THE PRESENTATION OF SAMUEL. And silver cords again to earth have won me; "How the lone paths retrace where thou wert playing By every place of flowers my course delaying, "And, oh! the home whence thy bright smile hath parted, Will it not seem as if the sunny day Turned from its door away? While through its chambers wandering, weary-hearted, "Under the palm-trees thou no more shalt meet me, When from the fount at evening I return, With the full water-urn; Nor will thy sleep's low dove-like breathings greet me, "And thou, will slumber's dewy cloud fall round thee, Thine arms, when darkness as a veil hath wound thee, A cry which none shall hear?" "What have I said, my child? Will He not hear thee, And, in the hush of holy midnight near thee, "I give thee to thy God-the God that gave thee, And pure as dew of Hermon, He shall have thee, And thou shalt be His child. "Therefore, farewell!-I go, my soul may fail me, But thou, my first-born, droop not, nor bewail me; LITTLE RACHEL'S REVERIE. OH! the day is very bright, father, as lovely as the May, For they have all a mother's love, but no mother now have I. LITTLE RACHEL'S REVERIE. 55 There's Martha ; led by mother's hand through lanes where roses blow; Oh! I've lingered in the merry woods, where all was green and glad; Where Nature dreamed to Music, and the flowers were glory-clad ; Oh, father! never more can I forget each holy day, When mother clasped my little hands, and taught me how to pray; |