The Children.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5143, 27 October 1884, Page 3

The Children.

Pound ik the Desk of Charles Dickkks aftjsh his Death. When the lessons and tasks are all ended, And the school for the day is dismissed, And the little ones gather around me To hid me good-night and he kissed ; Oh, the little white arms that encircle My neck in a tonder emhrace ! Oh, the smiles that are halos of heaven, Shedding sunshine and love on my face! And when they are gone 1 sit dreaming Of my childhood, too lovely to last, Of love that my heart will remember When it wakes to the love of the past ; Ere the world and its wickedness made me A partner of sorrow and sin, When the glory of God was above me. And the glory of gladness within. Oh, my heart grows weak ns a woman's, And fountains of sorrow will flow, When I think of the paths steep and stony Whore the feet of the dear ones must go ; Of the mountains of sin hanging o'er them, Of the tempests of fate gr .wing wild ; Oh, there's nothing on earth half so holy As tie innocent li e*-.rt of i> child ! • They are ido's of heartß nnd of households, They are angels of God in disguise, | His sunlight still sleeps on their tresses, I His glory still beams in their eyes ; Oh, those truants from earth and from heaven, They have made me more manly and mild, And I know how Jesus could liken The kingdom of God to a child. Seek not a life for the dear ones All radiant, as others have done ; But that life may have just enough shadow To temper the glare of the sun ; I would pray God to guard them from evil, But my prayer would hound hack on myself ; Ah, a seraph may pray for a sinner, But a einner must pray for himself. The twig is so easily bended, I have banished the rule and the rod ; I have taught them the goodness of knowledge, They have taught mo the goodness of God/ My heart is a dungeon of darkness. Where I shut them from breaking a rule ; My frown is sufficient correction, My love is the law of the school. I shall leave the old homo in the autumn, To traverse its threshold no more ; Ah ! how I shall sigh for the dear ones Tbat meet me each morn at the door ! 1 shall miss the good-night and the kisses, And the gush of their innocent glee j The group on the greou, and the flowers, They are brought every morning to me. I shall miss them at morn and at even, Their song in the school and the street ; I shall miss tho low hum of tiu-ir voices, And the tramp of thpir delicate feefc. When the lessons and tasks are all ended, And Death says school is dismissed, i May the little ones gather urourd me To bid me good-night and he kissed.