420 ELIZABETH AND THE ROSES. Stern Ludwig o'er the drawbridge passed, She hears her husband's clanging spurs, And underneath her apron's folds But Ludwig breaks her silent prayer, O miracle! therein are spread He cries, subdued his stubborn will, And still she found her basket's store, WEE WILLIE. - Moir. FARE-THEE-WELE, our last and fairest! Like a sunbeam, through our dwelling, To our sorrows thou wert balm; Brighter beamed thine eyes than summer, And thy first attempt at speech Thrilled our heart-strings with a rapture Music ne'er could reach. As we gazed upon thee sleeping, With thy fine, fair locks outspread, Thou didst seem a little angel, Who to earth from heaven had strayed; And, entranced, we watched the vision, Half in hope, and half affright, Lest what we deemed ours, and earthly, Should dissolve in light. Snows o'ermantled hill and valley, When the first drear doubt oppressed us, And each anxious dawn behe'd him 422 WEE WILLIE. Like the shot-star, in blue midnight, As a zephyr, so serenely Came and went thy last, low breath, Yet while thinking, oh! our lost ones, Why should dreams of doubt and darkness Flit our visions of despair? Seated on the tomb, Faith's angel Says, "Ye are not there!" Where, then, are ye? With the Saviour Blest, forever blest, are ye, 'Mid the sinless little children, Who have heard his "Come to me! Now ye lean upon his breast, And the weary rest. We are wicked -we are weary THE BOY AND THE ANGEL. - Browning. MORNING, evening, noon, and night, Then to his poor trade he turned, Hard he labored, long and well; But ever, at each period, He stopped and sang, "Praise God.” Then back again his curls he threw, Said Blaise, the listening monk, “Well done! "As well as if thy voice to-day Were praising God, the Pope's great way. "This Easter Day, the Pope at Rome Praises God from Peter's dome." Said Theocrite, "Would God that I Might praise Him, that great way, and die !” Night passed, day shone, And Theocrite was gone. With God a day endures alway, A thousand years are but a day. God said in heaven, "Nor day nor night 424 THE BOY AND THE ANGEL. Then Gabriel, like a rainbow's birth, Entered, in flesh, the empty cell, Lived there, and played the craftsman well: And morning, evening, noon, and night, And from a boy to youth he grew The man matured, and fell away And ever o'er the trade he bent, (He did God's will; to him, all one God said, "A praise is in mine ear; "So sing old worlds, and so New worlds that from my footstool go. "Clearer loves sound other ways; Then forth sprang Gabriel's wings, off fell 'T was Easter Day; he flew to Rome, In the tiring-room, close by |