"Led by your little elder hand, I learned to walk alone;
Careful you used to be of me, My little brother John.
"How often, when my young feet tired, You 've carried me a mile,
And still together we can sit,
And rest a little while.
"For our kind master never minds,
If we 're the very last; He bids us never tire ourselves With walking on too fast."
TRANSLATED FROM HERDER, BY MARY HOWITT.
AMONG green, pleasant meadows, All in a grove so wild, Was set a marble image
Of the Virgin and the child. Here, oft, on summer evenings, A lovely boy would rove, To play beside the image That sanctified the grove.
Oft sat his mother by him, Among the shadows dim, And told how the Lord Jesus Was once a child like him.
"And now from highest heaven He doth look down each day, And sees whate'er thou doest, And hears what thou dost say!"
Thus spoke his tender mother; And on an evening bright, When the red, round sun descended 'Mid clouds of crimson light,
Again the boy was playing, And earnestly said he, "O beautiful child Jesus, Come down and play with me!
"I will find thee flowers the fairest, And weave for thee a crown; I will get thee ripe, red strawberries, If thou wilt but come down!
"O holy, holy Mother,
Put him down from off thy knee; For in these silent meadows
There are none to play with me!"
Thus spoke the boy so lovely, The while his mother heard, And on his prayer she pondered, But spoke to him no word.
That selfsame night she dreamed A lovely dream of joy; She thought she saw young Jesus There, playing with the boy.
"And for the fruits and flowers Which thou hast brought to me, Rich blessing shall be given A thousand-fold to thee!
"For in the fields of heaven
Thou shalt roam with me at will,
And of bright fruits celestial,
Thou shalt have, dear child, thy fill!"
Thus tenderly and kindly The fair child Jesus spoke; And, full of careful musings, The anxious mother woke.
And thus it was accomplished In a short month and a day, That lovely boy, so gentle, Upon his deathbed lay.
And thus he spoke in dying: - "O mother dear, I see The beautiful child Jesus A coming down to me!
"And in his hand he beareth Bright flowers as white as snow, And red and juicy strawberries, - Dear mother, let me go!"
He died, but that fond mother Her sorrow did restrain, For she knew he was with Jesus, And she asked him not again!
15
THE BROKEN DOLL. - Miss Lamb.
An infant is a selfish sprite; But what of that? the sweet delight Which from participation springs Is quite unknown to these young things. We elder children then will smile At our dear little John awhile, And bear with him, until he see There is a sweet felicity In pleasing more than only one, Dear little, craving, selfish John.
He laughs, and thinks it a fine joke, That he our new wax-doll has broke. Anger will never teach him better; We will the spirit and the letter Of courtesy to him display, By taking in a friendly way These baby frolics, till he learn True sport from mischief to discern.
Reproof a parent's province is; A sister's discipline is this, By studied kindness to effect A little brother's young respect. What is a doll? a fragile toy; What is its loss? if the dear boy, Who half perceives he has done amiss, Retain impression of the kiss That followed instant on his cheek, If the kind, loving words we speak Of "Never mind it," " We forgive," If these in his short memory live,
Only perchance for half a day, - Who minds a doll, if that should lay The first impression in his mind, That sisters are to brothers kind? For thus the broken doll may prove Foundation to fraternal love,
In a stage-coach, where late I chanced to be, A little, quiet girl my notice caught; I saw she looked at nothing by the way, Her mind seemed busy on some childish thought.
I, with an old man's courtesy, addressed
The child, and called her, pretty, dark-eyed maid, And bid her turn those pretty eyes and see The wide-extended prospect.
"I cannot see the prospect, I am blind." Never did tongue of child utter a sound So mournful, as her words fell on my ear. Her mother then related how she found
Her child was sightless. On a fine, bright day She saw her lay her needlework aside, And, as on such occasions mothers will,
For leaving off her work began to chide. "I'll do it when 't is day-light, if you please; I cannot work, mamma, now it is night." The sun shone bright upon her when she spoke, And yet her eyes received no ray of light.
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