The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-09-15
DARBY AND JOAN,

When Darby saw the setting sun, -, :
He swung his scythe and homo he ran, g..
Sat down, drank off his quart, and said,
my work is done, I'll go to bed" r.
MY work is donel }" retorted Joan, y -.
"'My work is done! = your constant tone;
But helpless woman ne'er can say
Her work is done, till Judgment Day.. :l:-
You men can sleep all night, but We
Must toll" "Whose fault is that'" quoth he
"Iknow your meaning" Joan replied,
"But, sir, my tongue shall not be tied
I will 20 on, and let you know
What work poor women have to do:
First, in the morning, th6ugh;we feel
As sick as drunkards when they reel,-
Yes, feel such pains in back or head
As would confine you men to bed
; We ply the brush, We WELD the broom,
We ali tho beds and right the room;
Thte COWS must next be milk'dT-and then
We,get tho breakfast for the men.
Ere this is done, with whimperins cries
And bristlyrhatr the children rise;
These must be dress'd and dosd with rue,
- And fed-and all because ofyou!
= We next'--hear Darby scratched his head
And stole off grumbling to his bed;
And only said, as on the run, -
!? .sZounds! woman's clack.is never done'
At early down, ere Phabus rose,
Old Joan resumed her tale Of woes;
When Darby thus-"I' end the strife,
-.or op5 tho vuifas
Take YOU the scythe and NOW, while 1
=, With all your boasted cares supply" -,
. 'Content," quoth Joan, "give me my stlnt'
This Darby did, and out she went'
Old Darby rose and seiz'd the oroom' =,
And whirl'd the dirt about the room;
Which having done, he scarce knew ho~'
He hied to milk the brindled COW,
The biindleti COW whisk'd round her tail
In Dsrby's eyes, and kicked ths pail
The clown, perplex'd with grief fand pain,
swore he'd ne'er try to milk again:
Whom turning round, in sad amaze,
He saw his cottage in q blaze =,
For a. he chanc'd to brush the room
IN careless haste, he llred thebroom. .'''
J The fire 1t last subdu'd, he swore
The broom and he should meet no more.
Press'd by misfortune and perplex'd,
Darby prepared for breakfast next;
But what to got he scarcely knew
The bread was spent, the butter too.
:. His hands dedaub'd with; pasts and -four.
Old Darby labor'd full IN hour;
But, luckless wight! thou couldst not make
The bread take, form Of loaf or cake.
As svery door wide open stood,
In push'd the SOW in quest of food;
And, stumbling onwards, with her snout
O'erset the churn-the cream ran out.
As Darby turn'd, the sow to beat,..1
The slipp'ry cream betrayal his feet;
He caught. the bread trough in his fall,
And down came Darby, trough and all.
The children, waken'd by the clatter,.
Start up and cry, "Oh! what's the matter!"
Old Jowler barked, and Tabby mew'd,
: 'Andibapless Darby bawrd loud,
ssReturn, my Joan, as heretofore,
I'll play the housewives part no more; -
:. Since now, by sad experience taught,
compar'd to thine, my work is naught.
Henceforth as business calls, I II take,
I Content, the plough, the scythe, the rake,
And never more trausgress the line .
: Our fates have mark'd, while thou art mine.
Then, Joan, return; al heretofore, ..'
{ .IIlyex your honest soul no more: -,
Let each our proper task attend
] Forgive thspsst, add itraye tonend:'' 4u.,.