MEASURING THE BABY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2221, 2 October 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

MEASURING THE BABY.

We measured the riotous baby Against the cottage wall. A lily grew at tho threshold, And the boy was just as tall. A royal tiger lily, With spots ot purple and gold, And the heart of a jeweled chalice The fragrant dew t ) hold. Without the bluebirds whistled High up in the old roof trees, And to and fro at the window The red rose rocked her bees ; And the wee pink fists of the baby Were never a moment still, Snapping at shine and shadow That danced at the lattice sill. His eves were wide as bluebells, His mouth like a flower unblown ; Two little bare feet, like funny white mice Peeped out from his snowy gown ; And we thought with a thrill of rapture, That yet had a touch of pain, When June rolls around with her roses We'll measure the boy again. Ah, me ! in a darkened chamber, With the sunshine shut away, Though tsars that fell like a bitter rain, We measured the boy to-day ; And the little bare feet that were dunpled And ><weet as a budding rose, Lay side by side together, In the hush of a long repose. Up from the dainty pillow, White as the risen dawn, The fair little face lay smiling, With the light of heaven thereon *, And the de.vr little hands l\ke rose leaves Dropped from a rose lay still, Never to catch the sunshine That crept to the shrouded sill. We measured tho sleeping baby With ribbons white as snow, [For the shining rosewood casket That waited him below ; And out of the darkened chamber We went \vsth a childless moan ; To the htght of the sinless angels Our little one had grown. — Boston Transcript,