Original Poetry.

Evening Star, Issue 4290, 25 November 1876, Page 4

Original Poetry.

j /..'.-.'■ ; J' •''- - : ■ ••-■ •■ •••'• : - ! Only a picture!—<faded now and dim—1 The^deifwestrelictthatlownofhim ' i WJio i 'wa»so muoh,so much to this weak 1 heart, , , >•-•■• , 1 i That even yet 'will' not depart. So muoh 1 ah, many a day thy stepß lied, | . And often sorely worked to earn thy bread ; • Reased while I owned and felt the soft caress ' • From little baby hands I strove to bless. No/mother's heart with stronger passions ' move— Thou wert the all I had on earth to love. ; Though busy years bate' come and then have gone,,. . AndJ[ have, tried my best to struggle on, Since from 1 Irurned with tearful oye . ' And. forced my lips to speak their last good .bye, Did all the gentle thoughts I strove to bring Within thy' breast in that sad hour take wing? j ■ Or was it that thou wert of nobler race \ And' I so poor that time could thus efface Its every little memory from a mind - I prayea, I felt, could only be but kind ? But time l —revealing time —to light has . brought ; A ohange so bitter that I dreamt it not— So "bitter that I bring my heart to say, « It is not true-ipass from my thoughts away. And is' this all; this little pidture how, With beaming eyes and rounded childish brow? This and the memories that they say will fade; -■:■•-; Ah 1 wall ihey may when- strangers' hands : have laid ! In the L cold clay this ever-busy brain, And dust reclaims its kindred dust again. '■NoWherei'not you cannot' 'blot from Sight „. ~ ~ -. v , j _. ■''The httle face. I've' watph'e'd by day and ,''..;.', night;'"%.? ' :: ' V" .';", ';'. : Tie little hands I've folded in mine own, The. little voice I've learnt to lisp each tone, t< The little heart that once had held so dear The one .fond, hand that wiped each childish tear., . ,:._.,_. r _,;- ~t ■ -Oft t?y my^k^eep, t wlien day was over, there I taught \hy lips'to frame their eveniSg 5 ' prayer; Smoothed thy soft curhr, and kissed, thy snowy brow, ■ ik Then laid thee in thy bed so lonely now. Hast thott forgotten this f. Ifcahnot feel, Absence or time .could ne'er such membries steal, ...-;• ■ Though othersi gather round thee,/and their smile ■ '■'. ; ; Hay be as bright, as ; welcome ; but ; the while There will arise a face—ia face that worej A smile of welcome you must meet no more. •. Only a picture 1 No it cannot be ; '■ Thou h£st«not, canst not have forgotten l me, "■' JiH thy l ' young' breast some bettef'-'f&iings ' -glow.; r iT '" ":' : - : " . .",• . 3i .. Though parted hernia little I knejw Thy heart will feel, thy lips will say.'at last, "The time was sweet, so sweet,, although 'tis past." _ i ' : Kitty.