MY SISTER'S MOST SWEET AND LOVELY LITTLE BABE,
RACHEL ANN JONES.
Born, October 15th, A. D. 1838. Died, August 23d, A. D. 1839. Aged 10 months and 8 days.
Sister Julia :-You desired me to write a few lines on the Death of your sweet RACHEL ANN. sheet contains them. But I fear, they sink far below your feelings on the subject. Ah! who can feel a Mother's Love, save her alone? Who mourn the Child in Death like her who bore it? None, my Julia-none. On her heart alone true Sorrow sits, and all her thoughts-the true sublime. Imagination, on her swiftest wing, can never reach a Mother's piteous moans, or sighs sublime, for her loved Babe in death; nor, at the fountain head of Sorrow, drain one tear, so pure, bright, beautiful as hers. Hope not, Sister, then, to find in all this Elegy, one thought worthy of your own. I wrote-wrote as I felt, and felt as I wrote. Then pardon, Julia, if I've wrote amiss, and let a Sister's love, smile out its heaven of charity on him.
Who loves you with a Brother's love,
WOODMANSEE.
Is there on Earth one sullen soul
In Folly's school so harden'd grown,
That, in his heart-his blacken'd heart!
No sorrow finds to mourn the dead?
Not feel sweet Pity's soft control!
Nor drop the sympathetic tear!
That heart is dead-from mercy lock'd,
From light and life and joy and Heaven,-
All-all must weep, for-RACHEL'S DEAD-
That beauteous Babe with silver locks!
Mourn, O, my soul! and thou bless'd Harp,
My heart's delight in Sorrow's storm,
O, mourn! in doleful sorrow mourn
The Young and Beautiful in death!
Ah! Rachel Ann, thy hour how short-
How very short thy little hour!
How soon did Evening onward rush
To tread on Morning's sluggish heels-
Life-floweret nip'd e'er 'twas a-bloom!
Thou Eden-rose! thy form divine
Had too much Heaven to dwell on Earth
Where Sin so thickly sows her thorns
To hedge fair Virtue's narrow path
That leads to Happiness and Heaven.
All, all was done to stay thy flight,
And keep thee with us here below;
But Aqua-vita was as nought,
Fell Death had thrown his cruel dart
Far, far beyond the Healing Art.
Thy little lamp of life went out,
But O, how bless'd! Heaven's lamp of Love
With rays divine did guide thee safe
Through valley of the shade of Death,
And Glory own'd one Seraph more!
To father fond and mother dear,
Thou wast the sweetest ray of hope-
The fairest, purest, brightest, best,
That ever smil'd with full of joy
On Life's rich coronet of love!-
Their may-day smile of happiness!
Their life's day-star of loveliness!
Their every rose-lip'd joy on Earth-
Soul-diamond and heart-jewel—thou!
Their Eden-blessedness and joy
That smil'd bright innocence as Heaven!
But smil'd not long-alas, for Life!
It came like lightning's speedy wing, `
And then departed as it came!
'Twas over soon! that smile of Love
On perfect Beauty's lip a charm,
Was too divinely bright for Earth,
And thou,-celestial lily fair
From the empyrean bower of bliss,
On Earth thou bloomest but to fade,
Then, in the Garden fair of God
Flourish and bloom-eternally.
The fairest lily soonest fades,
And ripest beauty quickest dies;
The kindest, fondest, best beloved,
The soonest run Life's little race-
For Glory ripe e'er in their bloom!
Sweet Angel! thou did'st stoop to Earth
To weep o'er poor Mortality,-
On unbent pinion then return
To be the smile of Seraph's joy
And make bright Heaven more beautiful!
Bless'd Babe! when Gabriel's trump shall call
All Nations to Jehovah's throne,
How many Kings will wish their lives
Had been as short and good as thine!
Then, Mother! take thy last cold-kiss
And soul-relieving Fare-thee-well,-
This Mercy grants all merciful;
O, be content! she was thine own
When fair she smil'd upon thy knee,
Now she is Heaven's! with Angels smiles
As fair, as soft, as pure as Love
'Round her Almighty Father's throne:--
Each heart did bless her while on earth,
To bless her now-is Heaven's delight.
But lo! the mournful Mother weeps!
Ah! each bright tear, each groan and sigh
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