MOTHER'S PRAYERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2125, 20 February 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

MOTHER'S PRAYERS.

A woman sits by tho fireside, And rocks a baby on her breast, Till the little one sleeps, then lays him In hia downy cradle rest. Sb* aoftly kisses his sleeping eyes, A«d kisses his forehead w hite, And whisper* low, with a happy smile: "God bless my boy to-night!" A woman stands at a cott.tge door And looks out over the sea ; 44 The sun sets red in a leaden mist, It will storm to-night," says she. "My sailor boy is homeward bound, O! stay the tempest's mipht." And she turned away with an earnest prayer: " God save my boy to-night!" And one in the bloom of a womanhood, At work with a happy smile, In packing a box for her darling, And thinking all the while How proud and happy the lad will be Her school-boy, merry and bright, When he opens the box from home—she prays: 44 God bleas my boy to-night." A woman old, with failing eyes, Reads the news from a distant camp, Where her soldier son is serving — 44 The nights are cold and damp; A «qldier'« life is too hard for my boy " — Hia hair like hers is while, But he's still a boy to the mother who prays, "God keep by boy to-night." A mother is reading a letter From one who's faraway— "How can our boys go wrong?' she says, 44 When trusting mothers pray ? My wanderer says, ' Yours prayers for me Will keep me strong and right;' I know he's true where'er he be— God blew my boy to-night 1" A mother sits in the gloaming, With lifted, tearful eyes And empty arms; she dreams of one Beyond the sunset skies; "Safe m the Father's keeping In that blest land of light, He waits for me, my angel babeGod keeps my boy to-night!" And so from over all the world The mothers' prayers arise: And who can tell the wondrous power That in their blessing lies ? And many tread the downward path; Some walk in God's own light; But always loving mothers pray— " God bless my boy to-night I"

—Abbe Kinne, j