"Goodbye—God Bless You!"

Evening Star, Issue 8529, 30 May 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

"Goodbye—God Bless You! "

J like the Anglo-Saxon speech, With jts direct revealings; It takes a hold, and seems to reaoh Way down into your feelings. That some folk deem it rude, I know, And therefore they abuse it ; But I have never found it so— Before all else I choose it. I don't object that men should air The Gallic they have paid for, With "Aw rewir I" " Adieu, ma tkire!" For that's what French was made for. But when a crony takes your band At parting, to address you, He drops all foreign lingo, and He says " Good-bye—God blesß you!" This seems to me a sacred phrase, Tyith reverence impassioned— A thing come down from righteous day?, Quaintly but nobly fashioned. It well becomes an honest face— A voice that's round and cheeifal; It stays the sturdy in his place, And soothes the weak and fearful, Into the porches of the ears It steals with subtle unction, And in your heart of hearts appears To wor)c its gracious funotlon; And all day long, with pleasing song, It lingers to oareaa you; I'm sure no human heart goes wrong That's told " Good-bye—God bless you!" I love the words—peihaps because When I was leaving mother, Standing at last in solemn pause Wo looked at one another; And'J-I saw in mother's eyes The loye'sjie'conld not tell jne— A, We eternal as the styes, Whatever fate befell me; She put her arms about my neck, And soothed the pain of leaving; And though her heart was like to break She spoke Dp word of grieving; She let no tear bedim her eye, For fear that might distress me,But, kissing me, she said good-bye, And asked our God to bless me, E.F,