The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-01-20
PA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 90, 1872.
CBe 4oet's Department.
THE BLACKsMITT1,s STORY.

THE BLACESWTETz'S STORY.
Well no! Ny wife amt dead, sir, but I've lost
her all the same;
She left me voluntarily, and neither was to
blame.
It's rather queer story, and I think you will
agree
When you hear the circumstanccs-'twas rather
rough on me.
She was a soldiers widow He was killed at
Malvern Hill;
And when married her, she seemed to sorrow
for him still;
But brought her here to Kansas, and I never
want to see
Y better vile than Mary was, for five bright
years. to mel
The change of scene brought cheerfulness, and
soon rosy glow
ed all their snow.
l think she loved me some-Im bound to think
And as for me, can't begin to tell how dearly
loved her;
Three years ago the baby came, our humble
home to bless;
And then l reckon / was nigh to perfect happi-
Twas hors--'tTas mine But have no Ian
How that little girls weak fingers our hearts
together drew!
Once, we watched It through fever, and with
Dumb with awful wordless woe, We waited for
its death;
And, though I'm not pious man, our souls to-
For Heaven to spare our darling, went up in
VOicCless prayer.
And when tho doctor said 'twould live, our joy,
what words could teliE
Clasped in each others arms, our grateful tears
together fell.
Sometimes, you see, the shadow fell across our
But It only made the sunshine seem doubiy
welcome guest.
Work came to me plenty, and kept the
Early and late you'd find me there hammer
ing and singing.
Love nerved my arm to labor and moved my
tongue to song,
And though my singing wasn't sweet, it was
almighty strong
One day one-armed soldier stopped to have
And, while was at work, we passed a compl:-
asked him how he lost his arm. He said twas
At Malvern lin. "At Malvern Fill! Did you
know Robert May Z"
That's re!' said he ssYouI youV' I gasped.
choking with horTid doubt;
IF you.re a man, inst follow me; wen try this
with dizzy steps ! led him to Mary. God! twas
Then the the Pftterest t pains of misery, unspoa
Frozen with deadly horror, she stared with eyes
Of stoue,-
And from her quivering lips there broke one
Wild, dcspalring moan
Twas he! The husband of her youth now risen
But ali too IateSand with the bitter cry her
senses fled.
what could be done? He was reported dead.
On mis- return
he stro.ye, in vain, some tfdings of his absent
Twas well that he was innocent! Else Td have
So dead, he never would have riz till Gabriel's
trumpet blew.
1t was agreed that Mary, between us should
decide,
And each by her decision would sacretly abide.
No sinner at the Judgment seat, waiting eter-
Could suffer what did, while waiting sentence
in this room,
Rigid and breathless, there we stood, with
49, . nerves as tense as steel,
While Mary's eyes sought each white face, in
pitcOus appeal.
God! Could n6t womaus duty be less hardly
recOnciIeI
Between her lawful husband and the father of
her childI
All, how my heart was chilled to ice when she
kuelt down and said:
Forgive Yen me; f John fo lie is my husband horei
1 raised her tenderly, and tried to tell her she
Butsomehow, in my aching breast, the prisoned
words stuck tightI
But, John, I can't leave baby" "what!
wife aud child!" cried /;
Must | yield all? All, cruel! Better that
should die.
Think Of, the long, sad, lonely hours, waiting
No wife to cheer me with her love-no babe to
climb my kneei
And yet-you are her mother, and the sacred
Is still the purest, tenderest tie that Heaven
ever WOVc.
Take her-but, promise, Mary, for that will
bring shame
Ny little girl shall bear, and learn to lisp, her
fathers uamen
1t may be, in the life to come, III meet my
child and wife,
But yOnder, by my cottage gate, we parted for
this life:
One long hand-clasp from Mary and my dream
OF love dOBel
One long embrace for baby. and my happiness
was gone! FRANK Give.
-BUtutO Courier.