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THE DEFORMED CHILD.
And then I cried—but soon the thought brought comfort to my mind,
If I were not their own, I knew they could not be so kind.

For we are happy in our home as ever people were,
Yet sometimes Father looks as if his heart was full of care:
When things go wrong about the house, then Mother vexed will be;
But neither of them ever spoke a cross word unto me.

And once, when all was dark, they came to kiss me in my bed,
And though they thought I slept quite sound, I heard each word they said.
"Poor little thing! to make thee well, we'd freely give our all;
But God knows best!" and on my cheek I felt a warm tear fall.

And then I longed to sit upright, and tell them not to fret,
For that my pains were not so bad, I should be stronger yet;
But as the words came to my lips, they seemed to die away,
And then they drew the curtain close, and left me as I lay.