Aunt Chloe

I remember, well remember,
  That dark and dreadful day,
When they whispered to me, “Chloe,
  Your children’s sold away!”

It seemed as if a bullet
  Had shot me through and through,
And I felt as if my heart-strings
  Was breaking right in two.

And I says to cousin Milly,
  “There must be some mistake;
Where’s Mistus?” “In the great house crying⁠—
  Crying like her heart would break.

“And the lawyer’s there with Mistus;
  Says he’s come to ’ministrate,
’Cause when master died he just left
  Heap of debt on the estate.

“And I thought ’twould do you good
  To bid your boys good-bye⁠—
To kiss them both and shake their hands,
  And have a hearty cry.

“Oh! Chloe, I knows how you feel,
  ’Cause I’se been through it all;
I thought my poor old heart would break,
  When master sold my Saul.”

Just then I heard the footsteps
  Of my children at the door,
And I rose right up to meet them,
  But I fell upon the floor.

And I heard poor Jakey saying,
  “Oh, mammy, don’t you cry!”
And I felt my children kiss me
  And bid me, both, good-bye.

Then I had a mighty sorrow,
  Though I nursed it all alone;
But I wasted to a shadow,
  And turned to skin and bone.

But one day dear Uncle Jacob
  (In heaven he’s now a saint)
Said, “Your poor heart is in the fire,
  But child you must not faint.”

Then I said to Uncle Jacob,
  If I was good like you,
When the heavy trouble dashed me
  I’d know just what to do.

Then he said to me, “Poor Chloe,
  The way is open wide:”
And he told me of the Saviour,
  And the fountain in His side.

Then he said “Just take your burden
  To the blessed Master’s feet;
I takes all my troubles, Chloe,
  Right unto the mercy-seat.”

His words waked up my courage,
  And I began to pray,
And I felt my heavy burden
  Rolling like a stone away.

And a something seemed to tell me,
  You will see your boys again⁠—
And that hope was like a poultice
  Spread upon a dreadful pain.

And it often seemed to whisper,
  Chloe, trust and never fear;
You’ll get justice in the kingdom,
  If you do not get it here.