Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-01-05
INDEPENDENCE, FRIDAY

| LADY WENTWORTH.
/ a Now Poem by Long1sllow.
One hundred years ago, and something more,
In Queen street, Portsmouth, At her tavern door
Neat q pin and blooming a. rose,
Just ~ her cucko0-cl0ck was striking nlne,
Above her head, resplsndent ON the sign,
The portrait ofthe Earl Of Halifax,
In scarlet coat and periwig OF max,
Surveyed At leisure ali her varied charms,
Her cap her bodice, her white folded arme,
Aud half resolved, though he was past his prime
lias, Down al Sss sse q s
The passion that had driven him to despair.
For from his lofty station he had seen
6tevers, her husband, dressed In bottle green,
Drive his new Flying Stage-coach four-in.hand,
Down the long lane and out into the land,
And knew that he was Tar upon the way
10 Ipswich and to Boston on the bay!
| Just then the meditations Of the earl
! Were interrupted by = little girl,
Barefooted. ragged. with neglected hair,
| Eyes full Of laughter, neck and shoulders bare
Athin slip OF girl, like . new moon.
| Sure to be rounded into beauty soon;
! A creature men would worship and adore,
A pail Of water, dripping through the street,
And bathing, as she went, her naked feet.
Il wa: pretty picture, full Of grace
| The slender form, the delicate, thin face;
The swaying motion. as she hurried by;
The shining feet, the laughter in her eye,
That DER her face In ripples cleaned and glanced
And With uncommon feelings Of delight
The earl Of Halifax beheld the sight.
| Not 90 Dame Stavers, for he heard her say
20 Martha Hilton Fie how dare you GO
About the town half dressed, and looking soy"
Al which the gypsy laughed and straight replied
No matter SoT ha Ana ride she child
| The earl Of Halifax benignly smiled,
As with her heavy burden che passed on,
Looked back, then turned the corner, and wal
gone.
What next, upon that memorable day.
Drew his august attention was gay
Outriderr with red Jackets. 1.-THE and isnk,
Pounding the saddle. a. they rose and sank,
While all alone within the chariot sat
A portly person with three cornered hat,
crimson velvet coat, head high In air,
Goldheaded cane. and nicely powdered hair,
Digni0ed, stately, 6orid, much at his ease.
| Onward the pageant swept, and as 1t passed
Fair Mistress Stavers eonrtcsied low and fast;
| For this was Governor Wentworth driving down
TO Little Harbor, Just beyond the town,
| Where his great house stood looking out to sea-
A goo lily place, where 1t was good to be.
| II was pleasant mansion, an abode
Near and yet hidden from the great high road,
Sequestered among trees, noble pile,
Baronial and colonial In its style;
Gables and dOrmer windows everywhere,
And stacks OF chimneys rising high In air
| Pandean pipes. on which all winds that blew
Made mournful music the whole winter through
Within, unwonted splendors met the eye,
Panels, and floors of oak. and tapestry;
| Carved chimney pieces where on braZcn dogs
| Reveled and roared the Christmas fire of logs;
Doors opening into darkness unawares,
| Mysterious passages, and flights of Stair;
! And on the walls, In heavy gilded frames,
| The ancestral Wcntworths with old scripture
names.
Such was the mansion where the great man dwelt
| A widower and childless; and he felt
| The Loneliness, the uncOngenial gloom
| That like presence haunted every room;
| For though not given to weakness, he could feel
| The pain Of wounds that ache because they heal.
| Aud passed in cloud and sunshine DER the hall;
The dawne their splendor through Its chambers
shed.
The snow was on its roofs. the wind. the rain;
| It's woodlands were In leaf and bare again;
Moons waxcd and waned. the lilaes bloomed and
| died,
| In the broad river ebbed and flowed the tide,
Ships went to sea. and ships came home from sea,
And the elow years sailed by and ceased to be.
And all these years had Martha Hilton served
| In the great house, not wholly unobserved;
| BY day, by night, the silver crescent grew,
! Though hidden by clouds, her light still shining
through;
| A servant who made service seem divine'
| Through her, each room was fair to look upon,
| The mirrors glstened aud the brasscs shone,
| The very knOcker on the outer door.
| II she but passed, was brighter than before.
| And now the ceaseless turning Of the mill
| Of time, that never for an hour stands still,
rAo tkpAs p<nria St~ ftnttp hs~Hkl klA
And powdered his brown hair with silver gray.
| The robin, the forerunner Of the spring,
| The blue bird with his jocund caroling,
| The restless swallows building In the caves,
| The golden buttercupe. the grass, the leaves.
| Fhe lilacs tossing In the winds Of May
All welcomed this majestic holiday!
| He gave splendid banquet, served ON plate,
Such as became the governor of state.
Who Represented England and The king,
| And was magnificent In everything.
He had invited all his friends and peers
| The Pepperels, the Lan.dons, and the Lcan,
The SpaFhawke, the Penhallows, and the rest,
For why repeat the name of every guest!
| But must mention one, in bands and gown.
The rector there, ths Reverend Arthur Brown
Of the established church; with smiling face
| He rat beside the governor and said grace;
And then the feast went on. ae Others do,
| But ended ~ none other c'er knew.
| When they had drunk the king with many cheer
| The governor whispered In the servants ear,
| Who disappeared. and presently there stood
| A maiden, modest and yet self lEpOseessed,
Youthful and beautiful. aud simply dressed.
| Can this be Martha Hilton? II must bel
| Yes. Martha Hilton. and NO other che!
lowered with her beauty Of twenty years,
| How lady like, how queen-llke ehc appears;
| The pale, thin crescent of the days gone by
| Il Dian now In all her majesty!
Yet scarce guest perceived that she was there,
| Until the governor, rising from his chair,
| Played slightly with his ruf1es, and looked down
| And said unto the Reverend Arthur Brown:
| ''This is my birthday, 1t shall likewise be
My wedding-day; and you shall marry met"
| The listening gueste were greatly mystifec.
| None more go than the rector, who replied:
| marry you! Yes. that were pleasant task,
| Your excellency: but to whom, axky'
| The governor answered. ITO this lady heFe;"
| And beckoned Martha Hilton to draw near.
She came and stood. all blushes. at his side.
| The rector paused. The impatient governor cried
..Thie IL the lady; do you hesitatel
| Then command you ~ chief magistrate
| The rector read the service loud and clear;
| "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here"
| And 70 on to the end. At his command.
| On the fourth finger Of her fair left hand
The governor placed the ring; and that WAS all !;
| Martha was Lady WeAtworth Of the Hall!
| January .Atiansic.