COME HOME.

Come home.

We've nursed for thee the sunny buds of spring,

Watch'd every germ a full-blown flow'ret rear,
Saw o'er their bloom the chilly winter bring
Its icy garlands, and thou art not here.
Brother, come home.

Come home.

Would I could send my spirit o'er the deep,

Would I could wing it like a bird to thee,
To commune with thy thoughts, to fill thy sleep
With these unwearying words of melody,

Brother, come home.

TEN YEARS AGO.

TEN years ago, ten years ago,

Life was to us a fairy scene,

And the keen blasts of worldly woe

Had sered not then its pathway green;Youth and its thousand dreams were ours,Feelings we ne'er can know again,Unwither'd hopes, unwasted powers,

And frames unworn by mortal pain: Such was the bright and genial flow Of life with us-ten years ago!

Time has not blanch'd a single hair

That clusters round thy forehead now;

Nor hath the cankering touch of Care
Left even one furrow on thy brow.

Mrs. Hemans.

TEN YEARS AGO.

Thine eyes are bright as when we met,
In love's deep truth, in earlier years;
Thy rosy cheek is blooming yet,

Though sometimes stained by secret tears;-
But where, oh where's the spirit's glow
That shone through all-ten years ago!

I, too, am changed, I scarce know why;
I feel each flagging pulse decay;
And youth, and health, and visions high,
Melt like a wreath of snow away!
Time cannot sure have wrought the ill;
Though worn in this world's sickening strife,

In soul and form, I linger still

In the first summer month of life;
Yet journey on my path below,—
Oh, how unlike-ten years ago!

But look not thus; I would not give

The wreck of hopes that thou must share,

To bid those joyous hours revive,

When all around me seemed so fair:

We've wandered on in sunny weather,

When winds were low and flowers in bloom;

And hand in hand have kept together,

And still will keep, 'mid storm and gloom;
Endeared by ties we could not know,
When life was young-ten years ago!

Has Fortune frowned?-Her frowns were vain,

For hearts like ours she could not chill. Have friends proved false ?-Their love might wane, But ours grew fonder, firmer still!

Twin barks on this world's changing wave,

Steadfast in calms, in tempests tried,

In concert still our fate we'll brave,
Together cleave life's fitful tide;

TEN YEARS AGO.

Nor mourn, whatever blasts may blow,
Youth's first wild dreams-ten years ago!

Have we not knelt beside his bed,

And watch'd our first-born blossom die; Hoped, till the shade of hope had fled, Then wept till feeling's fount was dry! Was it not sweet, in that sad hour,

To think, 'mid mutual tears and sighs, Our bud had left its earthly bower,

And burst to bloom in Paradise :

What, to the thought that sooth'd that woe,
Were heartless joys-ten years ago!

Yes, it is sweet, when heaven is bright,
To share its sunny beams with thee!
But even more sweet, 'mid clouds and blight,
To have thee near to weep with me:
Then dry those tears, though somewhat changed
From what we were in earlier youth,-
Time, that hath hopes and friends estranged,
Hath left us love in all its truth;-
Sweet feelings we would not forego,
For life's best joys-ten years ago!

Alaric A. Watts.

AN EPISODE FROM LIFE.

One said it was very sweet,

A Poet of some renown,
But here is the tale complete,
To a riper blossom blown.

II.

"Twas morn when we sallied forth
From Guisborough's swarded square,
For Scarborough's town of mirth
Over miles of moorland bare;
We seemed like the twain exiled
From the Eden-bowers of old,
And we gloated over our child,
Like a miser over his gold.

III.

Out on the rugged moor

Our tenderling babe fell ill, But there was no mercy-door

Anear those snow-mountains chill;

"Twas nursed by my angel bride

As none but a mother can, And we were refused a ride On the passing prison van.

IV.

Hovered the Frost-fiend round,
Sharpening his icy dart,

Our fledgeling birdie he found,

And shot it into its heart.

Death, like a spectre grim,

From his sword the death-drop shed;

We knew in the dark 'twas him,

For our cherub child was dead.