THE THREE LITTLE CHAIRS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 297, 9 October 1873, Page 7

THE THREE LITTLE CHAIRS.

They eat by the bright wood fire, The gray-haired dune and the aged sire, Dreaming of days gone by : . The tear-drops fell on each wrinkled cheek, They both had thoughts they could not speak, And each heart uttered a sigh— For their sad and tearful eyes descried Three little chairs placed side by side Against the sitting-room wall ; Old fashioned enough as there they stood, - Their, seats of flag and their frames of wood, • With their backs so straight and tall. Then the sire shook his silvery head, And with trembling voice he gently said : "Mother, these empty chairs t They bring us sad, sad thoughts to-night, - We'll put them for ever out of sight, In the small dark room upstairs," But she answered : " Father, no not yet, For I look at them, and I forget That the children are away ; The boys come back, and our Mary too, With her apron on of checkered blue, And sit there every day. " Johnny still whittles a ship's tall masts, And Willie his leaden bullets casts, ' ■ While Mary her patchwork sews ; At evening the three childish prayers Go up to God from these little chairs, , . So softly that no one knows. «' Johnny comes back from the .billowy deep, Willie wakes from the battle-field sleep, ! To say Gbod-night to me ; Mary's a wife and mother no more, JBut a tired child, whose play-time is o'er, And comes to rest at my knee. " So let them stand there, though empty now, And every time when alone we bow At the Father's throne to pray, We'll ask to meet the children above, In our Saviour's home of rest and love, '' Where no chilo goeth astray."