Barren Age and withered World!
Oh!the dying leaves,Like a drizzling rain,Falling round the roof -Pattering on the pane!
Frosty Age and cold,cold World!
Ghosts of other days,Trooping past the faded fire,Flit before the gaze.
Now the wind goes soughing wild O'er the whistling Earth;And we front a feeble flame,Sitting round the hearth!
Sitting by the fire,Watching in its glow,Ghosts of other days Trooping to and fro.
Oh,the nights -the nights we've spent,Sitting by the fire,Cheerful in its glow;Twenty summers back -
Twenty years ago!
If the days were days of toil Wherefore should we mourn;There were shadows near the shine,Flowers with the thorn?
And we still can recollect Evenings spent in mirth -Fragments of a broken life,Sitting round the hearth:
Sitting by the fire,Cheerful in its glow,Twenty summers back -Twenty years ago.
Beauty stooped to bless us once,Sitting by the fire,Happy in its glow;Forty summers back -
Forty years ago.
Words of love were interchanged,Maiden hearts we stole;And the light affection throws Slept on every soul.
Oh,the hours went flying past -
Hours of priceless worth;
But we took no note of Time,Sitting round the hearth:
Sitting by the fire,Happy in its glow,Forty summers back -Forty years ago.
Gleesome children were we not?
Sitting by the fire,Ruddy in its glow,Sixty summers back -Sixty years ago.
Laughing voices filled the room;
Oh,the songs we sung,When the evenings hurried by -When our hearts were young!
Pleasant faces watched the flame -
Eyes illumed with mirth -
And we told some merry tales,Sitting round the hearth:
Sitting by the fire,Ruddy in its glow,Sixty summers back -Sixty years ago.
Barren Age and withered World!
Oh,the dying leaves,Like a drizzling rain,Falling round the roof -Pattering on the pane!
Frosty Age and cold,cold World!
Ghosts of other days,Trooping past the faded fire,Flit before the gaze.
Now the wind goes soughing wild O'er the whistling Earth;And we front a feeble flame,Sitting round the hearth:
Sitting by the fire,Watching,in its glow,Ghosts of other days Trooping to and fro!
