CHILD LOVE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1156, 24 January 1874, Page 26

CHILD LOVE.

Thro' the dreary length of years, Thro' the ba/;y miyt. of tears, Comes my sweet child love ; With her soft and lendi-royes, Beaming mild as April skies,

Or tlic ye-ntle dove. When in childhood's happy hours, Laughing loud, we culled the ilow'rH, KoaminK side by side ; .Roaming thro' the meadows sweet, .Ere our young hearts fondly beat, Or with grief were tried. And I hear her sweetly say— " Let us to the fields away,

While the .sun is bright ; While the bird* do gaily sing, Makin? this dull earth to ring,

With their glarl delight. " For the winter soon will come, When we niuy no longer roam,

'Neath the greenwood trees ; And the leaves will shortly fall, From the waving braiielu'b tall,

With the wintry breeze. " Soon will wave the branches bare, Soon will Biiowllakes ill I ihc air,

And the sonsr-birds die ; So let us our pleas* ure take, And the sleeping echoes wake, 'Neath the summer sky." But, alas I the winter came. And she softly heard her name,

Whisper'd on the blast ; And a voice said, "Come away, You shall be in heav'n to-day," And her life was pass'd, With a little trembling: sigh, Closed for aye the soti blue eye, Ceased the fluttering bruath ; And on hijrh to endless day, She was swiftly borne away,

In the arms of death. But her memory has not died, Tho' our tears have long been dried,

For the loved one lost ; For the littlu one that passed, When upon the wintry bla'-t, Came the breath of frost. And to-day she lives on high, "Whpre no tender flowerets die,

Where no frost-blast stings ; Dwelling with the happy throng, That with loud and joyous song 1 , Praise the King of Kings. And tho' years have passed away Since that dreary wlnter"s day,

When our hearts were riven ; Still our darling liusers near, And Bwcnt words we seem to hear,

Coming straight from heaven, Thro' the dreary length of years, Thro' the hazy mist of tears,

Stili they seem to conic ; Bidding us our hearts prepare, So that we ere long may share Her bright heavenly home.

G. JR. C.