Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-01-23
ONE DAY SOLITARY.
BY J, T. TRowBRIDGE.

Il
AN all right Coed by old chapi
Twecty-four hours, that won't be long;
Nothing to do but to take nap,
AUG-sayi can fellow sing song?
Will the light fantastic be in order
a pigeon wing on your pantry floor?
what are the rules for regular boarders
g quiet! All right Cling claag goes the door!
CauG clink. the bolts, and am locked in.
Some pioGs reflection and repentance
Come next, suppose, for just begin
To perceive tt 9 sting in the tail of my sentence
>'One day whereof shall be solitary
Here am at the end OF my journey,
And-wel, it amt jelly, not so very
I'd to throttle that sharp attorney.
He took nv money, the very last dollar
Didn't leave so much as dime,
Not enough to buy me paper coiar
IT vas some that got for the stolen silver!
WAY hasn't he been indicted too?
Il he doesn't exactly rob and pilfer.
He lives by the plumber OF them that do,
Then didn't it put me into fury,
To see him step up, and laugh and chat -, ,
With the county attorney, and joke with the
When all was over-then go for his hat
While Sue was sobbing to break her heart,
And all | could do was to stand and stare!
IIs Rad pleaded my cause.-The had played his part
And got his feeand what more did he care?
It's droll to think how, just ont yonder,
TIE werld goes jogging on the samel
Old men will save and boys will squander,
And fellows VIII play at the same old game
OF get-and-s pend-to morrow, next year
And drink and carouse--and who will there be
To sgmember cOmrade buried here?
am nothing TO them, they are nothing to mel
And Sue---yes she will forget me tool
know. already her tears are drying.
Z believe there is nothing that girl can do
so easy as laughing and lying and crying.
She chung to me well while there was hope.
Then broke her heart in that last wild sob;
But she amt going to sit and NOPE
While am at work on FIVE years job.
They'll set ME to learning trade, no doubt,
And must forget to speak or smile.
I shall go marching in and out,
One of silent, tramping file
OF felons at morning and noon AMI night.
Just down to the shops and back to the cells
And work with thief at left and right,
And feed and sleep and-nsthing elses
Was / born for thiss Will the old folks know!
Lean see them on the old home place:
Ills gait is feeble, his steps slow,
There's a settled grief in his furrowed face;
While she goes YEARLY cropping about
Ia sort of dream, so bent. so sad!-
Bat this won't dol I must sing and shout,
and forget myself, or else so mad.
J won't be foolish; although, for a minute,
was there in my little room once more.
What wouldn't give just now to be in 1t?
The bed is yonder, and there is the door;
The Bible is here on the neat white stand;
The Summer sweets are 1ipening now;
In the pickering light reach my hand
Ftom the window, and pluck them from th'
Dough!
When was child 20, well for me
nd them if | had never been OlderD
When he told me stories on his knee
And tossed me, and carried me on his shoulder
When she knelt down and heard my prayer,
And gave me in bed my good hight kiss
did ever they think that all their care
For an only son could come to this?
Foolish again. No senae in tears
And crashing the teeth! And Yet-so mellow
haven't thought OF them SC for years!
never knew them, | think, till now.
How fOOAly how blindly they trusted
When should have been in my bed asleep
slipped from the window, and down the tree
And sowed for the harvest which now reap
And Jennie-how could bear to leave herr
ii l had but wished-but was fool,
Ny heart filed with thirst and fever
Which no sweet airs OF heaven could cool
1 can hear her asking-''Have you heard?''
But mother falters and shakes her head
so 5ennie' Jennie! never word.
What can it mean? He must be dead!''
Light hearted, proud. ambitious lad
left my home that morning III Nav;
u nat visions, what hopes, what plans had!
And what have where they all-to-day?
Wild fellows, and wine, and debts, and gaming,
Disgrace, and the loss of place and friend
And was an outlaw, past retaining;
Arrest and sentence. and-this is the end!
Five years, Shall ever quit this prison?
Homeless, an outCast, where shall COZ
Return TO them, ike one arisen
from the grave, that was buried long ago?
stt Is sull-it's the close of the week;
sink through the garden, stop by the we'll
see him totter, hear her shrekl
What sort of a tale will have to tells
Bat here AM What's the use of grievinge
Five years-will it be too late to begin?
Can sober thinking and honest living
SUI make me the man might have been9
III sleep; o, would | could wake to morrow
IL that old room. to find ct last,
Z hat al my trouble and all their sorrow
are only dream of the night that is past
-AHGntic Monthly.