 | Rhymes with reason and without |  |
120
THE OLD BACHELOR'S BEQUEST.
SHOWING HOW AN OLD BACHELOR WAS BROUGHT TO HIS SENSES BY THE SOFTENING INFLUENCE OF RHEUMATISM.
Old Roger lay groaning in bitter pain,
Alone in his chamber high;
From early morn he'd unheeded lain,
And the time dragged wearily by.
Alone in his chamber high;
From early morn he'd unheeded lain,
And the time dragged wearily by.
No kindly hands or voices were there,
To soothe his bitter woe;
No friendly step pressed his chamber stair,
A sympathy to show.
To soothe his bitter woe;
No friendly step pressed his chamber stair,
A sympathy to show.
His old watch whispered the waning day,
As it hung above his head,
And phials and potions, in grim array,
Were ranged beside his bed.
As it hung above his head,
And phials and potions, in grim array,
Were ranged beside his bed.
Alone! How sad is the word alone!
How sad alone to feel!
Where the drear hours give no welcome tone,
Nor one kind look reveal.
How sad alone to feel!
Where the drear hours give no welcome tone,
Nor one kind look reveal.
Then, as he groaned, a sudden thought,
Like a ray of blessed light,
Illumined his mind, with sadness fraught,
And put his gloom to flight.
Like a ray of blessed light,
Illumined his mind, with sadness fraught,
And put his gloom to flight.
121
“I'll make my will,” said he to himself,
“And, though I've no lands to give,
I'll give what is better than earthly pelf,
The secret of how to live.
“And, though I've no lands to give,
I'll give what is better than earthly pelf,
The secret of how to live.
“I'll give advice that shall gladden life,
And make it more pleasantly glide;
The young man I'll counsel to marry a wife,
And the maiden to be a bride,
And make it more pleasantly glide;
The young man I'll counsel to marry a wife,
And the maiden to be a bride,
“That, when the long days of sickness press,
They may not, like me, be alone,
But gentle hearts be near, to bless,
And affection's gentle tone;
They may not, like me, be alone,
But gentle hearts be near, to bless,
And affection's gentle tone;
“Each wish be watched with a tender care,—
Where loving ones shall bring
A charm to surround the sufferer there,
That will blunt affliction's sting.
Where loving ones shall bring
A charm to surround the sufferer there,
That will blunt affliction's sting.
“Perchance the hour by childhood's voice
May be with music filled,
Till the lagging pulse at the tone rejoice,
That before was nearly stilled.
May be with music filled,
Till the lagging pulse at the tone rejoice,
That before was nearly stilled.
“No wife,—no child! I have lived in vain,
And I feel my error keen;
O! could I renew my life again,
A wiser I'd be, I ween.”
And I feel my error keen;
O! could I renew my life again,
A wiser I'd be, I ween.”
| Rhymes with reason and without | |