The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-11-19
pOttrp.
THE I

From school. and ball and route she came,
The city'a fair, pale daughter,
To drink the wine Of mountain fair
Beside the Bearcamp Water.
Her step grew hrmar on the hills
That watch our homesteads over;
On check and lip from summer helds,
She caught the bloom Of clover.
For health comes sparkling in the streams
From cool Chocorna stealing,
There's iron In our northern winds,
our pines are trees Of healing.
She sat beneath The broad armed clms
That skirt the mowing-meadow,
Aud 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 barred, 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.
10 mend your frock and bake your bread,
You do not need a lady
BE sure among these brown old homcs,
Il some one waiting ready
Some fair. sweet girl with skiilfoi hand
Aud cheerful heart for treasure,
Who never played vat ivory Keys
or danced the polya'a measure.
He bont his dark brows 30 a novn
lie set his white teeth tightly,
"'ris we'll. he said, 'for one like you
To choose Tor me so lightly,
"You think because my nfo is rude,
l take no noto OF sweetness;
I tell you love has naught to do
With meetncHs or unmoetncHs.
"Itsclf lie best excuse, II asks
No leave Of pride or fashion
When Eilkou zone or homCHpun mock
Il stirs with throbs Of passion
"You think me deaf and blind: you bring
our winning graces hithcr
As free o. IL from cradle time
We two had played together.
"You tempt me with your laughing eyes,
Your chocks Of auudown's bushes,
A motion az OF waving grain,
Amusic as OF thrufhcs.
THE plaything Of your Fummer sport,
The spells YOU weave around me
You eau not Of your will undo.
Nor leave me aa YOU found mo.
you go 40 lightly M you camo,
four life h woll without me-
What care you that these bills will close
Like prison walls about me
"Nomood Ia mine 10 seek q wife,
III NuHuWLN.W foe FH.N F..NNHUH
Who love you loses Ia that love
All power to love auothori
II dare your pity or your scorn
with pride your wi CNceodiugi
l ding my heart into your lap
without a word OF pleading"
She looked up from the waving grass
SO archly, yet 30 tender,
And ~ I give you mine, she said,
win you forgive the lendorf'
"Nor frock nor tan can hide tho man
And see you not, my farmer.
How weak and fond q woman wars
Behind this silGcn armori
~ love you; on that love alone,
Aud not my worth presumiug,
VIII You not trust for summer fruit
The tree In May-day bloonmg1'
Alone the hangbird overhead,
His hair-struug cradle strliuing,
Looked down 10 see loves miiaclU-
The giving that IL gaining.
And 40 tho farmer found a wife,
His mother found q daughter;
There looks no happier bone than hers
on pleasant Bearcamp Water.
Flowers spring 10 blossom whore she walks
The careful ways u duty.
our hard, stiii lines Of life with her
Arc flowing curves Of beauty.
Our homes are chcorer for her sake,
our door-yards brighter blooming,
And all about the social air,
IL swCcter for her coming.