The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1855-01-25
MAUD MULLER

tJOHS GREEsLGlF WHiTuEa u one OF the Poets, a
Inc columns Of Tas Nafisnai Era awhereofhe hasIonl
been soefesPoadtng Editor, abundantiy a,issl.-
Here 10 the last eoitrbaiion 70 that eEeeleRi paper
MAUO MsLLEE, on q ssmmsr's day, ...
Raked the meadow sweet with hay.
Beneati'her torn hat %lowed-the wealth
OF simple beauty and rustie health.
Singing, she wropghi, and her merry sios
The mock bird scYpsd fTouI his Gee.
Bat, when she glanced 10 tic fir-oGto~n
White from rs hiii-sicpe looking down,
The sweet song died, and vague unrest
And nameiess longing aiied her breast
A Wish, that she hardly dsredto own,
For something bettsr than she had known.
The Jnds. rods slowly down tie lane,
Smoothing his horss's chestnut name. ~. = B.
He drew his bhdlc inthe stsde
OF the apple trsss, To srestthe maid Il. -4. q.
And'ask drangAt from the spriDg Thai sow,a
Through the meadow, across the rosd. DO ss-
shs stopped where the cooisiTing dubbed up, ae
Aad alledfor him her small tin cup, - 1850
And blashed as she gavsit, looking down BIB
on'ber feet 50 bare ilnd her t4tteTsd gown. .,..
I ,-'ThsHks!'i said rhe Jadyc, "a swseter draugki
. EiOih A-4fSf MAUI .NaSurNei I0u4ucos A..
lie spoke Of the srHs and flowers andirees,
fihs singing birds aud ths hunming bees;
Then tlked Of the baying, aud wondered whether
Tbs cloud in the Nes;Sould bring foh weather.
And Maud forsother brier-iorn gown,
And her graceful ankles tare and brown; '
Aud listened, while Pleased surprss
I LOOTED from her iong-ashed hazel eyes.
7 Atiast. like one who for delay
Seeks a, ain excuse, be rode away. 81.
I Maud Muller looked ard sighed "Ah, me!
That the Jedge's bride rulgit tsI
( ale would dress me up In silks 80 GRS, af
| Aud prase and toast at his vine.
"liy faith sr should wear d broadyioth coal;
Ay brother should sail painted boat. ....
'.I'd dress my mother 50 grand and gay,
AnJ the baby should have new TOY each day. f.
"Apd I'd feed the hungry and elothe the poor,
And all shoald bless me who lefi Our door"
Tho Judge looked back as h. climbed The hill,
Aud saw Mud Aall n standing stIl.
"a form more fair, afle, mora sweet,
Ne'orha.h it been my lot 10 meet
sand her modest answer and graceful air
slowhsr vise and good she isfair. Ie
'swouId she were mine, and To-day "
Like her, aharve5ter or lIay:' 800
"No doubtful balance OF rights and wrongs,
Nor weary lawyers with endless tongues,
"But low ofeattle and song Of birds, '.
And health and quiet iind loving words.m ss
Bat he thoaght his sisters proud and cold,
And his mother vain Of her rank and gold.
So, closing his heart, the Judge he rode on,
And Maud was left in tho f,ld alone ..
Bat the lawyers smiled that afternoon, ...
When he hummed in eoart an old love tans;
AMI ths yolnS girl IL l5eI beside the we'll, lag
Till The rain on the unraked clover fell.
H. we'd a wife OF richest dover, ....
WhoiiYsd for fashion, as he for power
Yet oft, in his marble hearths bright glow,
H. watched picture come and go:
! And sweet Maud Nlrler's hazel eyes
Looked out in th.r Innocent surprise.
, On, when the wine In his glass was rod
, II, ,longeI for the weysldo well instead;
And elosedh!s eyes on hi, gsrnsheI rooms,
rodrean Of meadows and clover blooms.
! And the proud man sighed, with s.cret pains
"Ah, that were froe agahi t
s'Pree as when rode thai day,
. Where the barsfoo; maiden raked her hay,
She welded man unlearned and poor,
> And many children played roand her door,
But care and sorro and childbirth pain,
I Lcfi Ihsir traces on heart and brain.
And OF, when the summer san shone hot
! On the new7mown hay in the meadow lot,
! And she heard Che HtAe spring brock fall
d Over the roadsils. throurh tn. wall
d lathe shade ofthe apple-tree again
J. She saw u rider draw his rein.
J. And, gazing down with timed grace.
She felt his pleased eyes read her faes.
Sometimes her narrow kitchen walls
stretchecdaway into stately halls;
l. The weary wheel to a splnnet turned,
J. The tallow candle an astral burned,
e And for him who 81. by the ehimney-lug,
e Doing and grnmbling o'er pipe and mug.
y manly form at her side she saw,
= Aud joy was duty and love was law.
% Then she took up her burden OF lifs again,
4 Saying only, ''it might have been."
Alas for maiden, alas for Judge,
For rich rspner and household drudsci
! God pity them bothl and pity Us all
: Who yainly tue drsams Of youth recall.
For of all sad words of tons1e or pen,
Tho saddest are these: ut might have been!"
3D. All, we'll for US all some sweet hope lies
ie Deeply buried from human eyes
: And, in the hereafter, angels may. ,- .....
IN Roll the stone from its grave aWsyi