The Mother's Prayer

It was a Sabbatb morning. I had stolen Froin out tlie crowded city, to mine own Loved uative home. O! it is beauliful, To leuve the hurry ol'the world awbile, And seek the wild of' nature, thefc where God Reigns in creation nud itw wondrotu works: There where llie peaceful hamlet üftsits smoke As in a porer atmesphere ; and men Tfaroug tu llii' house of God, and adeep veil Is thrown on earth'l atlracUons, that tho soul May pav unfftttered homnge to its Gcd I raised the latch wilh care, l'or I wouid como In glad surprise among theni, and mv két Trod lightly on the ttiresliold, yet I staid, Kor a low murmuring sound awoke within. Aeau it canie; I listtmed; 'twus the sound Oi morning pmyer. I did FOtAOmbor then, This was its wonted house, and solemn tlioughls J'ressed thickly to my heart the memories Of hatffrtrrni'int ehifahood and 1 knelt Iiy 11, e nnÜ! iiMicd door. O ! how my lieart Sti'uggled with Miiguish; hen the prayers and tears, AiK. comiséis of'a mother, long overwlielmed In the wilil rush cl 'worldliness eame up In stil 1 rt'liukc helbre me. O! 'twere wortli The purchase of'a world ; l might have burst Froni my waked couscience then, and that same voice. I hushed my veiy brcalhing ; tor the spell Camo with a hqly influence. She prayed For one whose steps werc out upon the world, Whose ausaapecting yonth had gone, From a fond pareut's influence, to withstand The uuknown treacheries of sin alone. It was for me she wrestkd with her God; For ine she grasjted the promises, and plead With BUCb inteusity of speech, it seemed The agony offeeling; she was om-, Whose soul communed in coufidence with God, Oh! she had breathed the atmospherc of heaven And knew how feiirfully the snares of' sin, Lie in the patii of life; and she besought That God would mthsr take me from the world, Than I should live to curse him. Man may scorn The earnestness of prayer; Oh ! he may say It is a form of words, and wasted faith : - But there's a mnjesty upon tho sound Of' humble asking; tnere's an energy Bursts from the trembling spirit, that hath power Even with God, and will notbe denied - Again 1 went from home ; bnt oh, that prayer, It hath huug upon my life. I have been lured With the cloyed cup ofpleasure, - I havo breathed The breaïh of levity - have been with those Who snnrn religión; but e'er my heart Turned but to listen, hath my mothei's prayer " Rather he die than curse the," thrilled my soul And I have shrunk away appallod, from vice.