Sitting, sad­ly think­ing, dream­ing,
In the twi­light’s deep­en­ing gloom,
While the fire throws dus­ky sha­dows,
All around the si­lent room.
Brightly rose the sun at morn­ing,
Hope’s bright arch was in the air;
Earth with pear­ly dew was gem­mèd,
All the world seemed bright and fair.

Refrain

Once my life was bright as morn­ing,
Love and hope their sun­light gave;
Now my hap­pi­ness is bur­ied
In a loved one’s for­eign grave.

Now the shades of night are ga­ther­ing,
And the sun has sunk away,
And the bright-hued clouds of sun­set,
Are all fad­ing in­to gray.
Night is com­ing, cold and cheer­less,
Vanished quite each sun­ny ray;
Is the fu­ture dark and drea­ry
As those clouds of som­ber gray?

Refrain

Little Min­nie stood be­side me,
And her ear­nest eyes met mine:
Auntie, you have oft­en told me
We are ruled by pow­er divine;
We know He made the burn­ing sun,
As well as the gloomy night;
Tho’ the clouds to us look dark,
On the other side they’re bright.

Then I kissed her lips of crim­son,
And the sad­ness left my heart;
Infant lips had taught the les­son
Worldly love could ne’er im­part.