"Take Me, Mother, in Thy Lap" (18 Dec. 1871)
Song and Chorus.
Words by Alice Hawthorne.
[pseud. of Septimus Winner]
Music by Septimus Winner, 1827-1902

[Source: 12011@LoC;
Cleveland, Ohio: S. Brainard's Sons;
Plate No. 3566-3]

1.
Take, oh take me in thy lap,
Let me sit upon thy knee;
Tell me something nice to hear,
Sing some pretty song to me.
From the sky the blue is gone,
The stars are out for many a mile;
Take me, mother, in thy lap,
And rock me just a little while.

CHORUS
Come to Mother, darling come,
With thy voice so sweet and mild,
For holy is a Mother's lap,
With a blessing for her child.

2.
Take, oh take me in thy lap,
On thy bosom let me rest;
Let me close my weary eyes,
With my head upon thy breast.
Let me love thee for awhile
Before you lead me up the stairs;
Kiss me 'ere I go to sleep,
And help me too, to say my prayers.

(CHORUS)

3.
Take me mother on thy lap,
For my feet are weary now;
Gather up my straying locks,
Brush them back from off my brow.
Take, oh take my hand in thine,
And o'er me rest thy kind watch keep;
Clasp me in thy loving arms,
And rock me 'till I go to sleep.

(CHORUS)