Are The Children At Home?

Each day when the glory of sunset Fades m the weatern aky. And the wee ones, tiied ot playing, Go tiippiug lightly by; I steal away irom my huaband, Asleep in his easy chair, And watch trom the opea doorway Their tuces íiesh and fair. Alone in the dear oíd home3tead That once was full of lite, Ringing with girlish laughter, Echoing with boyish strife : We two are waiting together, And oit as the shadows come, With treaiulous voice he calis me "It is night- are the children home i " Yes, love," I answer him gentlj', "They're e-ll home long ago;" And I aiug m my quivering treble, A song so soit and low, Till the oíd maií dmps to slumber, With his head upon his hand, And I teil to myself the number Home in a better land. Home, where never a sorrow Shall dim their eyes with tears, Where the smile oï God is on them Through all the summer years ; I know, yet my arms are empty, That fondlyfolded seven, And the mother-heart within me Is almoststarved tor heaveu. Sometimes, in the dusk oí eveuing, I only shut my eyes And the children are all about me, A visión irom the skiei, The babea whose dimpled flngers Lost the way to my breast, And the beautiful ones, the angels, Passed to the world ot the biest. With never a cloud upon them, I see their radiant brows ; Mv boya that I gave to freedoin- The red sword sealed their vows ! In a taugled Southern forest, Twin brothers, bold and brave, They feil, and the flag they died for, Thank (iod ! floats over their grave. A breath and the visión is lifted Away on the wings of light. And again we two are together, AU alone in the night : They tell me hia mind is failing, But I smile at idle feara- He ia ouly back with the children, In the dim and peaceful years. And still, as the summer sunset Fades away in the west, And the wee ones, tired of playing, Go trooping home to rest, Mv husband calis from his corner, "" Say, love! are the children at home ( And I answer, with eyes uplifted, Yes, dear! they are all at home I