The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-02-22
From the National Egis.
MAUD MULLER .--By Jo,rn q. Whittier.


A wish, iha, she ardly dared 10 own,
For something better than she had known.
The Judge rode slowly down the lane,
Smoothing his horse IS chestnut name.
He drew his bride in the shade
OF The apple-,rees, TO greet the maid,
And ask tlraughl from the spring that flowed
Through The meadow, across'the road.
She stopped where the. cool spring bub5led
up,
And filled for him her small Tin cup,
And blushed as she gave ii looking down
On her feet go bare, and her lattered gown.
@Thanks!n said the Judge, ca sweeier draught
From fairer hand was never quaffed."
He spoke of the grass and flowers and trees,
OF the singing birds and lie humming bees;
Then talked of the haying, and wondered
whether Ter.
The cloud IN the wesiwoult bring foul wea,h
And Maud forgot her brier-iorn gown,
And her graceful ark les bare and brown
And listened, while pleased surpri,e
Looked from her long flashed haze! eyes.
Al last, like one who for delay
Seeks vain excuse, he rode away.
Maud nj uller looked and sighed " All me
That the Judges bride might be
>iHe would dress me up la silks so fine,
And praise and least -n.e. his -rglns------
q MY father should wear broadcloth coat !;
My brother should sail painted boat.
" I'd dress my mother SO grand and gay,
And lhe baby should have a new 10Y each day
=" And I'd feed the hungry and clolhe The
poor,
And all should bless me who left our door. +"
The Judge looked back as he climbed the
hull,
And saw Maud Muller standing still.
"a form more fair, face more sweet,
Meier hath il been my lol TO meet.
"And her modest answer and graceful air
Show her wise and good as she Is fair.
"Would she wore mine, and Today,
Like her, harvester OF hay.
sNo doubtful balance ofrighIs and wrongs
No weary lawyers with endless tongues
aBu, low of cattle and song OF birds,
And health aud quiet and loving words"
But he thought of his sister, proud aud cold
And his mother, vain of her rank and gold
SO, closing his heart, the Judge rode on,
And Maud was left in the field alone.
Blu, tie lawyers smiled rha, afternoon,
When he hummed IN court an old loveluue
And the young gill mused beside The well,
Till the rain on the unrased clover fell.
He welded wife oi richest dover,
Who lived Ion fashion, as he for power.
Yet oft, in his marble hearth's bright glow,
He watched brigh! picture come aud go:
Aud sweet Maud Muller's hazel eyes
Looked out in their fnnocen. surprise.
on, when The wine in his glass was red,
He longed Ior the waysithe well instead;
And closed his eyes on his gafnished rooms
To dream OF meadows and clovH brooms.
And the proud man sighed with secret
pain,
"Ah, thalI were free againl
aFree as when rode that day
Where the barefoot maiden rakej the hay.'
She welded a man unIe armed and poor,
And many children played FOUND her door
Bu,. care and sorrow, and childbirth pain,
Lelt .heir traces on heart and brain.
And oft, when the summer sun shone hot
On The new-mown hay in the meadow lot.
And she heard the little spring brook fall
Over the roadside, through the wall.
In the shade of the apple-tsee again
She saw rider draw his rein,
And, gazing down with timic grace,
She felt has pleased eyes read her face.
Sometimes her narrow kitchen walls
Slretched away into stately halls !;
\ The weary wheel 10 spinnet turned,
The iallow candle an astral burned,
And Tor him who sat by the chimney.lug
Dozing and grumbliDg o'ef pipe and mug,
A manly form at her side she saw,
And Joy was duty and love and law.
Then she took up her burden of life again,
Saying only, /" Il might have BEEN"
Alas for maiden, alas for Judge;
For noh repiner and household drudge!
God pi,y them both ! and pity US all,
Who vsinly the dreams oil youth recall
For of ali sad words of tongue or pen,
The sadiesl are these Ii might have been
All. well! for us ell some sweet hope hes
Deeply buried from human eyes;
And. in the hereafter, angels may
Roll The stone from its grave away