Where his young bride and prattling little ones—
Poor hapless little ones, chafed by the wolf of war—
Watched for the coming of the absent one
In utter desolation’s bitterness.
O, agonizing thought! which smote his heart
With sharper anguish than the sabre’s point.
The angel came with sympathetic voice,
And whispered in his ear: “Our God will be
A husband to the widow, and embrace
The orphan tenderly within his arms;