The Widow's Message to Her Son

" Remember, Denis, all I bade you say ;
Tell him we're well and happy, thank the Lord ;
But of our troubles, since he went away,
You'll mind, avick and never say a word !
Of cares and troubles, sure, we've all our share ;
The finest summer isn't always fair.

" Tell him the spotted heifer calved in May ;
She died, poor thing ; but that you needn't mind ;
Nor how the constant rain destroyed the hay ;
But tell him God to us was ever kind ;
And when the fever spread the country o'er,
His mercy kept the ' sickness ' from our door.

" Be sure you tell him how the neighbours came
And cut the corn ; and stored it in the barn ;
'Twould be as well to mention them by name-
Pat Murphy, Ned M'Cabe, and James M'Carn,
And big Tim Daly from behind the hill ;
But say, agra, — O say I missed him still !

"They came with ready hands our toil to share —
'Twas then I missed him most — my own right hand ;
I felt, although kind hearts were around me there,
The kindest heart beat in a foreign land.
Strong hand ! brave heart ! O severed far from me
By many a weary league of shore and sea !

" And tell him she was with us — he'll know who :
Mavourneen hasn't she the winsome eyes ?
The darkest, deepest, brightest, bonniest blue,
I ever saw except in summer skies.
And such black hair ! it is the blackest hair
That ever rippled over neck so fair.

" Tell him old Pincher fretted many a day
And moped, poor dog, 'twas well he didn't die,
Crouched by the road side how he watched the way,
And sniffed the travellers as they passed him by-
Hail, rain, or sunshine, sure 'twas all the same,
He listened for the foot that never came.

" Tell him the house is lonesome-like, and cold,
The fire itself seems robbed of half its light ;
But maybe 'tis my eyes are growing old,
And things look dim before my failing sight :
For all that, tell him 'twas myself that spun
The shirts you bring, and stitched them every one.

"Give him my blessing, morning, noon, and night;
Tell him my prayers are offered for his good,
That he may keep his Maker still in sight,
And firmly stand, as his brave father stood,
True to his name, his country, and his God,
Faithful at home, and steadfast still abroad."