ᏢᎪᎡᎢ VI.

Ꭲ Ꮋ Ꭼ Ꭼ N Ꭰ .

WHAT purer, brighter sight on earth, than when
The sun looks down upon a drop of dew,
Hid in some nook from all but angels' ken,

And with his radiance bathes it through and through,
Then into realms too clear for our frail view

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LITTLE BESSIE.

Exhales and draws it with absorbing love?

And what if Heaven therein give token true

Of grace that new-born dying infants prove,

Just touched with Jesus' light, then lost in joys above?

LITTLE BESSIE.

"HUG me closer, closer, mother;
Put your arms around me tight;
I am cold and tired, mother,

And I feel so strange to-night!

Something hurts me here, dear mother,
Like a stone upon my breast:

O, I wonder, wonder, mother,
Why it is I cannot rest!

"All the day, while you were working,
As I lay upon my bed,

I was trying to be patient,

And to think of what you said:

How the kind and blessed Jesus

Loves his lambs to watch and keep;
And I wished he 'd come and take me
In his arms, that I might sleep.

"Just before the lamp was lighted,
Just before the children came,

KEBLE.

LITTLE BESSIE.

While the room was very quiet,
I heard some one call my name.
All at once the windows opened:
In a field were lambs and sheep;
Some from out a brook were drinking,
Some were lying fast asleep.

"But I could not see the Saviour,
Though I strained my eyes to see;
And I wondered, if he saw me,
If he'd speak to such as me.
In a moment I was looking
On a world so bright and fair,
Which was full of little children,
And they seemed so happy there.

"They were singing, O how sweetly!
Sweeter songs I never heard ;
They were singing sweeter, mother,
Than can sing our pretty bird ;
And while I my breath was holding,
One so bright upon me smiled,

That I knew it must be Jesus,

6

And he said, Come here, my child;

"Come up here, my little Bessie ;
Come up here, and live with me;
Where the children never suffer,
But are happier than you see.'
Then I thought of all you told me

R

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