Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1873-06-18
p O q try.
The WIFE.
" soHS c. wurrrIrR.

From school, and ball, and rout she came,
The eity's fair, pale daughter,
To drink the vine Of mountain fair
Beside the BeArcamp Water.
Her step grew frmsr ON the hills
That watch our homestead over;
On cheek and lip. from summer fields,
She eanght the bloom Of clover.
For heslth comes sparkling in the streams
From cool Chocorus stealing,
Theirs iron in our Northern winds
Our pines are trees Of healing.
She sat beSi.le the broal-armcd elmS
That skirt the moving meadow,
And watched the gentle west wind weave
The grass with shine and shadow.
Beside her, from the summer heat,
To share her grateful screening,
With forehead barred the farmer stood,
Upon his pitchfork leaning.
Framing in its damp, dark locks, his face
Had nothing mean or common,
Strong, manly, true, the tenderness
She looked up glowing with the health
The country air had brought her,
And, laughing. said: "You lack wife,
Your mother lacks a daughter.
ITO mcand your frock and bake your bread
You do not need a lady;
b. sure, among these brown old homes
Is some one waiting ready
"Somc fair. sweet girl, with skillful hand
Aud cheerful heart for treasure,
Who never played with ivory keys,
Or danced the polfo's measure"
lie bent his black hrows TO frown
lie set his white teeth tightly,
"'Tis we'll" said he, "for one like you
To choose for Inc so lightly.
"You think, because my life is rude,
take no note Of sweetness;
tell you love has nought TO do
With meerncss or unmectntss
'Itsclf its best excuse, it asks
No leave Of pride or fashion
When silken zone or homcspun frock
II stirs with throbs Of passion.
"You think me deaf and blind; you bring
Your winning graccs hithcr
As free rs if from the cradle time
We two had played together.
"You tempt me with your laughing eyes,
Your check Of sundown's bushes;
A motion rs Of waving grain,
A music as Of thrushrs.
"The plaything Of your summer sport,
The spells you weave around me
You cannot Of your will undo,
Nor leave me rs you found me.
"You go Ms lightly as you came.
Your life is we'll without me;
What care you that thsse hills will close,
Like prison walls about me?
"No mood is mine TO seek wife,
Or daughter for my mother;
Who loves you, loses in that love
All rover to love another
al dare your pity or your sc'rn
With pride your own exceeding;
I fling my heart into your lap
Without word of pleading" g
shc looked up from the waving grass
So archly. yet SO tender.
"And if give you mine" she said,
"Will you forgive the lender
"Nor frock nor tan can hide the man;
And see you not, my farmer,
How weak and fond woman waits
Behind this silken armor9
81 love you; on that love alone.
And not my worth prcsuming,
Will you not trust for summer fruit
The tree in May day blooming?"
Alone the hangbird overhead.
His hair-swung cradle straining,
Locked down to see loves MIRACLE
The giving that is gaining.
And 80 the farmer found wife,
His mother found daughter;
There looks no happier home than hers
On pleasant Bearoamp Water.
Flowers spring TO blossom where she walks
The careful way Of duty;
Our hard, stiff lines of life with her
Are flowing curves Of beauty.
Our homes are cheericr for her sake,
0nr door-yards brighter blooming,
And all about the social air,
Is sweeter for her coming.