Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-09
ChiIdleSS.

1t was dreary and desolate weather
As We sat by the window together;
The hoarse blasts rumpled and grumbled,
The dead branches cracked and crumbled,
And the thick flakes fiuttered and drifted;
In visions my dear little girl
Lay smiling;a current uplifted
from her forehead gold-tangled curl;
So long as fondie this treasure;
And though formerly death has bereft me,
Contented, quietly kissed her,
And thought of her sweet little sister
Laying under the cold and the snow.
Her ringlets SO silken and shining
II her face came pallor and sadness
That Instantly drove me to madness
w From my cheek he. s all The color retEeated,
On the lips OF the living repeated,
And felt such sickening dread:
But smiled, though half breathless with terror,
And said, what fanciful errori
Let me Danish this horrible feeling,
But the tear in my eyeiid would giister
AS thought of her sweet little sister
Lying under the cold and the snow.
/ smiled, but the smile swiftly froze on
My lips when saw the same clothes on
That her sister had worn; and the jewel
That flashed on her neck added fuel
Though tried to dismiss ali my fear
By repeating that often she wore them,
And my terror would soon disappear.
Then 1 struggled 10 calm my emotion
And to Danish this terrible notion;
But this dread so relentlessly haunted
That all happier fsncies were dsunted;
And thought it was strangely sinister
That she wore the same clothes as her sister
Lying under the cold and the snow.
Then her cheek, imagined, grew whittier,
And her breathing came lighter and lighter;
With horrors my senses were teeming,
And suddenly found was screaming,
wake, wake, oh my darling. awaken"
She murmured and turned In her sleep.
And saw that 1 had been mistaken;
But these terrible fancies would creep
Through my soul till nearly lost reason;
Her sister had died in this season.
Oh, was it a mere superstition,
Or was it q sad premonition.
Half frantic, kissed her and kissed her,
As thought of her sweet little sister
Lying under the cold and the snow.
Then over my heart erept sickness,
And into my voice came q thickness,
And murmured, 'An-merciful Father,
Oh. spare me this little one: rather
Take me; one poor little flower
Went under the cold and the snow
In a dreary and desolate hour,
Must also the other one go2
Ny life would be stripped OF 81 pleasure
II robbed of my sweet little treasure;
Though once Thou didst sadly bereave me,
In mercy this little one leave me;
Hesrt-broken I'd be II missed her
AS often missed her sweet sister,
Lying under the cold and the snow"
1t is dreary and desolste weather
But we sit not we sit not together;
The hosrse blasts rumble and grumble,
The dead branches cackle and crumble.
And thickly the snowfl axes are drifting;
Asleep is my dear little girl,
But no wandering current is lifting
From her forehead the gold-tAngled curl;
And my life is devoid of all pleasure,
No longer fondle my treasure;
A second time death has bereit me,
Not one little darling IS LETT me:
And forever my hot tears will glister
For her snd her sweet little sister
Lying under the cold and the snow.
Ben Wood Darts an the Boston Adrertiser.