Music at a Death Bed

Music at a Death Bed
by Juliet H. Lewis, aged 14 years

Oh! sing to me sweet sister, sing
The song I loved to hear,
And when I’m gone, oh sing it still
And think I’m lingering near.

Oh! let me hear before I leave
This world for yonder skies,
The trembling tones of thy rich voice,
On sighing zephyrs rise.

Oft whilst we’ve watched the weary sun,
Behind the mountains hide,
Casting his soft, and parting light
On Susquehanna’s tide,

And standing by our mother’s side,
Or by our father’s knee,
That song has risen on the breeze;
Oh! sing it now for me—

In fancy then will rise the scenes
Of my loved childhood’s home;
Again I’ll pluck my favorite flow’rs,
And through my loved haunts roam!

The forms of those in childhood dear,
Before me I shall see,
And present sorrow’ll be forgot;
Then sing that song for me.

The deep rich tones so sweetly rose
Upon the evening air;
They seemed to stay the hand of death,
And angels lingered there.

The song now ceased—the wail of grief
Succeeded that sweet lay;
For with the loved and dying strains
Her spirit passed away.