ALICE.
A very interesting daughter of the late Dr. Cogswell, who was deprived of the powers of hearing and speech, cherished so ardent an affection for her father, that, after his death, she said, in her strong language of gesture, that "her heart had so grown to his, it could not be separated." By the Providence of the Almighty she was called in a few days to follow him; and from the abodes of bliss, where we trust she has obtained a mansion, may we not imagine her as thus addressing the objects of her fondest earthly affections?
Sisters!—there's music here,
From countless harps it flows,
Throughout this bright, celestial sphere
Nor pause, nor discord knows.
The seal is melted from my ear
By love divine
And what through life I pined to hear,
Is mine! Is mine!
The warbling of an ever-tuneful choir,
And the full, deep response of David's sacred lyre.
Did kind earth hide from me
Her broken harmony,
That thus the melodies of Heaven might roll,
And whelm in deeper tides of bliss, my rapt, my wondering soul?
Joy!—I am mute no more,
My sad and silent years,
With all their loneliness are o'er,
Sweet sisters! dry your tears:
Listen at hush of eve—listen at dawn of day—
List at the hour of prayer—can ye not hear my lay?
Untaught, unchecked it came,
As light from chaos beamed,
Praising his everlasting name,
Whose blood from Calvary streamed—
And still it swells that highest strain, the song of the redeemed.
Brother!—my only one!
Beloved from childhood's hours,
With whom, beneath the vernal son,
I wandered when our task was done,
And gathered early flowers;
I cannot come to thee,
Though 't was so sweet to rest
Upon thy gently-guiding arm—thy sympathizing breast:
'Tis better here to be.
No disappointments shroud
The angel-bowers of joy,
Our knowledge hath no cloud,
Our pleasures no alloy,
The fearful word—to part,
Is never breathed above,
Heaven hath no broken heart—
Call me not hence, my love.
Oh, mother!—He is here
To whom my soul so grew,
That when Death's fatal spear
Stretched him upon his bier,
I fain must follow too.
His smile my infant griefs restrained —
His image in my childish dream
And o'er my young affections reigned,
With gratitude unuttered and supreme.
But yet till these refulgent skies burst forth in radiant glow
I know not half the unmeasured debt a daughter's heart doth owe.
Ask ye, if still his heart retains its ardent glow?
Ask ye, if filial love
Unbodied spirits prove?
'Tis but a little space, and thou shalt rise to know,
I bend to soothe thy woes,
How near—thou canst not see—
I watch thy lone repose,
Alice doth comfort thee;
To welcome thee I wait—blest mother! come to me.