THE BLIND BOY. All-endearing cleanliness, Easiest, cheapest, needfullest duty, THE BLIND BOY.-Colley Cibber. O SAY what is that thing called light, You talk of wondrous things you see, My day or night myself I make, With heavy sighs I often hear Then let not what I cannot have 11 12 THE LAME BROTHER. THE LAME BROTHER. - Miss Lamb. My parents sleep both in one grave; The dearest things upon the earth A fine, stout boy I knew him once, He leaped too far, he got a hurt, He leans on me, when we to school The theme of which is mostly this, Then I reply, "Indeed you're not Scarce any weight at all, - "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, He bids us never tire ourselves A BALLAD. 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, Oft sat his mother by him, And told how the Lord Jesus 13 "And now from highest heaven Thus spoke his tender mother; Again the boy was playing, Come down and play with me! "I will find thee flowers the fairest, "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, That self-same night she dreamed A BALLAD. "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: : And thus he spoke in dying:- "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 For she knew he was with Jesus, And she asked him not again! 15 |