The Keepsake | Page 3

mother both died,?And left him in poverty, sickness, and grief,?Without a protector or guide.
"A kind and rich lady, who heard his sad case,?Restor'd him to life by her aid,?Then plac'd him secure in the house for the blind,?And all the expences defray'd.
"There they taught him these beautiful baskets to make, With straw-work of every kind;?And now he's employ'd, and his living can earn,?And is useful and happy, though blind."
"And may I believe it," cried Emma, "that Jem,?Who so helpless and poor us'd to be,?Has made this nice basket without any help,?And as neatly as if he could see?"
"As you doubt poor Jem's powers," her mother replied,?"What I've said to be true I must prove;?So finish your work, get your bonnet and coat,?And quickly come to me, my love."
[Illustration: _to face pa. 20_
_The Blind Boy_]
Her work was soon finish'd, her books all laid by,?Her coat and her bonnet put on,?And joyfully taking mamma's ready hand,?To the school for the blind she is gone.
With delight and amazement there Emma beheld?Poor Jem at his daily employ;?As he platted his basket, he sung to his work,?And smil'd with contentment and joy.
"Ah, mamma," exclaim'd Emma, as home they return'd,?"Ev'ry penny you give me I'll save;?Neither gingerbread, comfit, nor nut will I buy,?Till a basket of Jem's I can have."
SPRING.
Wintry winds no longer blow,?Far away are frost and snow;?Peeping from its grassy bed,?The primrose rears its modest head;?And midst its leaves the violet blue,?Scents the air and morning dew.?Hark! the sky-lark, mounting high,?Carols in the clear blue sky;?The thrush and blackbird from the spray,?Chaunt their blithesome roundelay;?The little lambkins, safe from harm,?In their snow-white fleeces warm,?Gambol o'er the sunny mead,?And prove their strength, and try their speed:?From yon grassy knoll they spring,?And chase each other round the ring.
[Illustration: _to face pa. 23_
_Spring_]
To the farm-yard we will go,?Where they milk the hornless cow;?Mamma will give us wine and cake,?And a syllabub we'll make.?Charles and Jane shall hold the bowl,?And Margaretta milk it full:?Each shall join to help the others,?Like good sisters and good brothers.
SUMMER.
What does bounteous summer bring??The lengthen'd day and shorten'd night;?Milder breezes softly blowing,?Warmer suns, and skies more bright.
Long and thick the grass is grown,?Ready for the mower's care,?When his scythe has laid it low,?To the hay-field we'll repair.
Each shall have a fork and rake,?To spread it widely to the sun:?Many hands together join'd,?Make the labour quickly done.
In the hedge, the woodbine twining,?Fills the air with sweet perfume;?The blushing rose, in gay profusion,?Joins its fragrance and its bloom.
In the mossy hedge-row peeps,?The strawberry with lowly head;?We can quickly fill our baskets,?With its berries rosy red.
Little Anna dearly loves?Strawb'ries red, and milk so white:?We will carry plenty home,?On them she can sup to-night.
[Illustration: _to face pa. 24_
_Summer_]
Anna loves to skip and play,?But she can also read and spell;?She learns with careful hand to sew,?And she deserves her supper well.
AUTUMN.
Autumn comes, her prospects glow?With yellow fields of waving corn;?The reaper with his sickle bright,?Hastes to work at early morn.
Whilst the morning breezes blow,?Through the burning sultry noon,?And till evening dews descend,?Still he works and labours on.
Let us seek the harvest field,?There is work for you and me??We can help the sheaves to bind:?Idle hands we need not be.
When Maria's task is done,?We will to the nut-wood go;?Each a bag and hooked stick,?Down to pull the cluster'd bough.
Oh! how tempting ripe they hang:?Softly, softly pull them down,?Lest the bright brown nuts should fall,?And leave the empty husk alone.
Bags and pockets all are full,?And evening says we must not stay;?With heavy loads we'll hasten home,?And come again another day.
[Illustration: _to follow pa. 26_
_Autumn_]
[Illustration: _to follow Plate of Autumn_
_Winter_]
These shall be our winter store,?When Christmas holidays are come;?Then round the fire we'll social be,?And give our happy playmates some.
WINTER.
Howling through the leafless trees,?Winter calls his northern breeze.?Do no flow'rets dare appear,?In this season of the year??Yes, amidst the wintry scene,?The daisy's lowly gem is seen;?And tho' it boasts no varied dyes,?The Christmas-rose a charm supplies.?Then through the frost and through the snow,?In a merry group we'll go,?Take our sledges and our skates,?Winter ne'er for sluggards waits.?We'll throw the snow-balls far and wide,?Beneath the mountain's hoary side;?Or build a giant tall and strong,?With shoulders broad, and limbs as long,?As Gog and Magog in Guildhall;?There it shall tower above us all,?Till sun and thaw shall melt its crown,?And bring its snowy honours down.?And when the dark'ning evening's come,?Fast away we'll scamper home,?And standing close around the fire,?The blazing faggots we'll admire,?And sip our milk, and work and read,?Till nurse cries out, "To bed! to bed!"
ANNE AND EDWARD.
PART I.
Loudly blows the northern wind,?And fast the snow descends,?Low before the driving storm,?The slender willow bends.
Why on such a dismal night?Does Anna ope her door,?And in her little ragged cloak,?Walk quickly o'er the moor?
She hastens to the neighbouring town,?To beg some friendly aid,?To save her