GRANDMOTHER'S WORLDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2608, 30 March 1889, Page 1 (Supplement)

GRANDMOTHER'S WORLDS.

Comk and sit beside me, darling, While I tell you what I mean ; You are old enough to listen, And to hear what I have seen. In the great, greal World nf Sorrow, Where the teat a as river* run, Where the evil is so fruitful, And the good so little done ; You could do so much, my darling, Dry the tears, and cheer the sad ; Help to make the ngecl brighter, And the little children glad. In the great, great World of Fashion You could help, my darling, too, Keep your heart upright, and simple, Though the world bo all untrue ; 'Mid tho glitter and the tiusel, Of a great and living sham, Be you fearless as a lien, But as gentle as a lamb; Let men honour you, and reverence Womanhood, as seen in you ; Leading them to something higher, Something better, something true. In the great World of Despair, dear, Let yaur life of brightness shine ; Let the beauty of your faith—so Rich in mercy, so divine — Cast its radiance all around you, Build again the shattered whole, Turn the helpless ebb of reason, Fill with lu:pe the hopeless soul; Burning all the fevered fancies (Giant shapes despair assumes), And the rose that seemed decaying Will be bringing forth fresh blooms. In the World of Ease, my darling, Work—but not for fame athirst; Let ambition claim a portion, But—humility be first. In the seltixh ease and splendour Of a world of " self " alone, Bβ amongst the few, my darling, Who for others may atone ; Life is herea life of doing, Not of dreaming, nor of sleep ; We are sent hero for a purpose, For a reason, high and deep. Then there is the World of Love, dear. You can help in that mw, too ; Hearts are broken sometimes, darling, And they are not always true ; For to-day the wmld nf love, dear, Is to.) of tun but :i fa ice, And the goldeo gift of true love Given with a gilt, of Imiss ; In tho empty pi iyful " uoUiings." Said—it may be—"all in fun." Sometimes there is hitter anguish, And the heart—not wanted—won ! But life is not all of sadness. Not all up-hill, not all strife, For there is a world of Goodness Where unselfishness is rife ; Where we can and ought to live, dear, Thinking of mankind alone, Working, striving for the souls, dear, Who arc earelet-s of their own. I have tried to tell you something, But not half of all I mean ; But lemember what I've told you When you see all I have seen ; Let the world be nobler, simpler, And more pure, where you have been. —M. E. Stewart.