 | The forest minstrel |  |
THE WOMAN TO HER GRAND-DAUGHTER.
Oh, bless thee, dearest daughter,
Of my youngest, dearest child,
Thou hast thy gentle mother's voice,
So musically mild;
I deem that thou art like her, too,
In beauty's maiden grace,
Though these dim eyes could never read
The features of thy face.
Of my youngest, dearest child,
Thou hast thy gentle mother's voice,
So musically mild;
I deem that thou art like her, too,
In beauty's maiden grace,
Though these dim eyes could never read
The features of thy face.
But in my soul she liveth,
My beautiful young dove,
And thou art like her, for thou hast
Her voice and heart of love.
Once more arrange the pillows for
This weak and weary head,—
Thank God, who gave me such a child,
To smooth my dying bed!
My beautiful young dove,
And thou art like her, for thou hast
Her voice and heart of love.
Once more arrange the pillows for
This weak and weary head,—
Thank God, who gave me such a child,
To smooth my dying bed!
Nay, do not weep, my darling,
'Tis time that I should die,
The chill of death is in my veins,
Its darkness on mine eye;
And unto me so many years
Have been in mercy given,
That I am ready for the grave,
And wait and long for heaven.
'Tis time that I should die,
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Its darkness on mine eye;
And unto me so many years
Have been in mercy given,
That I am ready for the grave,
And wait and long for heaven.
My life has not been weary
In useful labour spent,
With cheerful service in my hands,
And in my heart content;
And love—the truest human love—
Has walked beside me still,
A light, a joy, a comforter,
Through scenes of good and ill.
In useful labour spent,
With cheerful service in my hands,
And in my heart content;
And love—the truest human love—
Has walked beside me still,
A light, a joy, a comforter,
Through scenes of good and ill.
Though of the dear and loving,
To me in kindness given,
Some in their youth and loveliness
Have passed away to heaven;
I never have been left alone,
For still around me grew
A cluster of devoted hearts,
The tender, tried, and true.
To me in kindness given,
Some in their youth and loveliness
Have passed away to heaven;
I never have been left alone,
For still around me grew
A cluster of devoted hearts,
The tender, tried, and true.
Though now the dim land's shadow
Hath closed before mine eyes,
Deep treasured in my spirit's shrine,
A blazoned volume lies;
And Memory turneth leaf by leaf,
Before my mental sight,
And all the pictures of the past
Are lifelike in her light.
Hath closed before mine eyes,
Deep treasured in my spirit's shrine,
A blazoned volume lies;
And Memory turneth leaf by leaf,
Before my mental sight,
And all the pictures of the past
Are lifelike in her light.
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I never have been lonely,
In my darkness and my pain,
With past and present tenderness,
To solace and sustain;
And now the future lies revealed,
In light and joy divine,
By the sure mercies of my God,
Through Christ's redemption, mine.
In my darkness and my pain,
With past and present tenderness,
To solace and sustain;
And now the future lies revealed,
In light and joy divine,
By the sure mercies of my God,
Through Christ's redemption, mine.
| The forest minstrel | |