BABY-LAND

BABY-LAND

BY
Wild-Bird
Mrs. Almira L. Corey Frink

Edited by
Olive Bacon Frink
Denver, Colorado
Copyright, 1911, by Olive Bacon Frink

Contents

Transcriber's Note: This Table of Contents was created by the transcriber to assist the reader.

[DEDICATION]

Father of Lights, to Thee I give

These scattered notes; and as they glide

O’er hilltops bright and valleys wide;

O’er hamlet, old with penury,

Or palace filled with luxury;

O’er city and o’er wilderness;

O’er hearts in gladness or distress,

O, give them, Lord, Thy smile indeed,

And make them like the winged seed,

That spreads on high its silken plumes,

Comes softly down, takes root and blooms,

Forever in the heart to live.

Wild-Bird.

[“THERE’S A BABY BORN”]

Hark! the shining stars are singing,

And the azure skies are ringing:

Angels joyful news are bringing,

“There’s a baby born.”

Child of Deity, unfolding

In a form of heavenly molding;

Endless life in frailest holding,

Sweet as rosy morn!

[“DID YOU KNOW?”]

The soft winds played in the summer grove,

That the sunlight made aglow,

When a small face peered through the garden gate

’Mong the roses pure as snow:

And in sweet, shy tones came the wondrous words,

“We’ve a baby; did you know?”

The passer-by caught the accents soft,

And the words seemed to linger there,

Like the fragrant breath of the sweet June rose

On the summer’s balmy air.

And the stranger smiled ’neath his load of cares,

And the sunlight seemed to glow

With a brighter beam, as the echoes came,

“We’ve a baby; did you know?”

And all the way from the cottage bright

Where our mother Eve once sung,

The same sweet words have been spoken oft;

And the echoes clear have rung

Through the summer glades and upon the hills

That were wrapped in robes of snow,

The sweet child voices oft have said,

“We’ve a baby; did you know?”

We all forget what our griefs have been,

And the toils and tears and strife,

As the wee bright angels come to earth,

Just born to an endless life;

And the words will fall like a holy thrill,

As adown life’s path we go,

And listen yet to the echoes sweet,

“We’ve a baby; did you know?”

[LULLABY OF THE MOON]

Softly sway the little cradle;

Softly in the quiet night

Let my pure beams touch the darling,

As I kissed Eve’s babies bright.

As I played among the tresses

Of her lovely Abel’s head,

As I poured my floods of silver

’Round her happy ones long fled.

When the grand old Ark was building,

Noah’s babies then I kissed,

And they laughed and cooed their welcome,

When full-orbed I cheered the east.

Through the long and fearful Deluge

I was hidden from the Ark,

But when cleared away the tempest

And the sky was chill and dark,

Then I rose, my lamp full-burning,

Pouring silver on the flood,

Till the mighty, shoreless ocean,

Sparkling, shouted praise to God.

How I watched the Ark while billows

Were returning to their place,

And glad hearts from Noah’s window

So rejoiced to see my face.

Sway the little cradle softly;

Let me touch the darling’s cheek.

Every darling, through the ages,

In their thoughts to me will speak.

Baby lips for me are smiling;

Baby fingers point to me,

When my silver sails spread widest

On the great, blue, silent sea.

[BABY’S BED]

Baby’s little bed should be

White as drifting snow;

Pure and sweet as Heaven’s air,

Where the soft clouds glow.

Baby’s tiny coverlet

Should be lambs’ wool white,

Dainty as the pelican,

Fluffy, warm and light.

Baby’s pillow should be made

Light as eider down,

With a cover clean and soft

As its little gown.

Pin a rose upon the wall,

Something great or small,

Place where baby’s eyes can see

In its quiet revery.

Baby understands the flowers;

They will cheer its waking hours.

Place the feathered songster near;

Let him trill for baby’s ear.

Baby understands sweet song,

With no words of right or wrong.

Guileless babies. Jesus told

How, within the Heavenly Fold,

All the little ones, in grace

See our Father’s blessed face.

There what holy song they learn,

Ne’er to evil ways to turn.

Half the soul-buds of the world

Go to Heaven to be unfurled;

In that Home where ne’er was heard

Thought of sin or evil word.

Baby’s bed is ready now.

See the gladness light its brow.

Softly tuck the velvet feet;

Kiss the dimpled fingers sweet;

Gently sing a lullaby,

Till Love shuts its starry eye.

Baby’s bed’s a sacred place,

Free from every guile.

E’en the weariest of earth

Can but look and smile.

Be not proud, the angels there

Guard the precious one with care,

And the light from Pearly Gates

Shines across the bed,

Where the shining angel waits

At the cradle head.

Sweetest vigils we will keep,

Hush! the darling is asleep.

[BABIES]

Darling babies, precious babies!

To the cradles flocking, flocking;

Little men and little women

In the cradles rocking, rocking.

Sweetest baby voices cooing;

Dimpled fingers clasping, playing;

Baby smiles and baby glances,

From the cradles swaying, swaying.

O! the stars may pale in ashes,

And the sun may cease its glowing;

But these new-born souls forever

Must be onward going, going!

Bless these tender hearts, O Saviour!

With Thy love these loves entwining;

Make them Thine own fadeless jewels.

In Thy crown forever shining.

[LULLABY OF THE ARCTIC]

Sleep, baby, sleep;—safe from the storm,

Hid in thy wrappings downy and warm

Tell all the drifting snow

Tell all the winds that blow,

That they must softly go;

Baby is here.

Sleep, baby, sleep; storm-clouds have fled,

And not a snow-flake touched baby’s bed!

Tell the Aurora bright,

Tell all the stars of night,

Send down your cheery light;

Baby is here!

Sleep, baby, sleep: God holds the world:

His starry banner now is unfurled.

Hear what the angels say,

Sent on their shining way,

One soul is pure as they;

Baby is here.

[BABY NOAH]

When Mother Lamech’s baby boy

In the bright hammock swung,

And Grandpapa Methuselah

Some cheery anthem sung,

As baby Noah sucked his thumb,

Or played with wee pink toes,

He knew not of the flood to come

With all its startling woes.

And when he clapped to see the stars

Peer through the heavens dark,

He did not know his dimpled hands

Would plan the precious Ark.

He knew not that the baby voice

Then learning “lullaby”

Must yet be by the nations heard,

Sent by the King on high;

That he must preach the coming Christ,

The Saviour yet to die,

And men would scoff and hate his name

And pass his warnings by;

That violence in all the earth

Would run its riot free,

Until the storm and cyclone came,—

Avenging powers to be.

And when the birds of morning sang

The chorus of the groves,

And baby Noah cooed and laughed

To see the bright-winged doves,

He knew not that on Ararat

The other side the Flood,

He would send forth a bird like that

To bring him tidings good.

So we, who shield our little ones

And guide their baby feet,

Know not the bitter that may come,

Or snares hid in the sweet.

We hold their hands and kiss their lips,

We wrap them in our love;

And yet a little while and then

Who’ll guide them when they rove?

Lord Jesus, Saviour of the lambs,

Bless Thou these little ones;

Teach us, O Lord, that we may teach

Thy daughters and Thy sons;

That we may right examples set,

In pleasure or in straits;

That they may in our footsteps go

And enter Pearly Gates.

[LULLABY OF THE OCEAN]

Rest, darling, rest,

On Ocean’s breast,

Millions of star-worlds are mirrored to-night

Till the great deep is all sparkling with light;

O the blue sea is a glorious sight,

Rocking my baby till morning shines bright!

Rest, baby, rest,

On the sea’s breast;

Beautiful Deep,

Rock us to sleep!

When the sea roars,

And the storm pours,

And the great billows so fearfully reel,

And the loud thunders burst peal upon peal,

Jesus, our Lord, lays His hand on the wheel,

Then the great waves come sobbing and kneel.

Rest, baby, rest,

On the sea’s breast;

Beautiful Deep,

Rock us to sleep!

[KEEP WARM THE BABY’S FEET]

O mother of the darling sweet,

Keep warm, keep warm the baby’s feet!

Would you make strong the tiny form,

Against disease, against the storm,

Then keep the precious feet most warm!

Countless little graves now hold

The tiny form within their fold,

Because in life their feet were cold.

Then, mother of the darling sweet,

Keep warm, keep warm the baby’s feet!

[LULLABY OF THE FOREST]

Sweet is summer’s breeze

Through the leafy trees,

Where the honeysuckles grow,

And the violets below

Open wide their bright blue eyes,

Looking towards the sunny skies.

Sleep, while gentle south winds blow

Over blossoms white as snow.

Now the sunset bird

By his trill has stirred

All the evening songsters near;