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THE HEAD THAT SHELTERED MINE.
"And here we sit alone to-night, The wind wails through the trees,No little ones are clinging now Nor toddling round our knees.The brown-eyed boy who lies asleep Upon the old hill's brow,Of all our little nurslings, is Our only baby now.
"The others we have lost as well, God knows—perhaps 't is best—They fill their places in the world, We hold the empty nest.I sometimes think, dear wife, that I Would like to turn the tide,And fling it backward till I stood A bridegroom at your side.
"Would tread the early years again On upward day by day,With children's laughter ringing out Once more in joyous play.We were so very happy then, Our little ones were ours:But time has swept them from our arms As fruit must follow flowers.
