MIZPAH
"The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent
one from the other."
Go thou thy way and I go mine;
Apart, yet not afar;
Only a thin veil hangs between
The Pathways where we are;
And "God keep watch t'ween thee and me,"
This is my prayer;
He looks thy way. He looketh mine.
And keeps us near.
I know not where thy road may lie,
Or which way mine may be;
If mine will lead through parching sands,
And thine beside the sea;
Yet God keeps watch 'tween thee and me.
So never fear;
He holds thy hand, He claspeth mine,
And keeps us near.
Should wealth and fame perchance be thine,
And my lot lowly be,
Or you be sad or sorrowful,
And glory be for me;
Yet "God keeps watch 'tween thee and me,"
Both be His care,
One arm 'round thee and one 'round me
Will keep us near.
I'll sigh sometimes to see thy face,
But since this cannot be,
I'll leave thee to the care of Him
Who cares for thee and me.
"I'll keep thee both beneath my wings,"
This comfort dear,
One wing o'er thee and one o'er me
So we are near.
And though our paths be separate
And thy way is not mine,
Yet, coming to the mercy seat,
My soul will meet with thine;
And "God keep watch 'tween thee and me,"
I'll whisper there.
He blesseth thee, He blesseth me,
And we are near.
—Julia A. Baker.
TWENTY YEARS AGO
I've wandered to the village, Tom, I've sat beneath the tree,
Upon the schoolhouse playground, which sheltered you and me,
But none were there to greet me, Tom, and few were left to know,
That played with us upon the grass some twenty years ago.
The grass is just as green, Tom—barefooted boys at play
Were sporting just as we did then, with spirits just as gay;
But the "master" sleeps upon the hill, which, coated o'er with snow,
Afforded us a sliding place, just twenty years ago.