Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-07-11
SELECT POETRY.
THE WIFE.
BY. JOHN G. WHITTIER.

BY JOHN G. WHITTIER.
From school and ball and rout she came,
The city's fair pale daughter
To drink the wine of mountain air
Beside the Bearcamp Wafer
Her step grpH irmpr on the hills ~
That watch our homesteads over;
On check and lips, from summer fields,
She caught the bloom of clover.
For health comes sparkling in the streams
From cool Chocorua stealing,
There's iron in our northern winds
Our pines are frees of healing.
She sat beneath the broad armed elms
That skirt the moving meadow,
And watched the gentle west wind WcaYc
The grass with shine and shadow.
Beside her, from the summer heat
TO share her grateful screening,
With forehced barred, the farmer stood,
Upon his pitchfork leaning.
Framed in It's 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 wife,
Your mother lacks Il daughter" I'll
"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 skillful hand d.
And cheerful heart for treasure,
Who never played with ivory keys,
Or danced the polka measure"
lie bent his black brows TO a frown,
lie set his white teeth tightly,
Ills well he said, 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 unmCGtncSs.
Itself lis best excuse, it asks
No leave of pride or fashion
When silkcn zone or homespun frock
1t stirs with thrOGS OF passion.
"You think me deaf and blind; YOU bring
our NinIiinS SidCCS nltIlcI
AS tree as if from cradle time
We two had played together
"'YOu tempt me with yonr laughing eyes,
Your check OF sunGUwn's blusi!cs,
4 motion rs Of wayeing grain,
\ music as Of thruShcs.
"Thc plaything of your summer sport,
The spells you weave around me,
You cannot at your will undo,
Nor Leave me as you found me.
"You go rs lightly as. you ca;a4R,
Your life is well without ne;
What care you that these hills will close
Like prison walls about mcg
"No gloGGi Is mine to seek wife,
Or daughter for my mother;
Who loves you loses in that love
All power to love another!
II dare your pity or your scorn.
With pride your own exceeding;
| fling my heart into your Jap
:. Without word OF pleading"
She locked up from the waving grass
SO archiy yet, so tender;
"And if give you mine" said she,
'Wiil you forgive the lcnderg"
mo frocll nor tan can hide the man;
And see you not, my farmer,
How weak and fond Il woman waits
Behind this Silkcn armor?
Il love you: on that f0ye aienc.
And not my worth, rrcsuming,
Will you not trust for summer fruit
The tree in May-day blooming:"
Alone the hangbird overhead,
His Iair swung cradle straining,
Looked down 10 see loves miracle
The giving that is gaining.
And so the farmer found IL wife,
His mother found daughter;
There looks no happier home than hers
On pleasant Bearcamp Water
Flowers spring TO blossom where she walks
The carcfiIs sy;yS Of Jlutys
Our hard, stiff lines of life with iler
Are flowing curves of beauty.
Our homes ere chccrier for her sake,
Our dOor-yards brighter blooming,
And all about the social air,
Is swectcr for her coming.
IfLo9fa~ DGufLM