"The little arms that clasped me, The innocent lips that pressedWould they have been as pure, Till now? as when of yore I lulled thee on my breast. "Now like a dew-drop shrined Thou 'rt safe in heaven, my dove! "And when the hour arrives, From flesh that sets me free, Thy spirit may await- To meet and welcome me." Little Bessie: * AND THE WAY IN WHICH SHE FELL ASLEEP. RANDOLPH. HUG me closer, closer, mother, Put your arms around me tight; And I feel so strange to-night! All the day, while you were working, I was trying to be patient, And to think of what you said; How the kind and blessed Jesus Loves bis lambs to watch and keep; In his arms, that I might sleep. *From the "Death of Little Children," by Dr. Prime. Just before the lamp was lighted, I heard some one call my name. In a field were lambs and sheep; But I could not see the Savior, On a world so bright and fair, They were singing, oh, how sweetly! And I knew it must be Jesus, When he said, "Come here, my child. "Come up here, my little Bessie, Come up here and live with me, Where the children never suffer, I was going when you called me, At first I felt so sorry You had called me: I would go. And the mother pressed her closer The Reaper and the Flowers. LONGFELLOW. THERE is a Reaper whose name is Death, He reaps the bearded grain at a breath, And the flowers that grow between. "Shall I have nought that is fair?" saith he, "Have nought but the bearded grain? Though the breath of these flowers is sweet to me I will give them all back again." He gazed on the flowers with tearful eyes, He kissed their drooping leaves; It was for the Lord of Paradise He bound them in his sheaves. "My Lord hath need of these flowerets gay,” The reaper said and smiled; "Dear tokens of the earth are they, Where he was once a child. "They all shall bloom in fields of light, And saints upon their garments white, |