All We Had.

It worn't for her winnin ways,     Nor for her bonny face     But shoo wor th' only lass we had,     An that quite alters th' case.     We'd two fine lads as yo need see,     An' weel we love 'em still;     But shoo war th' only lass we had,     An' we could spare her ill.     We call'd her bi mi mother's name,     It saanded sweet to me;     We little thowt ha varry sooin     Awr pet wod have to dee.     Aw used to watch her ivery day,     Just like a oppenin bud;     An' if aw couldn't see her change,     Aw fancied' at aw could.     Throo morn to neet her little tongue     Wor allus on a stir;     Awve heeard a deeal o' childer lisp,     But nooan at lispt like her.     Sho used to play all sooarts o' tricks,     'At childer shouldn't play;     But then, they wor soa nicely done,     We let her have her way.     But bit bi bit her spirits fell,     Her face grew pale an' thin;     For all her little fav'rite toys     Shoo didn't care a pin.     Aw saw th' old wimmin shak ther heeads,     Wi monny a doleful nod;     Aw knew they thowt shoo'd goa, but still     Aw couldn't think shoo wod.     Day after day my wife an' me,     Bent o'er that suff'rin child,     Shoo luk'd at mammy, an' at me,     Then shut her een an' smiled.     At last her spirit pass'd away;     Her once breet een wor dim;     Shoo'd heeard her Maker whisper 'come,'     An' hurried off to Him.     Fowk tell'd us t'wor a sin to grieve,     For God's will must be best;     But when yo've lost a child yo've loved,     It puts yor Faith to th' test.     We pick'd a little bit o' graand,     Whear grass and daisies grew,     An' trees wi spreeadin boughs aboon     Ther solemn shadows threw.     We saw her laid to rest, within     That deep grave newly made;     Wol th' sexton let a tear drop fall,     On th' handle ov his spade.     It troubled us to walk away,     An' leeav her bi hersen;     Th' full weight o' what we'd had to bide,     We'd niver felt till then.     But th' hardest task wor yet to come,     That pang can ne'er be towld;     'Twor when aw feszend th' door at nee't,     An' locked her aat i'th' cowld.     'Twor then hot tears roll'd daan mi cheek,     'Twor then aw felt mooast sad;     For shoo'd been sich a tender plant,     An' th' only lass we had.     But nah we're growin moor resign'd,     Although her face we miss;     For He's blest us wi another,     An we've hopes o' rearin this,