448 SELECTED POETRY FOB THE GRANGE. 



Then he buttoned his coat straight up to his chin, 

 And steadily, solemnly waded in; 

 And his broad-brimmed hat he pulled down tight 

 Over his forehead, cold and white. 



But a strong &quot;wind carried away his hat; 

 A moment he silently sighed over that, 

 And then, as he gazed to the farther shore, 

 The coat slipped off, and was seen no more. 



As he entered heaven, his suit of gray 

 Went quietly sailing away, away; 

 And none of the angels questioned him 

 About the width of his beaver s brim. 



Next came Dr. &quot;Watts, with a bundle-of ^psalms 



Tied nicely up in his aged arms; 



And hymns as many a very wise thing, 



That the people in heaven &quot; all round&quot; might sing 



But I thought that he heaved an anxious sigh, 

 As he saw that the river ran broad and high; 

 And looked surprised as, one by one, 

 The psalms and hymns in the waves went down.. 



And after him, with his MSS., 



Came Wesley, the pattern of godliness 



But he: &quot; dear me, what shall I do? 



The water has soaked them through and through. 



And then on the river far and wide, 

 Away they went down the swollen tide, 

 4-nd the saint, astonished, went through alone, 

 Without his manuscript, up to the Throne. 



Then, gravely walking, two saints by name, 

 Down to the stream together came; 

 But as they stopped by the river s brink, 

 I saw one saint from the other shrink. 



&quot; Sprinkled or plunged, may I ask you, friend, 



How you attained to life s great end?&quot; 



* Thus, with a few drops on my brow.&quot; 



&quot; But I ve been dipped, as you see me now; 



And I really think, it will hardly do, 

 As I m close-communion, to cross with you; 

 You re bound, I know, to the realms of bliss, 

 But you must go that way, and I ll go this.&quot; 



