TOM.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 176, 11 August 1876, Page 6

TOM.

Yes, Tom's the best fellow that ever you knew. Just listen to this : When the old mill took fire, and the flooring fell through, And I with it, helpless, there, full in my view, What do you think my eyes saw through the fire, That crept along, crept along, nigher and nigher, But Eobin, my baby-boy, laughing to see The shining ? He must have come thereafter me, Toddled alone from the cottage without Any one's missing him. Then, what a shout — Oh ! how I shouted, " For Heaven's sake, men, Save little Eobin !" Again and again They tried, but the fire held them back like a wall ; I could hear them go at it, and at it, and call, "Never mind, baby, sit still like a man, We're coming to get you as fast as we can." They could not see him, but I could ; lie sat Still on a beam, his little straw hat Carefully placed by his side, and his eyes Stared at the flame with a baby's surprise, Calm and unconscious, as nearer it crept, The roar of the fire up above must have kept The sound of his mother's voice shrieking his name From reaching the child. But I heard it. It came Again and again. O God, what a cry ! The axes went faster ; I saw the sparks fly Where the men worked like tigers, nor minded the heat Tint scorched them, — when, suddenly, there at their feet The great beams leaned in — they saw him —then crash, Down came the wall ! The men made a dash — Jumped out of the way — and I thought " All's up with poor little Eobin," and brought Slowly the arm that was least hurt to hide The sight of the child there, when swift, at my side Some one rushed by, and went right through the flame, Strsifc as a dart — caught the child — and then came Back with him — choking and crying, but — saved ! Saved lafe and sound ! Oh, how the men raved, Shouted, and cried, and hurrahed ! Then they all Rushed at the work again, lest tho back.wall Where I was lying, away from the fire, Should fall in and bury me. Oh ! you'd adrnira To see Eobin now, he's as bright as a dime, Deep in some mischief, too, most of the time ; Tom, it as we saved him. Now, isu't it true Tom's thebest fellow that ever you knew ? There's Eobin now — see, he's strong as a log — And there comes Tom too — Yes, Tom was our dog. Constance Fenimore Woolson in Appletons' Journal,