THE OLD ARMCHAIR.
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/ love it, ] love it and who shall dare
To chidc me for loving the old arm-char9
! have treasured it long as a holy prize,
I've bedew'd it with tears, and embalmed /


with sighs;


IT'S bound by thousand bands to my heart
Not a tie will break, not "A link will start.
Wouldy learn the spell! a mother sat there,
And a sacred thing is that old armchair.
In childhoods hour fingered near
The halIow d seat with list ming car;
And gentle words that mother would give,
To fit me to die and teach me to live
She told me shame would never bctidc,
With truth for my creed and God for my


guide


She taught me to lisp my earliest prayer,
AS knelt beside that old armchair.
l sat and watch d her many day,
When her eye grew dim, and her locks were


grey;
And | almost worshippd her when she


smiled


And turned from her Bible to bless her child
Years roll'd on, but the last was sped
My idol was shatter'd, my earth-star fled;
l learnt how much the heart can bear,
When | saw her die in that old armchair
'Tis past! It's past! but | gaze on it now,
With quivering breath and throbbing brow
Twas there she nurscd me, twas there she


died,


And memory flows with lava tide
Say it is folly, and deem me weak,
While the scalding tears start down my cheek
But love it, love it, and cannot tear
My soul from a mothers old armchair.