Grandma's Memories   By: Mary D. Brine

BY MARY D. BRINE

Author of "Grandma's Attic Treasures "

DEDICATED TO THOSE DEAR ONES WHOSE FACES ARE TURNED TOWARD THE SUNSET

ILLUSTRATED

1888.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Frontispiece Walter Pag

"Only a lullaby, gentle and low"

"Grandma's a maiden"

'lo Grandma's girl life comes some woe"

"The young head is lain"

"Grandma now is a bride"

"On the sunny young head"

"Soft and low is the little one's breath"

"Learns that sweet lesson so old and so new"

"As he looks in my face"

"'Mid the farewells that are merry, yet sad"

"On Grandma's thin cheek falls a kiss"

"Draws near the old chair, and sits close at her side"

"The gift of a grandchild"

Headpiece "Evening and the Bells" A. W. Parsm

Head and Tailpiece Vignettes R A. Bell

GRANDMA'S MEMORIES.

[Illustration]

GRANDMA'S MEMORIES.

The mantle of evening is veiling the sky, And over the landscape its soft shadows lie; The old year is passing, a new year will reign, Ere earth shall awaken to day dawn again.

Dear Grandma has folded her knitting away, And muses alone at the close of the day; While the old clock ticks solemnly off, one by one, The moments yet left to the year almost done.

Out from the shadows fast filling the room, Out from the dying year's gathering gloom, Many sweet pictures of past happy years Come flitting again with their hopes and their fears.

On the broad hearthstone the dull embers glow, The old year's last hours are quiet and slow; But back to the Past, with its pleasures and pain Of the Present unmindful, she wanders again.

She is seeing dear faces, and clasping the hand Of many a friend in the shadowy land, And the ghosts of old years she has watched in and out, Come forth from the shadows and hedge her about.

Hark! What is that stealing thro' silence and gloom, To fill with sweet melody Grandma's lone room? What brings that fond smile, and dispels every trace Of sadness and tears on the dear, aged face?

[Illustration]

Only a lullaby, gentle and low, Which a mother, while rocking her babe to and fro, Croons over and over, for baby alone, Till far into dreamland his spirit hath flown.

Only the lullaby all mothers love, Listened to daily by angels above; The dear, quaint old song which will ever seem best To sing to our babies and lull them to rest

The Lullaby .

[Illustration: Music Sheet detail:]

"Hush, my babe, lie still and slumber, Holy angels guard thy bed; Heavenly blessings without number Gently fall upon thy head."

Crooning it softly, and crooning it low, Rocking and nestling with "By baby O!" Loving the melody known the world o'er, And adding sweet words that our baby loves more.

So sings this mother to baby to night, While nearer and nearer the dream angel bright Is hovering 'mid shadows, till baby ere long Lies slumbering, and hushed is the lullaby song.

While mother takes up a new duty, and so From one to another will busily go. But the dear aged heart in the room just beyond, Still lingers and rests amid memories fond.

The strains of the lullaby bear her away O'er the lapse of long years to her own childhood's. She is living again 'neath her babyhood's skies Where sunshine is dancing before her blue eyes.

[Illustration: Grandma's a maiden]

She sees her dear mother, and hears the sweet voice, Whose fond, tender tones made her young heart rejoice, She climbs to the arms ever patient to bear The wee, tired toddler, and all burdens share.

How well she recalls the sweet hour of rest, When nestling her head on that dear mother's breast, She sank into slumber, lulled gently and low, By the strains of the soft old time lullaby O!

Again does she listen to every fond word That love on the lips of the singer hath stirred; The "By oh, my baby!" which mother knows best, Will comfort and soothe the young child to its rest.