The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-08-01
EXIT TOMMY.


Tommy must leave us tonight" we said,
Moving so softly about his bed:
Though seven sweet years he had borne our
name,
His Father above had the better claim.
His poor little curls had been shorn away,
And his tiny face was old and gray;
Cold 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 deepening light in those eyes we saw,
That touched our grief with tender ave.
A message had come from tine King of
Kings
We heard the sound of the angels wings;
We caught faint whispers and glimmerings
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 secret?" had cried-while
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
roar,
But we must linger, with wavings fond,
While he would sail to the land beyond.
We felt that the angel that held his hand
And led him down to the misty strand
Was telling him now, in whispers low,
What sights he would see and whittier go.
But hushl the voice from the little bed,
And the watchful mother bent her head:
NANNY, know that I'm soon to die,
And want to wish them all goodbye.
" / shouldn't like anything here TO say;
He didn't shake hands when he went away:
lie was glad to be off to his harp and Wines
And couldn't remember his poor old things
Tin Heaven should never feel content
~ hadn't been kind before / went;
80 let me take leave of them, great and small,
Animals, people, and toys, and all"
So the word went forth, and in no great while
me servants entered in solemn fie
Inc stout old cook, and the housemaid Rose,
And the aproned boy with his smutted nose.
So each of the women, with streaming cheek,
Bent over and kissed him and could not
speak:
But he said that they must not grieve and cry,
For they'd meet again in the happy Sky.
Twas longer and harder to deal with jim
The child grew grave as he looked at him.
For he thought to himself: HE bets and
swears,
And hardly believe thathe says his prayers"
''Oh, Jim, dear JIM if you do such things
You'll never be dressed in harp and Wings'
He talked to the boy as father should,
And begged him hard to be grave and good.
The lad lounged out with brazen air,
And whistled derisively down the stair;
But they found him hid in the hole for coal,
Sobbing and praying in grief of soul.
Old Rover came next sedate and good,
And gazed at his master and understood.
Then up we carried, in order due,
Maria, the cat, and her kittens TWO.
Proud purred the mother, and arched her
back,
And yaunted her kittens, one white, one
black;
and the sweet white kitten was good and still,
But the black one played with his night
gowns frill.
lie stroked them all with his poor weak hand,
But he felt that they could not understand.
lie smiled, however, and was not vexed,
and babe us bring him the rabbit next.
He welcomed Punch with loving smile,
And Rugged him close in his arms awhile
And we knew Hor the dear childs eyes grew
dim)
How greyOus it was to part with him.
His mother he babe, with fearful cheek,
Wye Punch his carrot three times week,
with lettuce'Ieaves on 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 hand,
Ills good gray steed on the rocking-stand;
Then close to his feet we placed tray,
ana we set his armies in array;
And his eyes were bright with fire and dew
AS we propped him up for his last review.
His ark came next, and pair by pair
raised beasts of the earth and fowls of the
air:
He kissed good Japhet, and Ham, and Shem,
And waved his hands to the rest of them.
But we sawpthat his eyes had lost their fire.
And his dear little voice began to tire;
Helay quite still for a little while,
With eyes half closed and q 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
-ReD. Frederick Langbridge, in Hdrper'S b.
ear.