t wanders by,
And the night wanes wearily
In the starlight sky.

(THE MOTHER SINGS.)

Must the dear eyes close?
Must the lips be still?--
How I love their speech that flows
Like a wanton rill!
Must those cheeks, soft-tinged with rose,
Pallid grow and chill?
Give her back to me, angel in disguise!
So your mystery I shall learn--yet with tearless eyes.
By the pangs, the prayers,
By the mother's glee,
By her hopes, her fears, her cares,
Give my child to me--
Give it back to me!

Quenched the eye's soft light,
Hushed the cowslip breath!
Going, darling, in the night?
Spare--oh, spare her, Death!
Dying--is it so?
Oh, it must not be!
Can my one poor treasure go?
Give her back to me,
Give her back to me:
Or take me too,--left alone,
Now my little one is gone;
Ah, my child, my child!

Among the clouds that sail o'erhead
A yellow radiance is shed;
And o'er the hill-tops wrapt in snow,
Is born a tinge of rosy glow.
Within the air a stir--like wings
Of angels in their minist'rings;
A tremulous motion, and a thrill,
As with faint light the heavens fill.
Night's sombre clouds are slow withdrawn,
And nature cries, Awake, 'tis dawn.

About the lonely casement
Blows fresh the breath of day;--
The mother, in amazement,
Sees death-glooms fade away!

The blue eyes open once again,
Once more the lips have smiled--
Her tears fell like the spring-time rain:
God gives her back her child!

Hush, there are footsteps on the snow,
That pause the lattice-pane below;
While voices chant the carol-rhymes,
The Christmas song of olden times:

Awake, good Christians! Long ago
The shepherds waked at night,
And saw the heavens with glory glow,
And angels in the light.
Hosanna! sing, Hosanna! sing,
Hosanna in the height!

New life they told to all on earth,
New life and blessing bright,
Forewarning of the Saviour's birth,
In Bethlehem this night.
Hosanna! sing, Hosanna! sing,
Hosanna in the height!

New life to all,--new life to all,--
The tidings good recite!
New life to all, which did befall
At Bethlehem this night.
Hosanna! sing, Hosanna! sing,
Hosanna in the height!

The voices hushed--the footsteps died