Fell on her ear like a deep funeral knell;
And at the sound, faster the tear-drops fell.
“O, God,” she cried, while thus her tears did flow,
“How can I bear this heavy weight of woe?
Shall I no more sweet peace and comfort know?”
While thus the mother prayed in accents wild,
The babe upon her breast looked up and smiled;
The shadows vanished as she kissed her child.
She raised her tearful eyes above
And said, “Father, I thank thee for this little dove;