Page:The songs that Quinte sang.djvu/91

---

Alone of all that happy group;
Some sleep beneath the ground,
And winter winds sweep o’er their graves
With sad and mournful sound.
And some by happy firesides,
With children, bright and fair,
Encircled by Love’s shelt’ring arms
They know no pain nor care.

And one, ah me, the dearest one
Of all that household band,
Has drained the cup of sorrow
From Fate’s relentless hand.
Better, dear heart, if thou had’st died
In childhood, long ago,
Than live to see thy future marred
By memories of woe.

And as I sit here dreaming,
It seems so long ago,
Like a day of brightest sunshine
Veiled by weary years of woe,
And I bow my head in sorrow
While my soul cries out in pain;
Will those days of peace and gladness
Ne’er come to us again?

Then a voice of silvery music
Comes stealing through the room,
And a presence, sweet and mystic,
Seems to lighten up the gloom,
It lulls my bitter yearnings
Into calm and peaceful rest,
As it bids me not to murmur
For God knows what is best.