[Illustration: JULIA CARTER ALDRICH, (PETRESIA PETERS.)] HAZEL BLOOM, BY JULIA CARTER ALDRICH. (PETRESIA PETERS.) _Mother! O, holy music in the sound_ _Of that dear word—Mother! O, visions sweet_ _That crowd the mind and thickly cluster round,_ _To drive out tempting wiles, and leave replete_ _The soul’s most lofty plans, and purest thought!_ * * * * * _Could man have known the part divine, repressed_ _Through youthful life, for noblest womanhood,_ _When she should pass to dear maternity—_ _Had he the Christ, in Mother, rightly known,_ _Kind Heaven had spared the pains of Calvary._ _Through her the first of Heavenly love is shown—_ _Through her, first glimpses caught of Christ, of God._ _B. F. Aldrich._ [Illustration] BUFFALO: CHARLES WELLS MOULTON, 1899. COPYRIGHT BY JULIA CARTER ALDRICH. 1899. _In memory of that sainted one, My Mother, This volume is inscribed to the Mothers— The Home-makers of our land, By one who has known The breadth and depth Of maternal hope and joy— Whose soul has continually drank, Thro’ all the years of Motherhood, From that well-spring of Blessing— Unfailing, filial devotion._ _J. C. A._ INDEX. The Weaver 9 Mystery 11 In Childhood’s Years 14 In the City of Suffering 15 Heliotrope 18 Constancy 20 Estranged 22 My Inkstand 25 History of One Life 26 Evening 27 Rondeaux 29 Solace of the Flowers 30 Regret 32 Hazel Bloom 35 Life’s Shuttle 38 Springtime 40 For Insomnia 42 Mother 45 Eoline’s Dream 48 Our Own 52 Wounded Faith 55