Maysville weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1864-1866, 1864-07-28
ut Might have Reen.D

vi simple beauty and rustic health.
Singing, she wrought, and her merry glss RI
The mock bird echoed from his tree.
BaDwhmshe glanced,in the far-off town,
White from its hill cpelooking down.
The sweet song died, and vague unrest
And q nameless longing filed her breast.
A wish that che hardly dared to own,
For something better than she had known.
The Judge rode slowly down the lane,
Smoothing his horses chestnut name.
20 drew his bride in the shade
the apple trees, to greet the maid.
And ask draught from the srring that flowed
Through themsadow across the road.
She stopped where the cool spring dubbed up,
Aud filed for him her small tin cup.
And blushed as she gave it looking down
On her feet bare, and her tattered gown.
"Thanksl' said the Judge, a ''sweeter draught
From fairer hand was never quaffed."
He spoke of the grass and flowers and trees,
Of the singing birds and the humming bees,
Then talked ofthe haying, and wonderwhether
The cloud in the west would bring foul weather.
And her graceful ankles, bare and brown;
And listened, while pleased surprise
Loekedfrom her long dashed hazel eyes.
At last, like one who fairer delay
Seeks avain excuse he rode away.
Maud Miller looked and sighed: "Ah me!
That the Judges bride might be! @
"He would dress me up in his silks so fine;
And Praise and toast me at his wine.
'My father should wear broadcloth coat,
My brother should sail painted boat.
"rd dress my mother so grand and gay, /
And the baby should have new toy each day.
Sand I'd feed the hungry and clothe the poor. r.
And allshould bless me who left our door,
The Judge looked back as he climbed the hill, |
And saw Maud Muller standing still.
ga form more fair, q face more sweet,
Meier hath it been my lot to meet;
"And her modest answer and her graceful air,
Show her wise and good as she is fair.
"Would she were mine, and to- day,
Like her haryests of hay;
No doubtful balance of rights and wrongs,
Nor weary lawyers with heavy tongues.
'But low of cattle and song of birds,
And health and quiet and loving words"
But he thought of his sister proud and 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.
But the lawyers smiled that afternoon,
When he hummed in court an old love tune;
And the young girl unused beside the well,
Till the rain on the unrakei clover fell.
He welded q wife of richest dover,
Who lived for passion as he for power,
Yet oft, in his marble hearth's bright glow,
He watched picture come and GO:
And sweet Maud MiIler's hazel eyes
Looked out in their innocent surprise.
Oft when the wine in his glass was red,
He longed for the way-side well instead;
And closed his eyes en- his garnished rooms,
10 dream of meadows and clover blooms.
And the proud man sighed, with secret pain:
" All, that were free againi
Free as when rode that day, r
here the barefooted maiden raked her hay.n L
She welded man unlearned and poor,
And many children played around her door. il
But care and sorrow, and child birth pain,
Left their traces on heart and brain.
Aud of, when the summer sun shoue hot
IN the new mown hay in the meadow lot. r.
Ind she heard the little spring brook fall
over the roadside through the wall,
n the shade Of the apple tree again -
he saw q rider draw his rein,
md, gazing down with tirnid grace, II
he felt his pleased eyes read her face.
ometimes her narrow kitchen walls L
sretehed away into stately halls;
be weary wheel to spinuet turned,
he tallow candle astral burned; n
nd for him who sat at the chimney lug,
osing and grumbling DER pipe and mug, Of
manly form at her side she saw,
nd joy was duty and love was law. m,
hen she took up her burden of life again,
y only, at might have BEEN" all
las for maiden, alas for Judge,
u rich rePiner and household drudgeI ers,
d pity them, bothl and pity rs all, jud
no vainly the dreams of youth recall d
7 all sad words of tongue or pen,
e saddest are these: at might have beenI'
!, WE'LL for us all some sweet home lies Il
ePly buried from human eyes: -- :"
d IN the hereafter, angels may r.
u the stone from its grave awayI IKI
j. ROSS. Al. NEWELL. GEO. W. BOSS. JR III