Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-08-07
EXIT TOMMY.

EXIT TOMMY.
.Tommy must leave us to night" we said,
Moving SO softly about his bed.
Enough seven sweet years he had borno oul
His Father above had the better claim.
His poor little curls had been shorn away,
And his tiny face was old and gray:
Coid was his hand and moist his brow.
And his voice was only . whisper now.
Tommy lay there with his great round eyes,
And we, the watchers, were old and WISE
But a deepening light i'm those eyes we saw,
mat touched our grief with tender awe.
A message had come from the King OF
Kings
We heard the sound of the angels wings:
We caught faint whispers and glimmcrings
But the words and the touch were for only
him.
Much had we pondered, and probed, and read
Had questioned the living, Invoked the dead
what is Deaths seorct!" had cred-whe
he,
The child of seven, went forth to see.
We might follow him down TO the awful shore,
be drenched and stunned with the spray and
But we must lingcr. with wavinps fond.
While he would sail TO the ian1 beyond.
We felt that the angel that held his hand
And led him down to the misty strani
Was telling him now, in VIII s. ers low
what sights he would See, and whittier go.
But hush! the voice from the little bed
And the watchful mother bent her head:
NANNY, l know that I'm soon to die,
AND want TO wish tEom all good bye,
81 shouldn't like anythinI here 10 saw:
He didn shake hands when he went away;
He was glad to be on to his harp aud wings
And couldn't remember his poor Old tbIngs.'
I'm Heaven shou d never feel content
III hadn't been kin before went;
80 lot me take leave of them great and small
Animals, people, ard toys, and ALL
SO the word went forth, and in no great while
The servants entered in so emn Il O.
The stout o d coOt and the housemaid Rose,
And the aproaed boy with his smuttcd nose.
So each of the women, with sire inning check
Bent over and kissed him and could not
sreak:
But he said that they must nc. rrievc and CRY.
For they'd meet again in the happy SKY.
Twas longer and harder to deal with jim
The child grew grave n he looked at him
FOR ne thought to himself: HE bets and
swears
And hardly believe that nc says his prayers"
You never be dressed i'm Il harp and wings"
He tsskel TO the hoy as Il father should
And begged him hard TO be grave and good.
The lad lounged oat with brazcn air,
And whist led derisivcly down the STAR:
But they found him hid i'm III hole for coal,
Sobbng ana praying in grief of soul.
Old Rover cane next sc late and good,
ANA gaze! at his master and TN ierstood.
Then UP we carried. in or!er due,
Maria, he cat, and her kittens two.
Proud purrcd the mother, and arched her
back
And vaunted her kittens, one white one
black:
And the sweet white kitten was good and still,
But the black one played with his n9!It-
gowns frill.
lie stroked them all with his poor weak hand.
But he felt that they pu'd not understand
He smiled, however, and was not yeXcd,
And babe us bring him tho rabbit next.
He welcomed Punch with loving smile.
And Rugged him c!OSe i'm his arms awhile,
ANA we knew dor the dear chiid's eyes grew
dim)
How grevous it was to par: with him.
Give Punch his carrot three times week.
with lettuceeaves on a cautious plan.
AND only just moisten his daily bran.
Then next we brought TO him one by one
His drum and his trumpet, his sword and gun;
And we lifted up for his fondling imni.
HIS good gray stecd on the rocking-stand;
Then close to his feet we placed tray,
And we set his armies in array;
And his eyes were bright with fire an | dow
AS We propped him up for his last review.
His ark came next, and pair by pair
Passed beasts of the earth AMI fowls Of the
air:
He kissed good Japhet. and Ham, and Shem,
And waved his hands to tho rest of them.
R,,f We saxv tbot his o,.or hod ,o,t .h.,. a.
And his dear little voice began to tire;
He lay quite still for little while,
With eyes half cosed aud a peaceful smile
Then, Nanny" he said. and never stirred.
And his mother bent for the whispered word;
Give him his carrot each second day,'
Our tommy murmured, and passed. away.
-Rer. Frederick Lanybr die, ia iIatfer's Pa.
zAr.