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mab's lesson.
Her pretty eyes were smarting with
The wind and driving sleet.
The wind and driving sleet.
At length they reached a dreadful slum,
And there, to Mab's disgust,
She saw a little half-naked child
Pick up a dirty crust
Out of the gutter—this it ate;—
And then Mab's sobs were hushed,
And there, to Mab's disgust,
She saw a little half-naked child
Pick up a dirty crust
Out of the gutter—this it ate;—
And then Mab's sobs were hushed,
As down, down, down, some reeking steps
To a cellar damp and dim
The goblin went, and her little feet
Went pattering after him;
When, hark! a child's sweet silvery voice
Singing a Christmas hymn.
To a cellar damp and dim
The goblin went, and her little feet
Went pattering after him;
When, hark! a child's sweet silvery voice
Singing a Christmas hymn.
There, on a pallet made of rags,
A childish form was lying:
No covering for her shrunken limbs,
Though the little one was dying;
No food, no fire, and yet she sang,
And Mab, amazed, ceased crying.
A childish form was lying:
No covering for her shrunken limbs,
Though the little one was dying;
No food, no fire, and yet she sang,
And Mab, amazed, ceased crying.
Then down the steps a woman came,
Her wan, white face all gleaming
With joy, although a-down her cheeks
Salt rivulets were streaming.
"Look, dear, what mammy's got," she cried,
Her sunken eyes bright beaming.
Her wan, white face all gleaming
With joy, although a-down her cheeks
Salt rivulets were streaming.
"Look, dear, what mammy's got," she cried,
Her sunken eyes bright beaming.
