They never heed a word I speak ; But aye I hap them up an' cry, Wee Jamie wi' the curly heid I rin and fetch them pieces, drinks, Then draw the blankets up an' cry, But, ere five minutes gang, wee Rab The mischief's in that Tam for tricks, At length they hear their father's fit, An', as he steeks the door, They turn their faces to the wa', While Tam pretends to snore. "Hae a' the weans been gude?" he asks, As he pits aff his shoon; "The bairnies, John, are in their beds, An' lang since cuddled doon." An' just afore we bed oorsels, Tam has his airm roun' wee Rab's And Rab his airm round Tam's. I lift wee Jamie up the bed, An' as I straik each croon, I whisper, till my heart fills up, "Oh, bairnies, cuddle doon." The bairnies cuddle doon at nicht Aye whisper, though their pows be bald, "Oh, bairnies, cuddle doon." Alexander Anderson THE BABY SAFE sleeping on its mother's breast The smiling babe appears, Now sweetly sinking into rest; Now washed in sudden tears: Hush, hush, my little baby dear, Without a mother's tender care, Its chubby hands too feeble are And not a tittle does it know What kind of world 't is come into. The lambs sport gayly on the grass To nurse the Dolly, gayly drest, Full many a summer's sun must glow To anything of size; And all the while the mother's eye Must every little want supply. Then surely, when each little limb And youth and manhood strengthen him His mother's kindness is a debt, He never, never will forget. Jane Taylor GOOD-NIGHT LITTLE baby, lay your head Yes, my darling, well I know For the window shutteth fast, Jane Taylor THE OLD ARM-CHAIR I LOVE it! I love it! and who shall dare 'Tis bound by a thousand bands to my heart; Not a tie will break, not a link will start. Would ye learn the spell?—a mother sat there, And a sacred thing is that old arm-chair. In childhood's hour I linger'd near And gentle words that mother would give, She taught me to lisp my earliest prayer, I sat and watch'd her many a day, When her eye grew dim, and her locks were gray; And I almost worshipp'd her when she smiled, And turn'd from her Bible to bless her child. |