Chapter 11

And thou, fair child, with to-morrow's dawn Wilt rise up calm and glad, To cull wild flowers 'mid wood and lawn, Untroubled by memory sad; But, alas! the worldly-wise of earth, When life's last bonds are riven, Will find that for things of meanest worth They've lost both Life and Heaven.

TO A YOUNG GIRL WITH AN ALBUM.

Gentle Lily with this Album my warmest wishes take, I know its pages oft thou'lt ope and prize it for my sake, For, though a trifling offering, it bears the magic spell Of coming from the hand of one who loves thee passing well.

O could thy young life's course be traced by will or wish of mine, A smiling, joyous future--a bright lot would be thine, No cloud should mar the gladness of thy fair youth's op'ning morn, The roses of thy girlhood should be free from blight or thorn.

Howe'er, 'tis better ordered by a Blessed Power above Who sends us cross and trial, as a token of His Love; For we'd cling, ah! far too closely to earthly joys and ties, Unwilling e'er to leave them for our home beyond the skies.

As the pages of this volume, unwritten, stainless, fair, Life opens out before thee, let it be thine aim and care To keep the record spotless, and ever free from all That thou might'st wish hereafter remorseful to recall.

Not seeking to o'ershadow thy smiling azure eyes, Nor see that girlish bosom heave with sad thoughts and sighs, I would whisper low, while wishing thee, all earthly, cloudless bliss, Be life a preparation for a better life than this!

TIME'S CHANGES IN A HOUSEHOLD.

They grew together side by side, They filled one house with glee Their graves are severed far and wide-- By mountain stream and tree.

Mrs. Hemans

They were as fair and bright a band as ever filled with pride Parental hearts whose task it was children beloved to guide; And every care that love upon its idols bright may shower Was lavished with impartial hand upon each fair young flower.

Theirs was the father's merry hour sharing their childish bliss, The mother's soft breathed benison and tender, nightly kiss; While strangers who by chance might see their joyous graceful play, To breathe some word of fondness kind would pause upon their way.

But years rolled on, and in their course Time many changes brought, And sorrow in that household gay his silent power wrought! The sons had grown to gallant men of lofty heart and brow, The fairy like and joyous girls were thoughtful women now.

The hour of changes had arrived, and slowly, one by one, The playmates left the parent's roof, their own career to run; The eldest born, the mother's choice, whose soft and holy smile In childhood's days had told of heart as angel's free from guile.

Formed in resolve, and scorning all earth's pleasures and its fame, Had offered up his life to God, a teacher of His name: His spirit sighed not long on earth, he found a quiet grave 'Mid forests wild whose shades he'd sought the Red man's soul to save.

Far diff'rent was the stirring choice of his youthful brother gay, His was the glitt'ring sword and flag, the drum, the war steed's neigh; And the proud spirit that had marked his childhood's earliest hour Distinguished still the warrior brave in manhood's lofty power.

Alas for him, and visions vain of fame that lured him on, An early grave in a distant land was the only goal he won! His gaze bedimmed that yearned for home rested on alien skies, And alien watchers wiped death's damps, and closed his dying eyes.

A third with buoyant heart, had sought far India's burning soil, Thinking to win wealth's treasures by a few years' eager toil, But ere those years had sped their course, from earth's cares he was free,-- He sleeps beneath the shadow of the date and mango tree.

But the sisters who had brightened once the home now desolate-- Lived they to mourn each brother's loss? was theirs a happier fate? In childhood's sports and youth's high dreams they'd borne a happy part, But severed they were doomed ere long in death to sleep apart.

The tall and dark-eyed girl whose laugh, so full of silvery glee, Had ever told of spirit light, from care and shadow free, Had early left her happy home, the bright and envied bride Of a husband whose ancestral name betokened wealth and pride.

Alas for her who in youth's hour had basked in love's sunshine, That husband stern deserted her in cold neglect to pine; The merry smile soon fled her lip, the sparkling light her eye, In vain she sought a southern clime, she only went to die.

And now of all the lovely band who'd joined in mirth of old, There is, alas! but one sweet flower whose tale remains untold: She was the joy, the pride of all, that gentle girl, and fair,-- With deep and dreamy azure eyes and shining golden hair.

E'en her bold brothers, in their youth, were gentle when she played, From reckless sports, from daring games their eager hands they stayed; And when amid their thoughtless mirth harsh feelings might awake, They ever yielded to her prayers, and rested for her sake.

Oh! hers was far the brightest lot in life's eventful race! She passed from earth ere care had left upon her brow one trace-- She passed from earth with loving ones grouped round her dying bed, And on a mother's tender breast rested her throbbing head.

'Twas thus that each beloved one of that bright joyous band, Save her, had found a lonely grave in a far distant land; Yet murmurs 'gainst high heaven's decrees as impious were as vain-- For in far happier regions will that household meet again!

THE VOICES OF THE DEATH CHAMBER.

The night lamp is faintly gleaming Within my chamber still, And the heavy shades of midnight Each gloomy angle fill, And my worn and weary watchers Scarce dare to move or weep, For they think that I am buried In deep and quiet sleep.

But, hush! what are those voices Heard on the midnight air, Of strange celestial sweetness, Breathing of love and prayer? Nearer they grow and clearer, I hear now what they say-- To the Kingdom of God's glory, They're calling me away!

See my gentle mother softly To me approaches now, What is the change she readeth Upon my pale damp brow? She clasps her hands in anguish Whose depth no words might say? Has she, too, heard the voices That are calling me away?

The father fond of my children, First sole love of my youth, The loving, the gentle hearted, And full of manly truth, Is kneeling now beside me, Beseeching me to stay-- Oh! 'tis agony to tell him They're calling me away.

If earthly love could conquer The mighty power of Death, _His_ love would stay the current Of failing strength and breath! That voice whose tender fondness So long has been my stay Should tempt me from the voices That are calling me away.

Ah! they bring my children to me, That loved and lovely band, And with wistful awe-struck faces, Around my couch they stand, And I strain each gentle darling To me with wailing cry, As I for the first time murmur: "My God! 'tis hard to die!"

But, O hark! Those strains of Heaven, Sound louder in mine ear, Whisp'ring: "Thy God, Thy Father, Will guard those children dear." Louder they grow, now drowning All sounds of mortal birth, And in wild triumphant sweetness Bear me aloft from earth!

CONTENTS.

Introduction

_SACRED POEMS._

Abraham's Sacrifice

An Afternoon in July

An Autumn Evening at Murray Bay

Ash Wednesday

Beneath the Snow

Blind Man of Jericho

Canadian Snow Fall

Canadian Summer Evening

Emigrants' Monument at Point St. Charles

Fall of the Leaf

Garden of Gethsemane

Huron Chief's Daughter

Jacques Cartier's First Visit to Mount Royal

Looking Forward

Magdalen at the Madonna's Shrine

Maple Tree

Mater Christianorum, Ora Pro Nobis

Monument to Irish Emigrants

Mystical Rose, Pray for us

Old Towers of Mount Royal, or Ville Marie

On the Death of the same revered nun, the venerable Mother St. Madeleine

Our Mountain Cemetery

Our Saviour's Boyhood

Our Canadian Woods in Early Autumn

Our Saviour and the Samaritan Woman at the Well

Parting Soul and her Guardian Angel

Plea for our Northern Winters

Purification, The

Recollect Church

Rich and Poor

River Saguenay

Sister M. B.'s arrival in Montreal

Stable of Bethlehem, The

Ten Lepers, The

Touching Ceremony

Tryst of the Sachem's Daughter, The

Vesper Hour, The

Virgin of Bethlehem

Welcome to our Canadian Spring

White Canoe--A Cantata

White Canoe--A Legend of Niagara Falls

White Maiden and the Indian Girl

Winter in Canada

_NARRATIVE AND DESCRIPTIVE POEMS._

Bound for California

Charles VII and Joan of Arc at Rheims

Cornelia's Jewels

Four Wishes

Girl Martyr

Hunter and his Dying Steed, The

Lady of Rathmore Hall

Red Rock Camp

Shepherdess of the Arno

Soldier's Death

St. Francis of Borgia by the Coffin of Queen Isabel

St. Ignatius Loyola at the Chapel of our Lady of Montserrat

Two Birth Nights

Village Girl and her High-born Suitor

Wood Fairy's Well

Wreath of Forest Flowers

Young Greek Odalisque

_LYRICAL POEMS._

A Few Short Years from Now

Alain's Choice

Autumn Winds

Choice of Sweet Shy Clare

Clouds that Promise a Glorious Morrow

Come Tell me some Olden Story

Death of the Pauper Child

Earth's Moments of Gloom

Emigrant's Address to America

Far West Emigrant

Final Reckoning

Flowers and Stars

Harvests

Hon. James B. Clay

In Memory of the Late G. C. of Montreal

Maude--a Ballad of the Olden Times

Moonlight Reveries

Nature's Music

On Some Rose Leaves brought from the Vale of Cashmere

_REFLECTIVE AND ELEGIAC POEMS._

Rejoicing after the Battle of Inkerman

Sea Shore Musings

Sunset Thoughts of a Dying Child

To the Soldiers of Pius Ninth

Tribute to the Memory of the Rev. Sister the Nativity, Foundress of the Convent of Villa Maria

Welcome to the Month of Mary

When will it End

Whispers of Time

Worldly Death Bed

_VERS DE SOCIETE._

After the Ball

Bride of a Year

Flirtation

Harry (engaged to be married) to Charley (who is not)

Modern Courtship

Transplanted Rose Tree

Young Novice

_VOICES OF THE HEARTH._

Boy's Appeal

Boy's Hopes

Child's Dream

Child's Treasures

Girl's Day Dream and its Fulfilment

Given and Taken

Husband and Wife

My Thoughts to-night

Time's Changes in a Household

To a Beautiful Child on her Birthday with a Wreath of Flowers

To a Young Girl with an Album

To a Young Mother on the Birth of her First Born Child

To my First Born

To my Husband on our Wedding Day

Voices of the Death Chamber