Part 2 (1/2)

LINES

TO THE MEMORY OF PATRICK KELLEY, WHO BY HIS MANY GOOD QUALITIES DURING SOME YEARS' RESIDENCE IN MY FAMILY, GREATLY ENDEARED HIMSELF TO ME AND MINE.

From Erin's fair Isle to this country he came, And found brothers and sisters to welcome him here; Though then but a youth, yet robust seemed his frame, And life promised fair for many a long year.

A place was soon found where around the same board, He with two of his sisters did constantly meet; And when his day's work had all been performed, At the _same_ fireside he found a third seat.

His faithfulness such, so true-hearted was he, That love in return could not be denied; _As one of the family_--he soon ceased to be The stranger, who lately for work had applied.

Youth pa.s.sed into manhood, and with it there came New duties to fill, new plans to pursue; But a fatal disease now seizes his frame, And with health is his strength fast leaving him too.

From his home in the country to the city he went, Where kind brothers procured him good medical aid; But all was in vain--Death commissioned was sent, And soon his remains in the cold grave were laid.

The broad waves of Atlantic lie rolling between His brothers and sisters and parents on earth; And never by parents may those children be seen, Or the latter revisit the land of their birth.

But sooner or later they all must be borne To that region of darkness from whence none return; Oh! then may they meet on Canaan's bright sh.o.r.e, An _unbroken household_ to part nevermore.

Weston, Jan. 1852.

MY S.S. CLa.s.s.

I now will endeavor, while fresh in my mind, My Sabbath School Cla.s.s to portray; The theme's furnished for me, I've only to find Colors to blend, their forms to display.

And first on the canva.s.s we'll Adeline place, With her full and expressive dark eye; Decision of purpose is stamped on that face, And good scholars.h.i.+p too we descry.

Next in order comes Alice, with bright sunny smile, That does one's heart good to behold; May the sorrows of life ne'er that young spirit blight, Nor that heart be less cheerful when old.

But who's this that we see, with that mild pensive air, And a look so expressively kind?

It is Ann, gentle Ann, before whom we pa.s.s by, We will add--'t would be useless in any to try Disposition more lovely to find.

The next is a bright n.o.ble face we espy, 'Tis a boy of ten years we shall find; There's a spice of the rogue in that merry young eye, With good sense and good nature combined.

It's young master Alpheus--we never have found One more punctual at school hour than he; He's now but a lad, yet who knows when a _man_, But a _Judge in our land_ he may be.

Next comes little Moggy, our dear little Moggy, But before she is brought out to view, We'll new colors select, add fresh tints to the whole, And spread all on our pallet anew.

And now she appears in her own proper size, Her cheeks colored by nature's warm glow; With her full l.u.s.trous and speaking black eyes, And rich ringlets that grace her young brow.

Walter's the last on the painting we see, Little Walter, the youngest of all; Look! he's repeating his lesson just now, Mark the expression on that infant brow, He's a _wonder_, for scholar so small.

But there's one in this grouping we look for in vain, Whose image we often recall; How mournfully sweet is the sound of thy name, Dear Elbridge, the loved one of all.

Thou wert called in the freshness of morning away, By him who all things doeth well; The rest for brief periods are suffered to stay, How long, we may none of us tell.

May the Holy Book studied in this Sabbath School, Be more precious than silver or gold; Be its doctrines received, and its precepts obeyed, And _rich treasures_ it still will unfold.

And when one by one we shall all pa.s.s away, To me, oh! my Father, be given The joy that no heart upon earth can conceive, To meet all in the kingdom of Heaven.