 | Verses of a life time |  |
35
THE OLD MAN'S LOVE SONG.
'T is fifty years, my Edith,
And more, since we were one,
And many a man, and many a babe,
Their mortal course have run.
And more, since we were one,
And many a man, and many a babe,
Their mortal course have run.
Thou fanciest that thine eye is dim,
And that thy locks are gray,
O! Edith, dear are they to me,
As on our wedding day!
And that thy locks are gray,
O! Edith, dear are they to me,
As on our wedding day!
Thou wert proud of me, my Edith,
When first I sought thy side,
And I believ'd that naught on earth,
Was worthy of my bride.
When first I sought thy side,
And I believ'd that naught on earth,
Was worthy of my bride.
Thou hast been true and tender,
In the sunny hours of life,
In sickness and in sorrow too,
A kind and faithful wife.
In the sunny hours of life,
In sickness and in sorrow too,
A kind and faithful wife.
36
Our children's children circle
Around our aged knee,
And God has blest us still with sight
Their little ones to see.
Around our aged knee,
And God has blest us still with sight
Their little ones to see.
Their silken hands, endearingly
My trembling fingers press,
But not less dear, my Edith, is
Thy matronly caress.
My trembling fingers press,
But not less dear, my Edith, is
Thy matronly caress.
The world has dealt full kindly,
As we've trod our earthly way,
And many blessings from above,
Have crown'd each passing day.
As we've trod our earthly way,
And many blessings from above,
Have crown'd each passing day.
And death has seem'd to linger,
As loth to bid us part,
Because we have, thro' weal and woe,
Kept ever but one heart.
As loth to bid us part,
Because we have, thro' weal and woe,
Kept ever but one heart.
O, well we know, my Edith,
Who has spar'd us on the road;
And night and morn our thoughts as one
Have risen to our God.
Who has spar'd us on the road;
And night and morn our thoughts as one
Have risen to our God.
37
Yes, on the private altar,
We've laid our humble prayer,
And hand in hand have sought His courts,
To pay our worship there.
We've laid our humble prayer,
And hand in hand have sought His courts,
To pay our worship there.
But the term of life is ending,
For eighty years have past,
Since you and I in infancy,
Upon the world were cast.
For eighty years have past,
Since you and I in infancy,
Upon the world were cast.
One prayer to God we offer,
As life draws near its close,
That we may still together rest,
And in one grave repose,—
As life draws near its close,
That we may still together rest,
And in one grave repose,—
That when his awful summons
Shall call us to the sky,
Still undivided to his throne,
Our faithful souls may fly.
Shall call us to the sky,
Still undivided to his throne,
Our faithful souls may fly.
1832.
| Verses of a life time | |