XIV.

She told me that the humblest place

Can be made pure and good by love; She told me angels waited near,

To bear our prayers to God above; And from her lips I learned to say The prayers I whisper night and day!

XV.

Ah me! she came one day and said,
Her sweet eyes filling up with tears :—

My child, I'm going over-sea,

We shall not meet for many years, Perhaps, in life, no more again!"— And then she stopp'd with sudden pain.

XVI.

I could not speak, I loved her so,

I cried, and kiss'd her out-stretch'd hand; She told me more, but in my grief

I had no sense to understand.

I only know that she would be
Married before she went to sea.

F

XVII.

I saw her brush away a tear,

And then she quickly kiss'd my cheek; But though my heart was over-full,

My secret thoughts I could not speak; Although I tried, I could not tell

That I had loved her, oh, how well!

XVIII.

And now, I fain would send to her
A little keepsake o'er the sea,
That she may know how fondly kept
Her memory has been by me;

I have no better gift to make,

And yet she'll prize it for my sake!

XIX.

Will some one bear this flower in charge,

And place it in her much-loved hand? Perhaps no primroses are found

In that far distant foreign land;

Perhaps she'll love it tenderly,
Because it speaks of days gone by.

XX.

It is my only pride and pet,

My treasure and my playmate too; I ne'er may have another flower,

And yet I'm glad to let it go.

I should not think that it could be
Worthy of her if naught to me.

XXI.

Her name is Alice, you must know
Her golden hair and angel face-
You'd tell her also by her voice,
In any and in every place;

So soft it is, and like the note,

Oh, take my primroses, some one,

And say to her, they come from me; Say, when I'm tall, and woman grown, I'll sail to Sidney o'er the sea; For her I'll sew, and knit, and run,

And never think my work is done!"

XXIII.

And some one took the pot of flowers, With kindly word of promised care: Then joyfully the child retraced

Her way along the vessel stair. Ah me! so beaming was her face, 'Twas like a sunbeam in the place!

XXIV.

But hasten, children; not so far

Is London, but you'd reach it soon; The ship is not yet on her way,

For tides are waited with the moon; I'm sure, from all that primrose store, You'd get a bloom or two, or more.

But little Lucy shook her head,
And Katie somewhat sadly said :—
"Ah, Swallow, Swallow, you forget
What little, little, steps we set;
And if for days and days we'd go,
We never should reach London so.