For she had all a mother’s heart, had that poor collier’s wife.
With hands uplifted, see, she kneels beside the sufferer’s bed,
And prays that He would spare her boy, and take herself instead.
She gets her answer from the child: soft fall the words from him:
“Mother, the angels do so smile, and beckon little Jim,
I have no pain, dear mother, now, but oh! I am so dry,
Just moisten poor Jim’s lips again, and, mother, don’t you cry.”
With gentle, trembling haste she held the liquid to his lip;
He smiled to thank her as he took each little, tiny sip;
“Tell father, when he comes from work, I said good-night to him,