Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1871-05-25
out of the Old House.
WILL N. CARLETON,

| s and bid the old house good bye.
What a shell we've lived in, these nineteen
! or twrntv years
Wonder it hadn't smashed in, and tumblcd
about our ears;
Wonder it's stuck together and answered till
/ to-day,
Batevcry individual log was put up here to
| stay.
| Things looked rather new, though when this
| old house was built, -.
| And things that blossouied you, wouidfe
! s made some women wilt;
| And every other day, then, as sure as day
| would break,
Nv negbbor Ager came this way, inyitin
| me to shake"
And you, for want of neighbors, was some
! times blue and sad,
For wolves and bears and wild cats Tas the
nearest ones you had;
| Dut lookn' ahead to the clearin', we worked
! with all our might,
Until we was fairly out of the woods, and
things was goin' right.
Look up there at our new house Amt 1t a
thing to see
Tal, and big and handsome, and new as new
can be;
All in apple pie order, especially the shelves,
And never debt to say hut what We own it
all ourselves
Look at our old log house--how little it now
appears
But il. = never gone back on us, for nineteen
or twenty years;
And won. 60 back on 1t now, or GO to pok'
in' fun
There's such thing as praisin' thing for
the good it Las done.
Probably you remember how rich we was
that night
When we was fairly settled, an had things
snug and tight
We feel MS proud as YOU please, Nancy, over
our house that's new,
But we felt as proud under this old roof, and
and good deal prouder, too.
Never haudsomer house was seen beneath
SO the sun,
Kitchen aud parlor and bedroom we had
'em all in one;
And the fat wooden clock that we bought
when we came West,
Was ticking away IN the corner there, aud
doin' lis level best
Trees was all around ~, whisperin' chccriu
words,
Loud was the squirrels chatter, aud sweet
the songs Of birds;
And home grew sseetcr a9i hgighter-our
courage began 10 inS'rdh- - @
Anc things looked hearty and happy then,
and Work began to count.
And here, one night it happened, when
things was goin' bad
We fell ia a deep old qnarrel--the first we
ever bad
Aud when YOU give out and cried, then J.,
Ike fool give in,
An' then We az ED to rub all out, and start
the tliins ogin. +
Here II was, YOU remembers we sat when the
day was done,
And YOU was making clothing Mat uasst for
c tier oIte;
And often soft word of love | was soff
enough to say,
And the wolves was howln' in the woods
not twenty rods away
Then our frst-horn baby. a regular little joy :;
Although | ircttrd little, because il ISN'T
II boy;
Wasn't she little firi, though with all her
pouts aud Smiles
Why, settlers gone to see that show a half .
dozen miles. T. |-S S-g - .E
Yondtr sat the crade--a homely, home.
made thing
And many Il night rocked it, provldin you
wonld sing;
And many Iitlle squatteI brought up with
Us to stay, . D. 90
And so that cradle. for many year, was
never put away,
How they kept a comm, so cunnin' and fat
"a and suihlE M r#TN H
How they growed twas a wonder. how we
fund room for 'em all 3D. ~ a. p
But though the house was crowded, it empty
seemed that day
When Jennie lay BY the fireplace, there, an
moaned her life away
And right ip there, the preacher with Bible
aud hymn book stood,
TwiSt the dead aud the living" and hop
ed 'twould do Gs good"
And the little whitewood coffin on the table
there was set,
And now as / rub iny eyes il seems as IL j
could see it yet.
Then, that fit of sickusss it brought on you,
yon know;
just by thread you hung, and cen Almost
let go; AFf
Aud here is the spot tunbled, an gave the
Lord his due,
When the doctor said the fcv.r'd turned, an
he could fetch You through. ID. .y~s
Yes deal ka. happened to make this Old
house dear:
Christenin's funerals, weddins--what haynt
We had hercs9 IN
Not log IN this buitdin but its menories
|. has got,
Aud not nail in this old floor but touches
tender spot.
Out Of the old house, Nancy--moved mp into
the new
All the hurry and worry Is jast as good as
through:
But | te u you thing right here that | amt
ashamed to say;
There's precious things in this old house we
never can take away.
Here the old house will stand, but not as it
stood before;
Winds will whistle through IL and rains will
hond Ii" fnaf
And over the hearth, once blazing, the snow
drifts off will pile.
And the old hing win seem to be a mournin'
all the while.
Fare you we'll old house you're nausht that
can feel or see,
But you seem IKE hnman being--a dear
old friend to mo
And We never will haA better home, If