The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-08-23
Bret Harte's Last.
MSS RLANcHR's RosE.

And you are the poet. and so ysu want
SOmething-w hat Is it a theme or taneyE
Something or other the muse won't grant
In your old poetical necromancy.
Why. one half of you pOets-you can't deny
Don't know the muse when you chance TO meet
hers
But SIT IN your attics and NOPE and sigh
For fdinc int goddess 20 drop from the sky
When flesh and blood may be standing by,
Quite AT your service. should you out greet her'
What if / told you my own romanceY
Women are poets n you So take them
One-third poct-the rest what chance
OF man and marriage nay choose to make
them.
Give me ten minutes before you go
Herr 90 the window we'll sit together,
aching the currents that ebb a. flow.
W t;chng the world as II drifts below,
Up the hot avenues dusty glow
Isn't IL pleasant, this bright June weather.
We'll. il was after the war broke out.
And was a school girl. fresh from Paris
Papa had contracts, and roamed about
And did nothing-ior was an heiress;
Picked some lint now | think. Perhaps
Knitted some stock ngs-a dozen early
Haveocks made for the odiers caps,
stood al the iair-tables and pedded traps
Quite AT profit. The shoulder straps
Thought | was pretty. All thank you. really!
Still. il was stupid. Ratata-tat
Those were the sounds OF that battle summer
Till the earth seemed parchment. round and
fiat.
And every foot fall tap o drummer;
Aud day by day down the avenue went
Cavalry, infantry. all together,
Til my plying angel one day sent
Ny fate in the shape of regiment
That halted just as the day was spent
Here at our door. in the bright June weather.
None of your dandy warriors they
Men from the West, but where know not;
Haggard and trayel -stained, worn and gray.
" It'll never ribbon, or lace, or bow knot;
And opened the window, and leaning there
/ felt Ia their presence the free woods blowing
My neck and shoulders, and arms were bare
did not dream they might think me fair
But had some flowers that night in my hair,
And here. in my BOSOM a red rose glowing.
And looked from the window along the line.
Dusty and dirty, grim and solemn,
Till an eye like boyonet fash met mine.
And a dark face grew from the darkening
And a quick fash leaped to my eyes and
hair.
Till cheeks and shoulders burned altogether.
And the next found myself standing there
With my eyelids wet, and my cheeks less fair.
And the rose from my bosom tossed high in air.
Like blood-drop falling on plume and feather.
Then drew back quickly-there came a cheer.
rush Of figures. noise and tusse-
And then II was over and high and clear
My red rose bloomed on his guns black muZ-
Then far in the darkness a sharp voice cried
And slowly and steadily. all together,
Shoulder to shoulder, and side TO side,
Rising and falling. and swaying wide,
But beaming above them the rose--my pride
They marched away in the twilight weather.
And leaned from the window and watched my
Tossed on the waves of the surging column.
Warmed from above in the sunset CLOVIS
Borne from below by an impulse solemn
Then shut the window. | heard no more
OF my soldier friend. my flower neither,
But lived my life as | did before;
l did not go as a nurse to the war
Sick felix's 10 me are a dreadful bore,
So didn't go to the hospitals either.
You smile, poet and what do you?
Iou lean from the windows and watch Life's
column
Tramping and struggling through dust and dew.
Filled with its purpose grave and solemn
Ana an act, gesture. face whs knows?
Touches your fancy to thrill and haunt you,
And you pluck from your bosom the verse that
grows
And down it flies. like my red, red rose.
And you sit and dream away il goes.
And think that your duty is done-now, don't
you
/ know your answer. I'm not yet through:
Look at the Photograph" In the Irenches"-
That dead man in the coat of blue
Holds a withered rose in his hand. That
clenches
Nothing! Except that the sun paints true
And woman sometimes is prophetic minded,
And that's my romance. And, poet, you
Take il and mold II TO suit your view.
And who knows but you may find ii TO
Come 10 your heart once more as mine did.