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Excerpt: ...three before it stood, And yet the bread was all unbroken there, - And from the cottage to the garden gate A shivering form went flitting to and fro. Despair was on her cheek-and in her eye A mother's anguish: But they might have seen How fierce a storm was gathering-might have stayed. And while the hope was fresh within her heart She hurried in, but only to return And take her station at the door again. The moments slowly lengthened into hours, The air grew chilly-for upon the hearth A few decaying embers smoked alone; And pale with midnight vigils and with grief The watcher knelt to find relief in prayer. Then hark! a sound-a footstep-and she starts! Her heart leaps to her throat, and with a bound She gains the cottage door-it opens wide. A cry of joy is trembling on her lips, For there the husband and the father stood. She stretched her eager arms to take the boy, But in the movement caught the father's eye Where horror sat, and told the dreadful tale He dared not trust his quivering lips to speak. My boy is dead, she cried; my boy, my boy! And caught him wildly to her bursting heart. Cold on her bosom fell the little head Which had been pillowed there so oft in sleep, - And as she raised the frosty lid which veiled The violet eye beneath that lately laughed, So deep a groan escaped her pallid lips The guilty husband shuddered as he heard. Too late, he muttered in a husky tone, And like an image of despair he stood, Until she called him weeping to her side, And murmured in a voice half choked with sobs: Nay, not too late, my husband, not too late: God takes the child in mercy and in love, To save the father. Shall it not be so? Say by the love we bore this precious child, Our own no longer-shall it not be so? The answer came, so low she scarcely heard, But 'twas enough, and she looked up and smiled! SIGHS ON MORTALITY. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? Why do we mourn? why do we sigh? We who may to-morrow lie With folded hands and...

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9781153594028

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