The Western advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1872-1874, 1874-05-23
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THE WIFE.
By JOHN @. WHITTIER.

01 JOAN u. WHITTIER
FROM school, and ball, and rout she came,
The city's fair, pale daughter,
To drink the wine Of mountain fair,
Beside the Bearcamp Water.
Her step grow frmer on the hills
That watch our homcstcads over,
On cheek and lip, from summer fields,
She caught the bloom Of clover.
For health comes sparkling in the streams
From cool Chacorna stealing,
There's iron in our Northern Winds
Our pines are trees Of healing
She sat beneath the broad armed Gins
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.
Framed in its damp, dark locks, his face
Had nothing mean or common,
Strong, manly, true, the tenderness
And pride beloved Of women.
She looked up, glowing with the health
The country air had brought her,
And, laughing, said: " You lack q wife.
Your mother lacks daughter.
=" To mend yonr frock and bake your bread
You do not need a lady;
BE sure, among these brown old homes
l, some one waiting ready
Some iAlr, Nv ct & Fl, with skillful hand
Anc Cheerful heart for treasure,
Who Ecv>: played with ivory keys,
Or danced the po.ka's measure"
He bent his black brow$ to a frown,
tic set his white teeth tightly;
"'ris WELL" he said "for one like you
10 choose for me 80 lightly;
"You think, because my life is rude,
take no note OF sweetness;
tell You love has naught to do
With meCtncss or unmcctnCse.
=" Itself its best excuse, it asks
No leave OF pride or fashion
When silkcn zone or hOmcspun frOck
1t stirs with thrObs Of passion.
You think me deaf and blind; you bring
Your winning graccs hither
As free as IL from cradle time
We two had played together.
You tempt me with your laughing eyes,
Your cheek Of sundown's bushes;
A motion as OF waving grain,
A music as Of thrushes.
The plaything Of your summer sport,
The spells you weave around me
You cannot OF your will undo,
Nor leave me as you found me.
"You 20 as lightly as you came,
Your life is we'll without me;
What care you that these 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 powe. to love anotherl
dare your pl'y or your scorn
With pride your own exceeding;
fling my hear. into your lap
Without wrld Of Pleading"
She looked upon the waving grass
So archly, yet so tender,
"And will 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 the silken armOrI
~ love you; on that love alone,
And not my worth, preeuming,
Will you not trust for summer fruit
The tree in May-day bIoomingt"
Alone the hangbird overhead,
His hair.swung cradle straining,
Looked down to see loves miracle
The giving that is gaining.
And 80 the farmer found wife,
His mother found a daughter;
There looks no happier home than hers
On pleasant Bcarcamp Water.
Flowers spring to blossom where she walks
The careful ways Of duty;
OR hard, stiff lines Of life, with her,
Are flowing curves Of beauty.
Our homes are cheericr for her sake,
Our door yards brighter blooming,
And all about the social air
Is sWeeter for her coming.