 | The white dove, and Other Poems for Children |  |
71
The Snow-Storm.
Yes, patiently, dear, you have waited,
And quietly played by my chair;
And though sometimes I seemed not to see you,
Yet always I felt you were there.
And quietly played by my chair;
And though sometimes I seemed not to see you,
Yet always I felt you were there.
And now that my labor is finished,
The last pages numbered and read:
Call Helen away from her music,
And send to the nursery for Fred.
The last pages numbered and read:
Call Helen away from her music,
And send to the nursery for Fred.
There is one hour, at least, before sunset,
And that, little Kate, is for you;
You shall have your own choice how to use it,
And plan for us what we must do.
And that, little Kate, is for you;
You shall have your own choice how to use it,
And plan for us what we must do.
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Shall we go to the pleasant green meadow,
Where we found the first violet last spring?
Or walk to the mill-race and listen,
To hear the sweet wood-robin sing?
Where we found the first violet last spring?
Or walk to the mill-race and listen,
To hear the sweet wood-robin sing?
Or shall we go into the village,
Blind Mary I hear is not well,
Shall we take her some cream? I must ask her
If she has any stockings to sell.
Blind Mary I hear is not well,
Shall we take her some cream? I must ask her
If she has any stockings to sell.
Let me fasten the strings of your bonnet,
And Fred must walk close by your side;
Stop, Katie, one moment for Helen!
There, one of your shoes is untied.
And Fred must walk close by your side;
Stop, Katie, one moment for Helen!
There, one of your shoes is untied.
I see you are looking for Bruno,
Well, let the old fellow come too;
Do you know he has two little children,
And both of them older than you?
Well, let the old fellow come too;
Do you know he has two little children,
And both of them older than you?
You laugh—but I do not deceive you,
If Bruno could speak he would say,
“Yes, Kate, I have two little children,
Come see them, I'll show you the way.”
If Bruno could speak he would say,
“Yes, Kate, I have two little children,
Come see them, I'll show you the way.”
73
We have time to go round by the meadow,
And so by the race to the mill;
Where Bruno's two children are living,
In the cot at the foot of the hill.
And so by the race to the mill;
Where Bruno's two children are living,
In the cot at the foot of the hill.
As we walk, I will tell you the story,
Of the storm when the children were lost;
And how, but for brave noble Bruno,
They both would have died in the frost.
Of the storm when the children were lost;
And how, but for brave noble Bruno,
They both would have died in the frost.
Now listen, my darlings; the spring time,
The summer, the autumn, the snow,
Have pass'd since the winter I speak of,
For now it is two years ago.
The summer, the autumn, the snow,
Have pass'd since the winter I speak of,
For now it is two years ago.
Little Fred was asleep in his cradle,
And you undisturbed by the storm,
With kisses and blessings, my darlings,
In your own bed were covered up warm.
And you undisturbed by the storm,
With kisses and blessings, my darlings,
In your own bed were covered up warm.
Mamma sat close by with her knitting;
She thought of the poor and the old,
Of houses, where closets were empty,
And hearths, where the ashes were cold.
She thought of the poor and the old,
Of houses, where closets were empty,
And hearths, where the ashes were cold.
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Of mothers, who hungered and shivered,
With babies as tender as Fred;
And then, with the tears on her eyelids,
She turned to your warm little bed,
With babies as tender as Fred;
And then, with the tears on her eyelids,
She turned to your warm little bed,
And prayed to the merciful Father,
Who sheltered her lambs in the fold;
For faster and faster the snow fell,
The wind was more piercing and cold!
Who sheltered her lambs in the fold;
For faster and faster the snow fell,
The wind was more piercing and cold!
Smoke hung o'er the distant city,
Lights gleamed from the nearer town,
When the first few flakes at sunset
Had silently drifted down.
Lights gleamed from the nearer town,
When the first few flakes at sunset
Had silently drifted down.
North-east the cold wind had been blowing,
In gusty sobs all day;
But e'er the short twilight ended,
It suddenly died away.
In gusty sobs all day;
But e'er the short twilight ended,
It suddenly died away.
And deeply the darkness gathered,
With the heavy snow-clouds round;
And feet on the whitened pathway,
Passed by with a muffled sound.
With the heavy snow-clouds round;
And feet on the whitened pathway,
Passed by with a muffled sound.
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And slowly the deep, dark river,
Through the cavernous arches pass'd;
Where the lights on the bridge a lurid glow,
On its moving blackness cast.
Through the cavernous arches pass'd;
Where the lights on the bridge a lurid glow,
On its moving blackness cast.
I sat in a pleasant parlor,
Where the fire was blazing bright;
On a cushioned chair, with a foot-stool soft,
To read by a shaded light.
Where the fire was blazing bright;
On a cushioned chair, with a foot-stool soft,
To read by a shaded light.
The book was a wondrous story,
A tale of the olden time;
It was full of romance and glory,
And told in an ancient rhyme.
A tale of the olden time;
It was full of romance and glory,
And told in an ancient rhyme.
And Bruno was there beside me,
Spread out on the hearth-rug warm;
He seemed to enjoy the shelter,
As he dreamily heard the storm.
Spread out on the hearth-rug warm;
He seemed to enjoy the shelter,
As he dreamily heard the storm.
And slowly he raised one eyelid,
The blazing fire to see;
Then sleepily raised the other,
And drowsily looked at me.
The blazing fire to see;
Then sleepily raised the other,
And drowsily looked at me.
76
“Old Bruno,” said I, without moving,
Tried, trusted, and steady, and brave!
He lifted his head when he heard me,
Gave his banner-like tail a wave,
Tried, trusted, and steady, and brave!
He lifted his head when he heard me,
Gave his banner-like tail a wave,
And then laid his head on the carpet,
Where his legs were extended crosswise;
And once more for his evening slumber,
He closed his sagacious old eyes.
Where his legs were extended crosswise;
And once more for his evening slumber,
He closed his sagacious old eyes.
The silence closed deeply round me;
The shutters were bolted fast,
But they shook with an angry rattle,
In the slowly-rising blast.
The shutters were bolted fast,
But they shook with an angry rattle,
In the slowly-rising blast.
Yet the heavy silken curtain,
Hung warm o'er the window pane,
And I strove to forget the snow-storm;
But the effort was all in vain.
Hung warm o'er the window pane,
And I strove to forget the snow-storm;
But the effort was all in vain.
I had seen as the twilight deepened,
Two children with weary feet,
Gazing sadly across the river,
Where the bridge and the footpath meet.
Two children with weary feet,
Gazing sadly across the river,
Where the bridge and the footpath meet.
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They spoke not to one another;
But walked with an aimless tread,
As if they would follow the pathway,
Wherever its windings led.
But walked with an aimless tread,
As if they would follow the pathway,
Wherever its windings led.
They looked with a dreary wonder,
Far, far o'er the meadows white;
While faster and faster the snow-fall,
Was hiding the path from sight.
Far, far o'er the meadows white;
While faster and faster the snow-fall,
Was hiding the path from sight.
On—on—without question or pausing,
And yet in bewildered fear,
They continued their weary travel,
Through the night-storm cold and drear.
And yet in bewildered fear,
They continued their weary travel,
Through the night-storm cold and drear.
I saw that the boy had tightened,
His hold on his sister's hand,
When their feet on the covered bridgeway,
Passed off from the solid land.
His hold on his sister's hand,
When their feet on the covered bridgeway,
Passed off from the solid land.
And I watched them beyond the river,
By the misty toll-gate light;
And then, in the dim cold distance,
They slowly pass'd from sight.
By the misty toll-gate light;
And then, in the dim cold distance,
They slowly pass'd from sight.
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Now I could not forget these children—
They were ever before my eye;
And the wind as it shook the casement,
Had the sound of a wailing cry.
They were ever before my eye;
And the wind as it shook the casement,
Had the sound of a wailing cry.
And the cosy fire and lamp-light,
With its warmth and quiet cheer,
Made me think the more of their danger,
Till my heart was sick with fear.
With its warmth and quiet cheer,
Made me think the more of their danger,
Till my heart was sick with fear.
Oh, what can we do to save them!
I said as I closed my book;
And Bruno stood up on the carpet,
With a roused inquiring look.
I said as I closed my book;
And Bruno stood up on the carpet,
With a roused inquiring look.
Then, slowly advancing towards me,
He laid his head on my knee,
As if he had said, “I am ready,
As ready as ready can be.”
He laid his head on my knee,
As if he had said, “I am ready,
As ready as ready can be.”
So wrapping my cloak around me,
And holding my beaver fast,
And calling on Bruno to follow,
Out into the storm we passed.
And holding my beaver fast,
And calling on Bruno to follow,
Out into the storm we passed.
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Fast—fast—fell the blinding snow-flakes!
Keen, cold, the storm wind blew!
And there was not a single foot-print,
Had pass'd the deep snow-drifts through.
Keen, cold, the storm wind blew!
And there was not a single foot-print,
Had pass'd the deep snow-drifts through.
But the bridge-light still was shining,
And the dull and sullen roar
Of the stream through the low black arches,
Was sounding on before.
And the dull and sullen roar
Of the stream through the low black arches,
Was sounding on before.
And at last we reached the toll-gate,
And aroused the sleeping men,
Who said they had seen no children,
And sullenly slept again.
And aroused the sleeping men,
Who said they had seen no children,
And sullenly slept again.
Thou wert kinder than they, my Bruno!
In the depth of thy loving nature;
With thy faithful instincts all alive,
My noble fellow creature!
In the depth of thy loving nature;
With thy faithful instincts all alive,
My noble fellow creature!
He seemed almost to know the cause,
Of all my doubt and dread,
As slowly by my side he marched,
With grave and steady tread.
Of all my doubt and dread,
As slowly by my side he marched,
With grave and steady tread.
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Nor did he leave me, till our feet,
From off the bridge had passed;
When whining low, he raised his head,
As if to scent the blast.
From off the bridge had passed;
When whining low, he raised his head,
As if to scent the blast.
Then with short circles through the drifts,
His long ears trailing low,
With rapid step and cautious nose,
Held level with the snow;
His long ears trailing low,
With rapid step and cautious nose,
Held level with the snow;
Moved by the impulse of his race,
Which prompts to seek and find,
He searched with instincts fine and true,
Where human eyes were blind.
Which prompts to seek and find,
He searched with instincts fine and true,
Where human eyes were blind.
Cold—cold—it seemed the biting frost
Had reached my very heart,
When suddenly, with joyous yelp,
Away I saw him start.
Had reached my very heart,
When suddenly, with joyous yelp,
Away I saw him start.
With ringing bark and eager leap
He bounded quickly back,
And seized my cloak, and tried to draw
My footsteps from the track.
He bounded quickly back,
And seized my cloak, and tried to draw
My footsteps from the track.
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For not three paces from the path,
The children he had found;
Clasped in each other's arms, they lay
Snow-covered on the ground.
The children he had found;
Clasped in each other's arms, they lay
Snow-covered on the ground.
With many a struggle, through the drift,
At last I made my way,
And reached the hollow sheltered spot
Where fast asleep they lay.
At last I made my way,
And reached the hollow sheltered spot
Where fast asleep they lay.
That sleep might be the sleep of death!
Fast—fast—the snow came down;
What should we do—how summon help
To reach us from the town!
Fast—fast—the snow came down;
What should we do—how summon help
To reach us from the town!
I wrapped the children in my cloak,
Its folds were wide and warm;
But Bruno, once more barking loud,
Had darted through the storm.
Its folds were wide and warm;
But Bruno, once more barking loud,
Had darted through the storm.
Where had he gone! would he return!
To try the path again,
Without his sure instinctive aid
I knew would be in vain.
To try the path again,
Without his sure instinctive aid
I knew would be in vain.
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But soon! how soon! his well-known bark,
Again was in my ear;
A gleaming light came through the snow—
Voices were sounding near!
Again was in my ear;
A gleaming light came through the snow—
Voices were sounding near!
And we were saved! (When Bruno's ears
Are lifted in that way,
Does he not seem to understand
The very words I say?)
Are lifted in that way,
Does he not seem to understand
The very words I say?)
You should have seen his leaps and bounds,
His gambols of delight;
His frantic plunging through the snow,
And heard his bark that night!
His gambols of delight;
His frantic plunging through the snow,
And heard his bark that night!
He licked our hands—he caught our clothes,
With rapid eager bound;
And every motion seemed to say,
They're found! they're found! they're found!
With rapid eager bound;
And every motion seemed to say,
They're found! they're found! they're found!
Great kindness to these homeless ones,
Our village folks have shown;
But to this day you see they are,
As Bruno's children known.
Our village folks have shown;
But to this day you see they are,
As Bruno's children known.
| The white dove, and Other Poems for Children | |