Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-11-27
The Wife that He brought from Town
BY JOHN II. YATES.

\ very fine day for the auction. sir! There is
quite crowd out, too;
Guess things will sell for good round price,
as the most of EN- are new;
| don t mind seein' few old traps sold Oft, at
the hammer blow,
But twill kinder make my heart ache, sir, to
see the old farm go.
You look like a stranger in these parts
Have you come up here to buy?
\ Yankee must ask questions, sir, il he don't
he'l surely die;
Would you like to know the reason why this
fine farm must be sold?
Wen, ait down here and Il tell again the tale
I've 50 often told.
You see | have known Charley Jones for
years; in fact ever since he was born,
When a little shaver he used to come to help
in my field of corn;
| took to ikin' the young chap, then, as he
sat huskin' the ears,
And the friendship formed in the CID corn-tlcd
grew stronger with the passln years.
..Twa<n drinkin' and gamin, nor any such
thing that brought Charley down to this
lie slakes his thirst at the old farm spring
that the wild flowers stoop to kiss;
And the only gamu' that Charley doeS--Or
has from his childhood done
Is huntin' the squirrels, down in the woods,
with his faithful dog and his gun
His good old mothcr-now dead and gone
brought him up in the way he should 90;
She pictured but, as a mnther can, the broad
road that leads to woe;
Charley often says, as he struggles hard, meath
the heavy load of his cares,
That his hands would drop and his heart giveu
but for though Int OF his mothers prayers
''rhe truth is, Straugcr-aud those who know
have a long time marked it down
The loss of the farm is the fault Of the wife he
had brought up here from town;
Her studied ways, and lser wlnnln smiles, Hung
around his heart charm;
He married her for her pretty face, and she
married him for the farm
"Charlcv saw his mistake in very short time
she couldn't make loaf of bread,
And she didn't want to use her Gly-white
hands to shake up farmer $ bed;
She was crazy to read all the love-slck trash
that she bought at the stores for dime,
And if Charley had button that ne wanted
Sewed on, she couldn't find needle nor
time.
She soon grew tired of a farmers life; the
smiles were put off for trOwn;
She sighed for the ball and the concert room;
for the hustle and show of the town;
Charley still loved her with patient love; he
humOred her every whlm
Though something kept whisperln IN his ear
that she loved pleasure more than him.
''rhus things went on for year or two; each
mouth his affairs grew worse;
To supply her real and imagined wants drew
heavy on Charley purse;
At last, when he came from his work one night
long alter the sun was down,
She declared with stamp Of her pretty foot,
he must buy her house in town.
so house he bought on a pleasant street, and
fitted it up to a charm;
But to pay for this village paradise he must
mortgage his dear old farm;
How strange you know that the folks In town
are all nearly taxed to death;
They are taxed for the street. for the light, tor
their feet, they are almost taxed Tor their
breath.
"Charley found this out in very short time;
his heart was soon filled with alarm;
For with taxes and interest and keepiu' up
style, he saw he must loose his farm;
When he talked about sellin the house IN town
his wife firmly answered No!
The mortgage is due. his money Is gone; and
now the old farm must 20.
The women are lecturin' about their rights;
they are raising hui ba-loo!
This woman Of Charlie got hers think, and
most of her husbands too;
Charley knows two things that he didn't
know once that woman will is strong.
And that runnin debt to keep up style Is a
poor way to set along.
$50, YOU see, twasnt drinkin' nor any such
thing that brought Charley down to this;
III. will miss his drink from the old farm
spring that the wild flowers stopped to
kiss
| hate to see him walkin' around the farm with
his head cast down;
And hate, worse than pizon, that wife OF bis
that he brought up here from town
RnL1stcl Nem0crllt md IHrOMnle