American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23
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THE WIFE.

BY JOHN @. 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 W alter
Her step grow frmer on the hills
That watch our homesteads 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 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.
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 a wife,
Your mother lacks daughter.
:. To mend your frock and bake your bread
You do not need n lady;
Be sure among these brown old homes
Is some one waltln. ready
Some fair. sweet girl with skillful hand
And cheerful heart for treasure,
Who never played with ivory keys.
Or danced the polka's measure"
He bent his black brows TO a frown,
He set his white teeth tightly;
:. It's well, - he said, ..for one like You
To choose for me so lightly;
- You think. because my life is rude,
L take note OF sweetness,
tell you love has naught TO do
With meetness or unmeetness.
Itself its best excuse. it asks
No leave OF pride or fashion
When silken zone or homespun frock
Ii stirs with throbs of passion.
- You think me deaf and blind; you bring
Your winning sraces hiihcr
As free as If from cradle time
We Two had played together
- You tempt me with your laughing eyes,
Your cheek of sundown's bushes;
a motion a- 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 go lightly as you came,
Your life is well without me;
What care you that these hills will close
Like prison walls about me.
!" No mood il mine to seek wife,
Or daughter for my mother;
Who loves you loses in that love
All power TO love another!
" I dare your pity or your .corn
With pride your own exceeding;
fling my heart into your lap
Without word Of pleading"
She looked upon the waving grass
So archly, yet so tender,
9 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 u woman waits
Behind the silken armorf
.. 1 love you 1; on that love alone,
And not my worth, preeuming.
Will you not trust for summer fruit
The tree in May day biooming."
Alone the hangbird overhead.
His hair swung cradle straining.
Looked down to see loves miracle
The giving that is gaining.
And so the farmer found a wife, q
His mother found a daughter;
There looks no happier home than hers
On4leasant BeArcamp Water.
Flowers spring to blossom where she walks
The careful ways Of duty;
Our hard. stuff lines Of life, with her,
Are flowing curves Of beauty.
Our homes are cheerier for her sake,
Our door yards brighter blooming,
And all about the social air
Is sweeter for her coming