BY THE FIRE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1549, 10 February 1874, Page 109

BY THE FIRE.

fc'harley is knitting his brows o'er a book; Maud is writing to Louis, I guess ; Papa is adoze in his ingle-nook ; Guy and Maggie playing at chess; And I, deft-fingered, ply needle and thread At marriage garb for our darling Maud ; "When the chestnuts bloom shall the child be wed, And Louis shall take his wife abroad. The flame of the fire mirthfully leaps With a rustling flicker ; my father's hair, I see it plain as he calmly sleeps, Is streaked with silver here and there. He fretted a little when Louis came To ask that our little fair-faced pet ' Should gird her brows with his love and name— Well," it was scarcely strange to fret. Guy will be asking for Maggie some day ; Charley will take him a wife too, I think ; Ai\ii mi! and only last May We never were dreaming of losing a link Of the dear home-chain, were it even to add Another link— how strange it appears ! Fie, child, how selfish to be sad, And to wet little Maud's white robe with tears! Ah, next May ? God knoweth alone, What parted hopes, or what new sweet ties; Whichever it be, we shall have known Wider and deeper sympathies. We sit by the fire a wee while yet, But the players are putting away their chess, And now the last stitch of mine is set In my little sister's marriage-dress.