Poetry: My Father, Mother, Brothers, Sisters

They are all gone, bat me, A daughter and a son Were, from my parents, early taken away ; And my own childbood's joy Was darkened when a boy, I saw them, in tbeir coffina as they lay. To manhood had I grown; Andchildrcu of my own Were gatheriDg 'round nía when my mother died . ; I saw not her cold clay, When it was home away Andburied by her little children's eide, Beneath the new green sod Sho led mefirstto God;Her words and prayers wero my young spiritus dew. For when she used to leavo The fireside, every eve, I knew it was for prayer that she withdre. Tbat dew, that blease'd my youth- Her holy love, her trut!i, Her spirit of derotion, nnd the teare That she could not aurppess- Hath ncvcr ceased to blesa My soul, nor willit, through eternal years. How often hos the thought Of my mourned raother brought Peace to my troubled spirit, and new power The tempted to repel! Mather, thou knowest well Th&t thou bast blesed me eince thy mortal hour! Two younger sisters then, Both wives of werthy men After each one of tbera had been a roother, Were touched by the cold hand, And to the spirit land, a quick 6uccession, followcd one the other. To neither could I spcuk; Nor, on the marble cheek Of either, drop a mourning brother's tear. The husband of tho one, The mother's only son, Has eince been borne away upon the bier. Jjake Erie's waters cold Over a brolher roll'd; The day was bright; the lake scarce feit a breeze; While I have been spared, Though dangers I have dared, Btorms, rocks and pirates in the Grecian Ecas. Dear brother! in my dreams Thy floating body seems To liftits hand, and my poor aid implore! I'mwaken'dby my weeping, And know that thou art sleeping In thy lone grave, on low Sandusky's shore. Ihad one brother more, The last my mother bore; He was a boy when forth I went to roam. He delved upon the farm ; Our father's aged arm Loaned upon him - his hope, his prop - at W fcome. Ho sunk beneath the weight Of manly cares. A great And growing name he left for strength and worth. 'Twasbut five months ago, My father feit the blow, } And now, he too, has passed away frora eartb. O, could I but have heard One parting, bleseed word From all these dying loved ones! But the pall , Unfieen by me was thrown, And the green turf hath grown, Wet by no tear of name, over them all. All but the last; thank God! Before the heavy clod Feil on His coffin, to its side I drew; And through the thin, white hair Lay like the hoarfrost there, My hand his fore-head press'd, that feit like freezing dew. It had been marked with care, It had been bowed in prayer, For many a year ere death upon it stole. O'er it I bent alone, 'Twas love's forsaken throne, And its death chili went to my very soul! Of all 1 am bereft, Only one siBter left- A weeping willow, that to many ablast Hath bowed her slender form. O, God, bold back the storm, That thou shalt send to break her down at last! Father, to the I bow! In very love hast thou Thy children summoned from eath's toils and tears. Uphold me by thy strength, Until I join at lecgth. The fnends thou gavest to my earliest years.