The Little Girl’s Lament.
A girl stands barefoot outside at night gazing into the distance. 1/2 page.
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Is Heaven a long way off, Mother ?1
I watch through all the day,2
To see my Father coming back3
And meet him on the way.4
And when the night comes on, I stand5
Where once I used to wait,6
To see him coming from the fields7
And meet him at the gate ;8
Then I used to put my hand in his,9
And cared not more to play ;10
But I never meet him coming now,11
However long I stay.12
And you tell me he’s in Heaven, and far,13
Far happier than we ;14
And loves us still the same—but how,15
Dear Mother, can that be ?16
For he never left us for a day17
To market or to fair,18
But the best of all that Father saw,19
He brought for us to share.20
He cared for nothing then but us—21
I have heard Father say,22
That coming back made worth his while23
Sometimes to go away ;24
He used to say he liked our house25
Far better than the Hall ;26
He would not change it for the best,27
The grandest place of all :28
And if where he is now, Mother,29
All is so good and fair,30
He would have come back long ago,31
To take us with him there.32
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He never would be missed from Heaven :33
I have heard Father say34
How many angels God has there,35
To praise Him night and day ;36
He never would be missed in Heaven,37
From all that blessed throng ;38
And we—oh ! we have missed him here,39
So sadly and so long !40
But if he came to fetch us, then41
I would hold his hand so fast,42
I would not let it go again43
Till all the way was past ;44
He’d tell me all that he has seen,45
But I would never say,46
How dull and lonely we have been,47
Since he went far away.48
When you raised me to the bed, Mother,49
And I kissed him on the cheek,50
His cheek was pale and very cold,51
And his voice was low and weak.52
And yet I can remember well53
Each word that he spoke then,54
For he said I must be a dear, good girl,55
And we should meet again !56
And oh ! but I have tried since then57
To be good through all the day ;58
I have done whatever you bid me, Mother,59
Yet Father stays away !60
Is it because God loves him so ?—61
I know that in His love62
He takes the good away from earth,63
To live with him above !64
O that God had not loved him so !65
For then he might have stayed66
And kissed me as he used at nights,67
When by his knee I played ;68
O that he had not been so good,69
So patient, or so kind !70
Oh ! had but we been more like him,71
And not been left behind !72