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The elder children soon come dropping in,
At service out, among the farmers round;
come drive the plough, some herd, some careful run
A clever errand, to a neighb'ring town;
Their eldest hope, their Jenny, woman grown,
In youthful bloom, health sparkling in her eye.
Comes home perhaps, to shew her braw new gown,
Or else to lay her hard earn'd penny by,
To help her parents dear if they in hardship lie.
With joy unfeign'd, brothers and sisters meet,
And each for other's welfare kind inquires;
the social hours, swift-wing'd, unnotic'd fleet;
Each tells the news that he sees or hears;
The Parents' partial eye their hopeful years;
Anticipation forward points the view!
The mother with her needle and her shears,
Makes old clothes look almost as well as new,
The Father mixes all with admonition due.
Their Master's and their Mistress's command,
The Youngers all are warned to obey;
And mind their labours with a careful band,
And ne'er, tho' out of sight, to lurk or play;
And O! be sure to fear the Lord alway!
And mind your duty, duly, morn and night,
Best in Temptation's path ye go astray,
Implore his counsel and assisting might;
They never sought in vain, that sought the Lord aright.'
But hark! a rap comes gently to the door;
Jenny, who knows the meaning of the same
