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Show JMOTHERSABSENCE The followlag poeaa eaMtled "Mother's Abaeaee," wrlttea assay years ago by Sarah . alltoa, was read at the fuaeral of her asother, Mrs.4AUce Mlttoa, whose servisea wee held In the Sixth -ward aseetlng house last Wednesday: The cloads are grey, the air Is still; The river no Mora turns the-wlll; The baren hilts and naked fields, ' No more their graceful perfume yields. ,t ( . i The winter-time ls coming on, The pleasant autumn days have gone, The flowers are dead, the trees are barei All nature stands In muto despair. My happy home that's, always bright, Today doth wear a duller light; And why It Is I cannot say, Unless because dear mothers away. And as I sit and muse alone, I think of her the absent oue, Of mother who Is far awny, And, Oh! It makes mo sad today. Ah, yes, that's why I'm lonely now, Because the hand that smoothed my brow, ' Has gone' to ease another's pain. Rut soon she wilt return again. Return and wipe my tearful eye, Repress my weary heartfelt sigh; And with a mothers gentle love, Make home as bright as heaven above And tho' tho flowers do not glow, The dear old home will brightly glow For It will have regained tta queen, All else will be a passing dream. Rut, ahl methlnks 1 sometimes hear, A strange voice whispering lu my ear, This ono sad lesson you must learn, That mother wou't always return. Some day she'll walk that well trod track, From which there Is ho coming back, All that's then left of her will bo, Her loving name her memory. Until that day, I shall aot miss, Her guldlngthand, her gentlo kiss) Her-fonditareM,' aad-'aopstal- smile, Which always did my fears beguile. , HI Then let mo scatter-Hay by day, I Sweet flowers on her declining way; H For wrapped In nil Its sullen gloom, Q The pnrtlpp hour cooies all too-soon. ' Hi Yet when It conies I'll pray to meet (H My darling mother, tsuo and sweet; iH That I in hoaven her love might 'flH share, BBJI Tor 'twill be heaven If she Is there. fl alii 8 |