The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-08-21


They left the home they helped to make, another's
While we alone have plodded on, their absence
hard 20 bear
Strange ups and downs have takea place, since
years ago they wed,
And one who helped on marriage days is numbered
with the dead.
We started in upon that hill when were young,
lis true
And snugly lived in the old house before we built
the new.
There's happy thoughts about that place to cheer
one old like me,
The harvest days that paid well, and then the
But old and feeble have grown, our eyes are get
ting weak,
The farm is hard to work on now the house is hard
to keep,
A smaller one we hope to have, and with less land
TO till,
Where rest may come To feeble limbs-that rest
they've earned so well.
The old homestead must then be sold, with bush
To other hands to hold for good, SAY, there's the
rub"
To let il pass on paper seems an easy task It's so
But when you made and built thing tbs hard to
let il go.
But Jane aud have looked it DER, from garrett to
cellar down,
And think the price that's offered us will buy
house in town;
That's the interest on the bonds, mean, the prin-
cipas all right,
We needn't draw ON that you see unless its mighty
tight.
We stood upon the kitchen stoop, and watched the
shining lake,
The night before we packed our things, another
house 10 take,
And Jane aud l roamed round the yard, along the
carriage way,
And talked about funeral that was held there once
in May.
And then PARTING stroll we took, around the gar
den wall
Among the elns, those stately trees, so handsome
and so tall,
We looked upon the basam fur, the spruce tree and
the pine,
And Thought Of Ben our Oldest boy, who called
them mas and mime"
And when the moon was shining bright, no clouds
My wife aud that's Jane-knelt on the stoop to
pray,
We offered up to God on high, in honest farmer
tone,
prayer of thanks for all that's here, and then our
heavenly home.
And when the moon had faded out, the stars were
The old hin home to Jane and had never seemed
We gazed upon its lofty walls, around its peaks and
curves,
And strange to state that very night, sleep
could still our nerves.
But we have boldly taken leave, and bade adieu in
Twas pretty hard, you ask me, sir, and whether
1 think she did know she did--on that we both
And So did "Net," and so did CYL" and so did
In earnest, sir, draw up the deed that Jane and 1
Will sign,
The old lake home I cleared in youth, Will never
Another man Will occupy that place upon the hill,
To reap and NOV, to till and SOW, when am dead
and still.
But then It's life it's NATURAL that things should
If Ben had lived we'd kept the place and ne'cr
1t grieyes M sore, to think that I, the chdren's
home should SELL
But thcn you see, they're married, and all are do
ing WELL
But there. pint about that deed that III explain
20 YOU
We viii not sign single line unless its fixed up
Tins purchaser youu understand, VIII ose name is
Dir. Blees,
VIII pledge himself in that ERE deed, TO save and
tend the trees.
paI s. queer, and odd, you say, but then it
Or Jane ana l. wont sell the farm, or ever let it go
You see, young man, that place was made betwiXt
and yet between
Myself and Jane and little ones, who made happy
Those evergreens and maple trees the children
planted there,
And I and Jane have promised them they ne'er
shall want for care
They now have grown to stately size, around the
garden edge,
SO sell not tho farm to Blees, Wen keep the chill
dren's pledge.
It's done, the deed is drawn, and square and fairly
too;
Wen sign seal, and deliver it here in presence Of
YOU:
But to the God who guides US, and Keeps us safe
from harm,
We say, and say sorely, sir, we've lost the old hill
farm.