Respectfully Dedicated
To Miss Emma L. Gibson.
Ballad
"Fond Moments of My Childhood" (31 May 1856)
by Alice Hawthorne
[pseud. for Septimus Winner, 1827-1902]

Philadelphia, PA: WINNER & SCHUSTER, 110 North 8th St.
[Source: 630540@LoC]

1.
Fond moments of my childhood,
Sweet dreams of early youth;
When ev'ry heart seem'd honest,
And ev'ry word as truth;
When sunny morns 'were merry,
And sweet the quiet noon;
When twilight has as sweet a charm,
As midnight with her moon.
Oh! the reapers' song merry,
And earth a scene of glee,
For life without a shadow,
Was happiness to me.
I dream again
Of those who then,
Replied to Friendship's call,
But oh! how strange,
To see the change,
That time brings over all.

2.
I remember in my childhood
How sweet the face that smil'd,
And fondly gazing on me,
Embrac'd me as her child.
The roses yet may bloom,
And the lilies bloom as fair,
But evry scene hath lost its charm
Since one is missing there.
Oh! The song is still as merry,
And earth is full of glee,
But yet there is a something,
That makes it sad to me;
For when I dream
It still doth seem
That I might yet delight,
In joys that were
Of old so dear,
So brief, yet so bright.