May God bless you and your family dear,
And keep all of you healthy and happy,
That you may gladly welcome each New Year,
And on every Christmas be merry.
TO MRS. HARRIET S. DELANO AND HER BABY.
Written 1858.
Sweet innocence, love and beauty rest,
Wrapped in affection on mother’s breast,
While hopes and fears in profusion rise,
And fill with sweet tears the joyful eyes
Of the kind mother whose heart is bent,
In meek thankfulness to Him who sent
This type of beauty, sweet child of love,
Rich token from the heavens above,
To cheer the pure and unselfish heart,
Of a mother who with life would part,
To save her child from the paths of sin,
And guide her so she heaven will win.
Then in the soft realms of earthly bliss,
Made lovelier by her mother’s kiss,
She will need no more a guide to show,
The straight road she has been taught to go.
The mother has then her duty done,
Who so well instructs her little one,
She covers her with a mother’s love,
Then trusts her to the wise God above.
Now to the babe and to its mother,
That you may each one love the other,
And never from your good reason part,
I will beg and pray with all my heart.
FOR THE BABY.
O what a charming baby I see,
Dancing on its kind father’s knee,
With eyes as pretty and as bright,
As the white stars that shine at night.
And cheeks as lovely as the rose,
Which add much beauty to a nose,
Made handsome by a pretty chin,
And ruby lips nicely set in.