Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-05-21


So the years pass'd on, and even life now often
seem'd hard to me;
But when sat in the eventide, with my little
ones on my knee,
While Bessie would sing us some Quaint old
song of love or of doughty deed,
I'd think how good and pleasant it was to the
life [ had thought to lead
Let's see, it's a twelvemonths ago since first
noticed, with strange surprise,
That the darkness seem'd to grow Iighter-like
at times to my poor blind eyes,
And yearning, passionate, trembling hope
crept into my heart and brain:
But never word said to the wife, lest my
thoughts should be false and vain:
Never a word I said to my love, lest her heart
should be overcast,
To know had CHERISHED a hope like this to
find it a myth at last;
but L quietly told my story to Will, as we
saunter'd up and down
The garden, and we two thought of a plan for
getting me up to town.
Then I spoke to the wife of book I'd plann,d
that L fancied would answer well,
But wanted some talk with firm in town, to
see if they thought It would sell;
And Willie had promised to go with me and
see me through it, [ said,
For knew that she couldn't leave the BARNS,
or I'd like her to go instead.
She tried to persuade me from it at first, and
dolefully prophesied lis
All sorts of accidents and mishaps, and then
she pleaded and tried
To get me to take her with us, too; but at last
+ we settled it right, sf#.
And Willie was pledged again and again not to
trust me out of his sight
g.
So we went to town for week or SO, and
you'll easily understand ..
My 1uttering hopes, and doubts, and fears,
now the test was near at hand $ r
Enough, that one wondrous day, Saul-like, the
scales dropp'd off from my sight,
And tainted in Willie's brotherly arms, in a
sudden burst o,light! e aagt
I was dazed and giddy-like for while, but I
soon got round again;
And o, the grateful, passionate joy that
throbb'd in my every vein! tE
Dear God, what a happy world it was-how
Winsome and fair to see i
The very stones of the London streets seems
beautiful to me!
And deep, deep down in my heart of hearts
t-s- there nestled this crOWning bliss
80, what will she feel, my Bessie, my love,
when she comes to hear of this
O the tears of joy, 0 the clasping arms, O the
bonnie head on my breast,
When | come to tell her the glorious news, my
beautiful, my best!' E.f.
We sat far into that happy night, and dear,
old Will
All, the rose-like spell of those rich deep hours
is fragrant memory still
And we tal1'd of the dear ones down at home,
and the story we had to tell,
And the wondrous love of the Master above,
who 'Sdoeth all things Well'
We spoke of Bessie again and again, and
always with mOisten'd eyes,
And we felt 'tWould be best to spare nay love
too sudden glad surprise;
So | was to keep on my old blue specs by
way of loving ruse,
And to patiently bide the fitting time for gently
breaking the news.
You can easily guess what my feelings were
when I got back home at last;
And how as [ trOd on the threshold here, nv
heart beat thick and fast;
And how had nearly told her all, in burst
O. passionate bliss,
AS nv darling flew to welcome me home with
a loving clasp and kiss.
Dear heart, twas the same sweet bonnie face,
nay, BONNER than before,
With the old soft charm in the lustrous ewes
F that had won my heart of yore!
Sweet eyes, that were moist with tender tears
that went to my heart to see:
God knows that [ never knew till then the
depths of her love for me!
She put my hat and my stick away, and with
tender and wifely care
Led me, who seem'd SO helpless and dark, to
nv old ACCUSTOMED chair:
And there she left me minute or So with a
kiss and gentle word,
While she ran to bring the children down; and
my heart was kindly stirr'd