
Vain love was long the untiring nurse of
faith,
And tended hope until it pinned in death.
0! If she could but hear
For one short hour, till l her tongue might
teach
10 call me mother in the broken speech
That thrills the mothers ear;
Alas, those sealed lips never may be stirred
10 the deep music of that lovely word.
My heart 1t sorely tires
10 see her kneel with such a reverent air,
Beside her brothers at their evening prayer
VI lift those earnest eyes
Iowatch our lips as though our words she
knew,
Then move her own as she was speaking too.
I've watched her looking up
10 the bright wonder of sunset sky
With such depth of meaning in her eye
Ihot1 could almost hope
Inc struggling soul would burst it's binding
cords
And the long-pent-up thoughts flow forth in
words.
Inc song of bird and bee
Inc chorus of the breezes, streams and
grOy eS,
All the grand music to which nature moves,
are wasted melody
NO hler, the world of sound, tuneless void,
"hlle even silence hath its charm DESTROYED,
ne face is very fair,
el Dedutl1ul, OF nneSu mould,
1ef SOIL white brow, DER which in waves of
- gold
fslipples her shining hair.
GAS Ihls lovely temple closed must be,
1oI he VINO made it keeps the master key.
" lis He the mind within
ohouid from earth's Babel-clamor be kept
. free,
Even that His still small voice and stem
- might be
Heard at its inner shrine,
through that deep hush of soul with clearer
men should I grieve? o! murmuring heart
be still.
S6he seems to have sense of
SSGuiet giadness in her nniseless play,
Ue hath pleasant smile, a gentle way
nose ~ nose Voiceless eloquence
Tb otiles al hearts, though had once the fear
'"V en- her father would not care for her.
4 4 nank God it is not so,
"A u when his sons are plavinp merriIy
0IIG comes and leans her head upon his knee
P at such times know
n o, ms tull eye and tones subdued and mild
~" MS heart yearns for his silent child.
Hot of all gifts bereft
zen now; How could 1 say she does not
w, speak?
ma lit IRE real language lights her eye and cheek
ii14 nu renders thanks to Him who left
i pom her soul yet open avenues
VI Joys to enter and for love to USE
~ r1i4 q God in love doth give
y 4er defect a beauty of its own |
THrl W.. we deeper tenderness have known
Y eGu * mat for which we grieve,
5eoo snail the seal be melted from her ear,
"a ana my voice fill it, but not here,
WV heenH mat new sense is given,
~ nat faptureS will its first experience he
ThotS never woke to meaner melody, ~
n I'm IN the rich songs of heaven! -.
NbiIIaa r the full-toned anthem rolling round,