"A Soldier's Wife" (1 Feb 1863)
[Copyright Library 28 Apr 1864; M 1640.D]
Words from the Knickerbocker Magazine
Music by William Richardson Dempster, 1809-1871

New York: W[illia]m. A. Pond & Co. 547 Broadway
Boston: O[liver]. Ditson
Pittsburgh: H[enry]. Kleiber & Bro.
Montreal: Boucher & Manseau
Plate No. 5660
Engraver: Clayton
[Source: 1863-200001010@LoC/IHAS/CWS]

1. How wearily the days go by,
How silence sits a guest at home,
While she, with listless step and eye,
Still waits for one who does not come.
The sunshine streams across the floor,
A gold0en solitary track;
The flies hum in and out the door,
The olden clock goes clickaclack.
The baby, sitting wondereyed,
Watches kittens’ noiseless play
’Till sleep comes gently and he lies
At rest thro’ half the summer day.

2. In twilight, brooding dim and gray,
She sits beside the open door;
Before her lies the gravel way,
O’erhung by ancient sycamore.
And thro’ the eve she hears the cry
Of whippoorwills that shun the lights;
She sees the star of ev’ning die,
And all around her reigns the night;
Then Bylobaby, babyby!
She sings her littleone to rest,
And muses with its rosy face,
Held warm and close against her breast,

3. Beside her couch she weary kneels,
And clasps her hands before her face,
Ah! only heav’n knows what she feels,
A lonely supplicant for grace.
She prays for one whe does not come,
And draws her answers from her hopes
And then, within her silent home,
While stars glide down night’s silv’ry slopes,
She nestles close beside her babe,
And one arm o’er it shielding throws
To dream of joys that day denies,
Until the rose of morning blows.