Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-04-18
Birthday Gifts.

Fly MRS. L. J. HALL
Papal don't you know it is my birthday?
Don't you know | am FIVE to-day
Nv POOR wooden horse has lost It's mead
Nv dear little kitten is all gone dead;
Mymarbles are lost; and my top won't hum;
And darling para, please give me druml
The soldier-boys want me to come out and play.
And want drum. for I'm five to-day!
Pans. do YOU know it is my birthday?
no Won know am ten years old to-day?
And I've got my Latin. and done my sums;
And I'm tired of marbles and tops and drums;
And at school never got IN a row:
And grandma declares make a nice bow;
And So altogether, TO so with my mates.
1 should like, dear papa, nice pair OF skates.
Come. father, do not forget pray,
I am just fifteen this blessed day!
I'm a pretty tall fellow for that, yog see;
And in less than year IN college l, Il pc
Uu;ess all my digging should drive me to bed,
For IN seudying tue eyes almost out OF my head
When I'd rather be popping away az lag a dqck'
With very great skill and very poor luck!
So I'll come to the point. Tor under tne sun
There's nothing want like handsome new gun.
Twenty years old and fnc mustache!
A mart of Commandments glorious dash!
Ard. father, you heard what elapping, got;
I knew where you sat. and looked at that spot,
Ana thanked you my father for loving me SO.
With vour ewes full of tears and checks in glow.
The gift for my birthday. If truth must pc iold'
Ny watch is of silver and might De OF gold!
Nv father. to-day am just twenty-five.
Ready ard glad to struggle and striyei
But thu world. my father. to me looks bright
Fo~ tI7e gentle promise I won last night;
And tbe birth-day gift that would gladden. me
Is your tender blessing on Clara and me-
Thirty wears old this blessed dayl
The clouds may come but they never stay;
Fer Sunshine chaSes the shadows IN turn,
Thaf rom my smiling babe learn.
Pom the cradle where once we leaned snd wepe
WhT. With waxen checks our first born slept.
Bu- * s. IN my wife,s fair hand see
he rtlhs 81 SfRaftaIiy wrought Tor me-
Am thirty-five? Is it even so?
Does my saucy vile pretend to know?
PM the brief ten years of my welded JOY
Shine out in the eyes of my laughlng boy;
And Minnie's small fingers have hemmed Tor me
The kerchiefs my birthday gift to be-
Forty years old; and my father lies.
Where Ger his grave the fr-tree signs:
His smiles and his blessing dwet with me.
The blessing l feel the smile see,
Ana when in my motherles,s. boyh9od days:
He warmed my heart with his words OF pralsei
Now my holy gift from my sister ann
Is the pictured face of the dear old man.
Fortv-fvel and with blushing face
NV Minnie looks down with modest grace
While her lover pleads, and l think OF the day
So well | remember. l cannot say nay;
She looks like her mother, the pretty youni
thingi
see it must end in wedding ring;,
Aud my birthday gift this year must be
A SON that shall steal my daughter from me.
am fifty, dear: It's the prime OF lie .
Novrinkles as yet. you can count. my wife
For the busy word Is so full OF JOY
That | sometimes think [ am still boy.
An! mere is my gift which just have found,
From nv children-a volume superbly bound;
You villains! how shall stife my rage =
An elegant, classical treatise on Age!
Sixty years odd and thy silver hair.
MY Clara. to me is wondrous far;
But bark! what trampling Of feet below!
nv c!erks-a smiling and goodly row
A cane with a head of gold they bear;
They speak of my kind and watchfnl care;
They call me father words are so weak,
Do you wonder my wife. that could not speat
Three score and ten sounds rather old
Withered. but fair, is the hand hold,
Clara, my loving, long tried WIFE,
Io in thine eyes / read my life
Peaceful. whaie'er the world might bring,
Ready the Fathers praise to sing.
See the grandehildren's thoughtful care!
sit in my stately birthday chair.
Eighty! the world is changed below;
Progress it is think-I know!
They are building Home fer Aged Men;
must send cheek; just hand me my pen
1t shakes--no matters few days more;
The pleasant journey is almost Ger,
Give me your grandmothers silver curl,
Ny birthday gift. the last, dear girl
My bIessing-good night! the Old Mans HON
Yes, it is time, am glad to come.