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LESSON 2
THE cottage was a thatched one,
The outside old and mean;
Yet everything within that cot
Was wondrous neat and clean.
The night was dark and stormy,
The wind was howling
wild;
A patient
mother knelt beside
The deathbed of her child:
A little worn-out creature—
His once bright eyes grown dim;
He was a collier’s only child—
They called him little Jim.
And oh, to see the briny
tears
Fast hurrying down her cheek,
As she offered up a prayer inthough t;
She was afraid to speak,
Lest she might waken one she loved
Far better than her life;
For there was all a mother’s love
In that poor collier’s wife.
With hands uplifted, see, she kneels
Beside the suff’rer’s bed;
And prays that He will spare her boy
And take herself instead!
She gets her answer from the child;
Soft fell these words from him:
“Mother, the angels do so smile,
And beckon
little Jim!
“I have no pain, dear mother, now;
But oh, I am so dry!
Just moisten
poor Jim’s lips again;
And, mother, don’t you cry.”
With gentle, trembling haste she held
The tea-cup to his lips;
He smiled, to thank her, as he took
Three tiny little sips.
“Tell father, when he comes from work,
I said good-night to him;
And, mother, now I’ll go to sleep” —
Alas! poor little Jim!
She saw that he was dying—
The child she loved so dear
Had uttered the last words that she
Might ever hope to hear.
The cottage door was opened,
The collier’s step was heard;
The mother and the father met,
Yet neither spoke a word!
He knew that all was over—
He knew his child was dead;
He took the candle in his hand,
And walked towards the bed.
His quivering
lips gave token
Of grief he’d fain
conceal;
And see! his wife has joined him—
The stricken couple kneel!
With hearts bowed down with sadness,
They humbly ask of Him,
In heaven once more to meet again
Their own poor little Jim.
— Edward Farmer
Where was the mother kneeling? In what state was the boy? Why did she offer up her prayer in thought ? From whom did she get her answer? What were Jim’s last words? What did his mather do when he came in? What did both father and mother then do?
cot´-tage col´-lier an´-swer ut´-tered coup´-le
ev´-er-y-thing hur´-ry-ing trem´-bling nei´-ther up-lift´-ed
storm´-y pray´-er dy´-ing hum´-bly an´-gels
