The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1868-11-27
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THE WIFE.
ny J. g. WHITTIER,

| From school, and ball, and route She came
The city's fair, pale daughter,
| To drink the wine Of mountain fair
Beside the Bearcamp Water.
Tier step grew frmer on the hills
| That watch our hOmesteads over
On cheek and lips, from summer felis,
She caught the bloom OF clover.
For health comes sparkling in tho streams
From cool Ohocorna stealing
| There's iron in our Northern winds,
Our pines are trees of healing.
She sat beneath the broad-armed elms
That skirt the moving meadow,
And watched the gentle west wind weave
The grass with shine and shadow
Beside her, from the summer heat,
To share her grateful screening,
With forehead bare, the farmer stood,
Upon his pitchfOrk leaning
Framed in its damp, dark locks, his face
Had nothing mean or common
Strong, manly, true, the tenderness
And pride beloved Of woman.
She looked up, glowing with the health
The country air had brought her,
And laughing, said "You lack a wife,
Your mother lacks a daughter.
TO mend your frock and bake your bread,
You do not need lady;
Be sure among these brown old homes,
Is some one waiting ready
Some fair, sweet girl with skillhll hand
And cheerful heart for treasure,
Who never played with ivory keys,
Or danced ttepolka's measure"
He bent his black brows to frown,
He set his white teeth tightly,
otis WE'LL" he said, I" for one like you,
To choose for me SO lightly
You think, because my life is rude,
take no note of sweetness
| tell you love has naught to do
With meetness or uumeetness,
Itself its best excuse, It asks
No leave Of pride or fashion,
When silken zone, or homespun frock
1t stirs with throbs of passion.
" You think me deaf and blind you bring
Your WANING graces hither
As free as If from cradle time
We two had played together.
/" You tempt me with your laughing eyeg,
Your cheek OF sundowu's hlushes
A motion as Of waving grain,
A music as Of thrusbes.
1.-THE plaything of your summer sport,
The spells you weave around me
| You cannot Of yeur will undo,
Nor leave me as you found me.
"You 20 az lightly as you came,
Your life 10 well without ne;
| What care you that these hills will close
| vrtsnn uraftu ahanf
H No mood is mine 20 seek a wife,
Or daughter for my mother;
Who loves Jou loses in that love
An power 10 love another.
al dare your pity or your scOrn
With pride your own exceeding;
| | fling my heart into your lap
Without a word OF pleading"
She looked up from the waving grass
SO archly, yet SO tender,
" And II give you mine" she said,
"will you forgive the lender ?"
70 Nor frock nor tan can hide the NAM
And see yon not my farmer,
/ How weak and fond . woman war5
Behind this silken armot
nI love you on that love alone,
And not my worth presuming,
/ viii ron not trust for summer fruit
The tree in Nay-day bloomingP
Alous the hangbird overhead,
ais hair-sirunR cradle straining,
Looked down 70 see loves miracle
Ths giving that is gaining.
And 90 the farmer found wife,
His mother found daughter,
There looks no happier home than bets
On pleasant Bearcainp Water.
Flowers spring 70 blossom whore abe walk
The careful Whys of dut7i
Our hard, stif lines Of life With her
4 Are Saving curves of bess'y.
Our homes are ohserer for Der aks,
Oar doos -a,ds hfieAisf bieoni--;
And ~ about lhs sscisi -
lssvstisF 10 Der tomiag