Year: 1879

l have son, little son, boy just five years
old,
with eyes ofthoughtnil earnestncss, and mind of


gentle mold;
They tell me that unusual grace in all his ways


appears
That my child is grave aud wise OF heart beyond
his childish years.
/ cannot say how this may be; I Know his face is


fair;
And yet his heart is kind and fond, know he


lOvcth me,
But loveth yet his mother more, with grateful fer


ycncy.
But that which others most admire is the thought
which Hills his mind
The food for grave, inquiring speech he every


where doth find;
Strange questions doth he ask of me when we to-
He scarcely thinks as children think, talks as


children talk;
Nor cares he much for childish sports, dotes not


ON bat or ball,
But looks ON manhoods ways and works and


APPLY mimics all.
With thoughts about this world of ours, and
:, thoughts about the next;
He knecls mt his dear mothers knee, she teaches
And strange and sweet and solemn then are the


words which he will say.
ON should my gentle child be spared TO mn n
hoods years like me,
A holier and wiser man l trust that lie will


he.
And when look into his ewes and stroke his


thoughtful brow,
dare not think what should feel, were l to lose


him now.
have a SON. second son, n sample child of


three
I'll not declare how bright and fair his little fea.
How silver sweet those tones of his, when he


prattles on my knee.
do not think his light blue eve is like his bro
Nor his brows so full of childish thought as his


hath ever been
But his little hearts fountain pure of kind and
And his every looks CLEAN of light, rich depths
- OF love revealing;
When he walks with me- the countrv foll ,vho
,,,,,, pass us IN the street,
VIII speak their joy, and bless my boy, he looks


so mild and sweet.
playfellow lie is to all and vet with cheerrnl


tone,
VIII sing his little song of love, when left to
His presence is like sunshine sent to eladden


home and hearth


our mirth
Should he grow up to ripper years, God grant his


heart may prove
AS sweet home Tor heavenly grace as now for
Ana II, beside his grave, the tears our aching


eyes must dim,
God comfort US for an the love which we shall


lose in hmi
nave "a a son. third sweet son; his age 1 canno'
For they reckon not by years or months, where


he has gone 10 dwell.
10 us, Tor fourteen anxious months his infant


smiles were given,
And then he bade farewell to earth and wont IN


live in heaven.
l cannot tell what form is his what 1oots n,


weareth now,
Nor guess how bright glory crowns his shining


seraph brow,
The thoughts that I'LL his sinless soul. the bliss


which he doth feel,
Are numbered with the secret things which God


will not reveal
But know (for God hath told me this) that he is


now at rest,
Where other blessed infants arc-on their Saw.


iour's loving breast.
know his spirit feels no more this weary load of


flesh ~
But his sleep is blest with endless dreams of iov


forever fresh.
| know the angels fold him close beneatb tboir


glitteriDg wings,
And soothe him with a song that breathes of
. heavens devine things.
L know mat we shall meet our babe (his mother
dear and y,
where God for aye shall wipe away all tears


from every eye.
W hateer beialls his brethren twain his bliss can
- never cease;
Their lot may here be grief and fear. but his is


certain peace;
Ii may be that the tempter1s wiles their souls from


bliss may sever
But if our own poor ath fail not, he must be ours


forever
When we think of what our darling is and what


we still must be;
When we muse on that wolld's perfect Hiss and


this worlds misery
When we groan beneath this load of sin and feel


this grief and pain,
ON we'd rather lose our other two, than have


him here again.