To my friend
Charless L. Ward.
"Sleep, My Darling--Thou Art Weary" (1865)
A Mother's Lullaby
Words by
Charles Dickens
Music by
J. C. Meininger

Louisville, KY: McCarrell & Meininger, 310 Jefferson Str.
Music Engraver: J. Slinglandt
No Plate number.
[Source: 064/089@Levy]

1. Hush, I cannot bear to see thee 
Stretch thy tiny hands in vain; 
I have got no bread to give thee, 
Nothing, child, to ease thy pain. 
When God sent thee first to bless me, 
Proud and thankful, too, was I. 
Now, my darling, I thy Mother, 
Almost long to see thee die.

[REFRAIN sung after each verse]
Sleep my darling— thou art weary; 
God is good, but life is dreary; 
Sleep my darling thou art weary; 
God is good but life is dreary.

2. I have seen thy beauty fading, 
And thy strength sink day by day— 
Soon I know will want and fever 
Waste thy little life away. 
Famine makes thy mother reckless, 
Hope and joy are gone from me. 
I could suffer all, my baby, 
Had I but a crust for thee.

3. I am wasted, dear, with hunger, 
And my brain is sore oppress’d. 
I have scarcely strength to press thee, 
Wan and feble to my breast. 
Patience baby, God will help us; 
Death will come to thee and me; 
He will take us to His Heaven. 
There we are forever free.