But there’s one in this grouping we look for in vain,
Whose image we often recall;
How mournfully sweet is the sound of thy name,
Dear Elbridge, the loved one of all.

Thou wert called in the freshness of morning away,
By him who all things doeth well;
The rest for brief periods are suffered to stay,
How long, we may none of us tell.

May the Holy Book studied in this Sabbath School,
Be more precious than silver or gold;
Be its doctrines received, and its precepts obeyed,
And rich treasures it still will unfold.

And when one by one we shall all pass away,
To me, oh! my Father, be given
The joy that no heart upon earth can conceive,
To meet all in the kingdom of Heaven.

Weston, Feb. 17, 1852.

FOR MY GRANDSONS, EDDY AND ALLY.

I here engage
Upon this page
    A picture to portray,
Of two of an age
Yet neither a sage,
    But right honest hearts have they. 
Each loves to play
And have his own way,
Yet I’m happy to say
    They quarrel, if ever, but seldom. 
Though competent quite
To maintain their own right,
And even to fight,
    Yet peace to their bosom is welcome. 
Both go to school,
And learn by rule
    That in neither a dunce we may find;
Both read and spell
And like it well;
    Thus with pleasure is profit combined. 
One’s eyes are black,
The other’s blue;
    They both have honest hearts and true,
    And love each other dearly: 
One’s father, is brother
To the other one’s mother,
    So cousins german are they most clearly;
Each has a father,
And each has a mother,
    And both do dearly love him;
But neither a sister,
And neither a brother,
    To play with, or to plague him. 
And here I propose,
Ere I come to a close,
    A little advice to give;
To which if they heed,
They’ll be better indeed,
    And happier as long as they live. 
Be sure to mind
Your parents kind,
    And do nothing to vex or tease them;
But through each day
Heed what they say,
    And strive to obey and please them. 
Take not in vain
God’s holy name,
Do not work,
Do not play
On God’s holy day,
    Nor from church stay away;
Always bear it in mind
To be gentle and kind,
And friends you will find,
And hearts to you bind,
    I am sure I may venture to say. 
And when you’re men,
Who sees you then
    I hope in you models will see,
Of good and great,
In Church and State,
    Whose lips with your lives agree.

Weston, Feb. 1852.

FOR MY GRAND-DAUGHTERS, M. AND L.—­AN ACROSTIC.

Mary and Lily—­how sweet are those names,
Allied as they are to my heart and my home;
Recalling with freshness the days that are past,
Yielding buds of sweet promise for days yet to come.