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| Stuart Magee |
In my Dad’s book
The Clyde River and Batemans Bay, he found himself poking about a cemetery,
piecing together some history of the people in the region.
“I was driving out
of the place when I noticed a grave on its own on the other side of the road. There
was a lady there. Teresa Langworthy buried in 1903 at the age of 58, with only
one sentiment endorsed on her headstone – “Waiting”. Why was Teresa in such a
lonely spot and for what was she waiting? As I stood looking, the CD in the car
was just reaching a track where the great Scots tenor, Kenneth McKellar sings,
as only he can, the beautiful song “Angels Guard Thee”. It seemed not
inappropriate to the occasion. So I opened all the doors and tailgate, and
turned up the volume flat chat. The music streamed out over all the graves,
soared up through the treetops, and it seemed to be well received by the
audience.”
This story makes
the family smile, as we can all easily imagine this moment as a very typical
Stuart Magee thing to do.
Angels guard thee
as sung by Kenneth Mcellar
Beneath the quiv’ring leaves, where shelter comes at last,
All sadness sinks to rest, or glides into the past;
Her sweet eyes prison’d now, in their soft silken bars,
O! my love, calm she sleeps beneath the trembling stars.
Ah! wake not yet from thy repose,
A fair dream spirit hovers near thee,
Weaving a web of gold and rose,
Through dream land’s happy isles to bear thee!
Sleep, love, it is not yet the dawn,
Angels guard thee, sweet love, til morn!
Far from the noisy throng, by song birds lulled to rest,
Where rock the branches high by breezes soft carres’d;
Softly the days go on, by sorrow all unharm’d,
Thus may life be to thee a sweet existence charm’d.
The Clyde River and Batemans Bay
Published 2001, by Stuart Magee
Copyright, all rights reserved
ISBN: 0-646-40938-7
Stuart Magee: May 18, 1933 - February 24, 2022