I THINK OF THEE.

I THINK of thee-I think of thee,
And all that thou hast borne for me;
In hours of gloom, or heartless glee,

I think of thee-I think of thee!

When fiercest rage the storms of Fate,
And all around is desolate;

I pour on life's tempestuous sea

The oil of peace-with thoughts of thee!

When Fortune frowns and hopes deceive me, And summer-friends in sorrow leave me ;

A Timon, from the world I flee

My wreck of wealth-sweet dreams of thee!

Or if I join the careless crowd,

Where laughter peals and mirth grows loud! Even in my hours of revelry,

I turn to thee-I turn to thee!

I think of thee-I think and sigh
O'er blighted years, and bliss gone by;
And mourn the stern, severe decree,
That spared me only thoughts of thee!

In Youth's gay spring, mid Pleasure's bowers, Where all is sunshine, mirth, and flowers,

We met;-I bent the adoring knee,

And told a tender tale to thee!

"T was summer's eve-the heavens above,

Earth-ocean-air-were full of love:
Nature around kept jubilee

When first I breathed that tale to thee!

The crystal clouds that hung on high
Were blue as thy delicious eye-
The stirless shore, and sleeping sea,
Seem'd emblems of repose and thee!

I spoke of hope-I spoke of fear ;-
Thy answer was a blush and tear :-
But this was eloquence to me,
And more than I had ask'd of thee!

I THINK OF THEE.

I look'd into thy dewy eye,
And echoed thy half-stifled sigh;

I clasp'd thy hand-and vow'd to be
The soul of love and truth to thee!

The scene and hour have pass'd—yet still
Remains a deep-impassion'd thrill;

A sunset glow on memory,

That kindles at each thought of thee!

We loved-how wildly and how well,
"T were worse than idle now to tell:
From love and life alike thou'rt free,
And I am left to think of thee!

Though years-long years have darkly sped,
Since thou wert number'd with the dead,
In fancy oft thy form I see ;

In dreams, at least, I'm still with thee!

Thy beauty, helplessness, and youth;
Thy hapless fate, untiring truth;
Are spells that often touch the key
Of sweet, harmonious thoughts of thee!

The bitter frown of friends estranged,
The chilling straits of fortunes changed;
All this-and more-thou'st borne for me-
Then how can I be false to thee?

I never will:-I'll think of thee

Till fades the power of memory ;
In weal or woe-in gloom or glee-
I'll think of thee-I'll think of thee!

Alaric A. Watts.

THE FIRST SMILE.

TEARS from the birth the doom must be
Of the sin-born-but wait awhile,
Young mother, and thine eye shall see
The dawning of the first soft smile.

It comes in slumber, gently steals

O'er the fair cheek, as light on dew; Some inward joy that smile reveals;

Sit by, and muse; such dreams are true.

Closed eyelids, limbs supine, and breath. So still, you scarce can calm the doubt

If life can be so like to death

'Tis life, but all of earth shut out.

'Tis perfect peace; yet all the while

O'er marble brow, and dimpled chin Mantles and glows that radiant smile, Noting the spirit stirred within.

Oh dim to this the flashing ray,

Though dear as life to mother's heart,
From waking smiles, that later play;
In these earth claims the larger part.

'Tis childish sport, or frolic mirth,

Or the fond mother's blameless guile, Or glittering toy,-some gaud of earth, That stirs him to that merry smile.

THE FIRST SMILE.

Or if in pensive wise it creep,

With gradual light and soberer grace, Yet shades of earthly sorrow sleep,

Still sleep upon his beauteous face.

But did the smile disclose a dream
Of bliss that had been his before?
Was it from heaven's deep sea a gleam
Not faded quite on earth's dim shore?

Or told some Angel from above,
Of glories to be his at last,
The sunset, crowning hours of love-
His labours done-his perils past?

Or, thought of trial for her breast, Did the mild spirits whisper then, "From the Baptismal Font, O blest,

Thou shalt be ours, dear child, again?

"Thou shalt be ours, and heaven be thine,
Thy victory without peril given;
Sent a brief while on earth to shine,
And then to shine a light in heaven.

And her that folds thee now so warm, And haply thinks 't were death to part, Her shall a holier love inform,

A clearer faith enlarge her heart.”

Blest smile!--so let me live my day,
That when my latest sun shall set,
That smile, reviving once, may play,
And gild my dying features yet