The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1884-11-28
"Help Me Across Papa"

There was anguish in the faces
of those who bent over the littls
white bed. for they knes that Baby
May was drifting away from them,
going out alone into the dark voy-
age where so many have been
wrested from loving hands and as
they tried IN vain TO keep her, or
even to smooth with kind solIci.
tude her last brief sorrows, they,
too, experienced in the bitter hour
OF parting the pangs Of death.
They only hoped that she did not
suffer now. The rings OF golden
hair lay damp and unstirred on
the white forehead; the roses were
turned TO lilies on her cheeks; ths
lovely violet eyes saw them not,
but were uptnrned and fixed; the
breath on the pale hps came and
went, tuttered ald seemed loaths
to leave it's sweet prison. oh, the
awful, cruel strength OF DEATH
the weakness, the belplcssness OF
love! Those who loved her better
than lie could not lift a hand to
aveit the destroyer; they could
only watch and wait TIL tue end
SHOULD come. Her merry, ringing
laugh would never again gladden.
their hearts; her little feet would
make no more music az they ran
pattering TO meet them. Baby
May was dying, and all the house
was darkened aud husLed.
Then it WAS as the shadows tell
in denser waves about us, that she
stirred ever so family, and our
hearts gave u great bound as We
thought: "She is better! She will
live.n Yes, she knew us; her eyes
moved from one face to the other,
with n dim, uncertain gaze! OBJ,
how good God was to give ber back!
How We could praise aud bless
Him all our lives! She hite.t
one dainty haud-c0ld, almost
pulseless, but better, better-we
would have it so-aud laid it Oh
the rough, Drowned hand OF the
rugged man who sat nearest TO ber.
His eyelids were red with weep.
ing, but now smile lighted all bis
bronzed face like rainbow, as be
telt the gentle pressure OF his little
daughters hand-the mute, i'm
ploriug touch that meant u ques-
tiOn.
"Wbat is il, darling T. he asked,
in broken loues OF joy aud thanks.
giving.
| She could not speak, and SO We
raised her OH the pretty lace pill
low, and her wee white face shone
In the twilight like u fair star OF u
sweet woodland flower.
She lifted her heavy eyes to his
-eyes that even then had the
glory and the promise OF Immortal.
ity ia them, aud, reaching out her
little wasted arms, said, in ber
weary, fiute.like voice:
"Help me across, papap
Then she was gone! We held to
our breaking hearts the fiail, beau.
tiful shell, but she was far away,
whittier we dare not follow. She
had crossed tue dark river, but not
alone.
Over the river the boatman pale
Carried another-the household pet.
She CROSSED ON her bosom her dimpled
| haLds,
And fearlessly entered the phantom
We felt it glide from the silver sands,
And all our sunshine grew strangely
dark.
O!infuite Father, when we weary
and disappointed ones reach our
pleading hands to Thee, wilt Thou
take us even as the little child,and
help us across over the mountains
OF defeat and the valleys OF humili.
alton into the eternal rest OF Thy
presence, into the green pastures
and beside the still waters, iuto the
city of the New Jerusalem, whose
builder aud maker is God-Presby.
feridn.