THE BLIND MAN'S SONG.

CANNOT see thy face, dear,

Nor the love-light in thine eye,
But a gleam comes o'er my soul, dear,
When I feel that thou art nigh.

I cannot see thy face, love,

But thy voice is soft and sweet,

And there's music in the sound, love,
Of thy lightly-tripping feet.

They say I'm growing old, dear,
And my hair is turning grey,

But thy sweet, sweet lips teach me, dear,
To heed not what they say.

The world is dark and drear, love,
My day has turn'd to night,
Yet still all is not dim, love,

Thou, darling, art my light.

OUR LAD BILL.

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OUR LAD BILL.

UR poor lad Bill is dead;
Blessings on his dear head;
God's angels make his bed
Somewhere up yonder.

Only a quick-writ line,—

"Your lad Bill died at nine,

And please God we're g'wine

Bury he to-morrow.

Our merry comrade died;

He press'd my hand and sigh'd,

Write and tell Father!'"

So, ere he died at sea,

Our Bill remember'd me :

No son so dear as he,

Youngest of seven.

Now I am sick and old,

And my poor heart is cold;—

Lord, take me to Thy fold

With Bill, up yonder.

"WITH A DIFFERENCE.”

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"WITH A DIFFERENCE."

'M weary waiting here,

The chill east wind is sighing,

The autumn tints are sere,

The summer flowers are dying.

The river's sullen way

Winds on through vacant meadows,

The dying light of day

Strives vainly with the shadows.

A footstep stirs the leaves !

The faded fields seem brighter,

The sunset gilds the sheaves,

The low'ring clouds look lighter.

The river sparkles by,

Not all the flowers are falling, There's azure in the sky,

And thou, my love, art calling.

THE LILY OF THE LAKE.

VER wastes of blasted heather,
Where the pine-trees stand together,
Evermore my footsteps wander,

Evermore the shadows yonder

Deepen into gloom.

Where there lies a silent lake,

No song-bird there its thirst may slake,

No sunshine now to whiteness wake

The water-lily's bloom.

Some sweet springtime long departed,

I and she, the simple-hearted,

Bride and bridegroom, maid and lover,
Did that gloomy lake discover,

Did those lilies see.

There we wander'd side by side.
There it was they said she died.
But ah! in this I know they lied!
She will return to me!