Still softly and sweetly from out the next room
Still floating and lingering 'mid shadow and gloom--
The sound of the soft murmured "lullaby--O!"
Is heard, while the mother sings gently and low--

[Illustration: Music Sheet detail:
"Hush, my babe, lie still and slumber,
Holy angels guard thy bed."]
And Grandpa and Grandma draw nearer together,
And on Grandpa's shoulder lies Grandma's grey head,

As closely he holds to his fond aged heart
The wife from whose love he holds no thought apart.
And so, while their fancies to auld lang syne cling,
They lift their old voices, and quaveringly sing

Way thro' to its end the dear lullaby song,
So dear to them both for the years long agone,
And straight from their hearts doth the melody flow,
Tho' the tremulous notes are so faltering and slow.

[Illustration: Music Sheet detail:
"Hush, my babe, lie still and slumber,
Holy angels guard thy bed;
Heavenly blessings without number
Gently fall upon thy head."]

And now the sweet music hath reached other ears;
The baby's young mother the lullaby hears,
And, beckoning _her_ mother, they presently stand
Within the dim doorway, and hand clasping hand--

They listen and smile--yet with tears in their eyes--
To the soft notes which out from the shadows arise
From the hearts that old Time with his years and his--
Could not rob of the sunshine of long, long ago

The clock is still ticking the moments away;
'Tis but a short time ere the old King must lay
His sceptre, his crown, and his burdens aside,
That the new King may come with the world to abide.

And still the old grandparents quietly sit,
Unmindful of moments, tho' fast they may flit
Towards the hour of midnight, till gently at last
Their daughter reminds them that "bedtime is past."

"Ay, daughter," says Grandma, "'tis late without doubt,
But father and I'll see this dear old year out;
It has been a kind year, fraught with peace from above,
And it brought us a dear great-grandbaby to love.

"It has borne us thro' duties, or sorry or glad,
And helped us find balm when our spirits were sad;
It found us together in health and in peace,
And leaves us together tho' _its own_ life must cease.

[Illustration]

"And so we will watch it fade softly from earth,
And welcome the New Year to which God gives birth
And may the dear Lord who for our sakes was born,
Send blessings anew on the New Year's glad morn."

Now hark! for the bells in the old tower's steeple
Ring out w