5A

THE YOUTH’S CABINET.

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The Child and the Cloud.

 

BY MRS. BE. A, COMSTOCK,

 

— Floating cloud, wintry cloud,

Whither away ?

Cloud. Where giant trees are bowed,

Ch.

Cl.

Ch.

Cl.

Ch.

Cl.

Ch.

Cl.

‘Cl.

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In my rude play.

T’o the old oak tree, cloud ?
Blow gently there !
The old oak is proud,
I will not spare.

Oh cloud, do not shake
Its limbs ; nor rend ;

If it would not break,
Why, let it bend!

See yon quivering trees !
Go thou to them;
They bend in every breeze,

The breeze they stem.

Let thy force, then, be spent
On yon tall tree ;

T’o the oak I was sent—
It needeth me.

Why to this household tree
Hast thou been sent ?

To break the haughty knee
That has not bent.

Say, what mighty power

Sends to the tree ?
He who in a coming hour
Will send to thee.

Speak thou, O wondrous cloud,
Why send to me ?

If thy knee is not bowed,
He’ll break thy knee.

Ah? now the truth I take—
I, too, must bend ;
‘Yes, if thou would’st not break,
‘Like thy-oak friend.

Ch.

Cl.

Moth.

Ah, as I lowly bend,
Why change thy hue ?
Because thy mighty Friend
Sends his glory through.

Why dost thou change thy form
To beauty bright ?

~ For mercy, not for storm,

I come to-night.

Like angel’s form, I ween,
Thou glidest now ;

Redeemed child, thou hast seen
’Tis bliss to bow.

Joy thy white bosom sends
Upon my head ;

Thus on each head that bends,
Rapture is shed.

Thou canst both heal and break—
Bliss comes with thee ;

T’o that bliss I will take
Thyself with me.

On yon white cloud his eye
Rested in death ;

It passed serenely by,
As passed his breath.

Let young people remember, that
their good temper will gain them more
esteem and happiness than the genius
and talents of all the bad men that ever

existed.

Those who are careful to avoid

offending others, are not apt to take

offence themselves.

Let all our young

friends remember this.