Poems (Barker)/The Little Dress

by Alice J. Green Barker

The Little Dress.

'Tis nothing but a baby's dress,
 A dainty little thing,
Why to my heart such memories
 Of sadness does it bring?
The ruffles on the little skirt,
 The ribbons on the sleeves,
How precious to a mother's heart,
 How deeply will she grieve.

The little form it used to hold,
 Oh! tell me where is she?
I could have laid her 'neath the mould,
 And done it willingly.
But eighteen years have passed away,
 Since in this little dress
She smiled into my happy face,
 My darling, baby Bess.

No! Bessie is not dead, but, Oh!
 I could have seen her die;
I could have kissed the sweet young face
 And said the last "good bye."
But this is even worse than death,
 This story full of sin,
My darling is an outcast now,
 Another Magdalene.

'Tis nothing but a little dress,
 Of purest softest white,
Oh, God! If Bessie were as pure
 And free from sin to-night,
How gladly would I give her up.
 Nor sadly would I grieve,
Over the little ruffled skirt,
 The ribbons on the sleeve.