p. 10 | THE MOTHER'S WELCOME by Ada Stewart Shelton

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Oct 12, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 40.

THE MOTHER'S WELCOME.

By Ada Stewart Shelton

It is night upon the prairie, And a crescent moon looks down, While a wagon, slowly creaking, Makes its way from distant town, Makes its way to home and shelter Where a friendly light burns clear, And the glow within the doorway Speaks of welcome, love, and cheer.

'Gainst the glow there stands a woman With a sad yet tender smile, Watching, listening, through the darkness, Tho she scarce keeps back the while Mingled tears of joy and sorrow, And her heart is beating wild, For the wagon, slowly nearing, Brings to her a little child.

Will it love her? Will it ever Win from her a mother's love? Will she give it true devotion? And she prays to God above— Prays to God who keeps her darlings Safe from all the world's alarms, Yet her mother-heart is hungry For their little clinging arms; For the sound of baby voices, For the patter of their feet, For the joy of happy childhood Making life a thing more sweet; Sickness came, in vain they fought it With the love that sometimes saves, But the silver moon is shining On three little children's graves.

So she waits there in the darkness While her heart is beating fast With the promise of the future, With the memories of the past; From the “Christian Home” is coming To her motherly embrace Some poor, friendless little orphan In her heart to find a place.

Then a voice she loves calls bravely, Tho it bears a hint of tears, “Have you welcome ready, mother, For two sleepy little dears— 'Tis a brother and a sister And they both have eyes of blue. At the Home they never part them— Don't you think we've room for two?”

Opening wide her arms she took them, Close the orphans nestled there; Room in heart? and room at hearthstone? “Room?” she answered; “Room to spare!” And that night upon the prairie While the stars their vigils kept, Two glad watchers knelt together As their new-found children slept,

—Ada Stewart Shelton.