The Songs That Mother Used To Sing.

The songs that mother used to sing!             How tenderly those ditties roll,             And to the dirges in my soul         The happy notes of gladness bring!         Where'er my vagrant feet may roam         From pleasures of my childhood's home,         This life of mine with rapture throngs,         When thinking of my mother's songs.         They were not made of magic lays;             No perfect melodies were found,             That with the strains of fairy sound         Would charm the stranger's ear to praise;         But I can never hope to meet         Another music half so sweet,         And all my longing love will cling         To songs that mother used to sing.         With gentleness of crooning cries,             She freed the aching limbs from pain,             And lulled the eyes to sleep again         With sweetness of her lullabies.         Love mingled with her tender voice         In tones that made the heart rejoice,         And Heaven's music seemed to ring         In songs that mother used to sing.         Though years have passed, they still impart             Glad warbles to the hours of woe,             And their mute carols fondly throw         The sacred raptures o'er my heart;         Until my locks are thin and gray         Deep in my soul will sound alway,         And full of joy will ever spring         The songs that mother used to sing.