Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-04
THE WIFE.
BY JOIN G. WHITTIER.

BY JOHN G. WHITTIER.
FROM school, and ball, and rout she came,
The city's fair, pale daughter,
10 drink the wine of mountain fair,
Beside the Bearcamp Water.
Her step grew irmer on the hills
Ihat 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.
g To mend your frock and bake your bread
You DO not need a lady;
BE sure, among these brown old homes
Is some one waiting ready
Some far, sweet girl, with skillful hand
And cheerful heart for treasure,
Who never played with ivory keys,
or danced the poIka's measure
He bent his black brows to frown,
He set his white teeth tightly;
q 'Tis well, he said, ''for one like you
To choose for me so lightly;
g You think, because my life is rude,
take no note of sweetness;
/ tell yOu love has nanght to do
With meetness or Unmectness.
= Itself its best excuse, it asks
No leave Of pride or fashion
When silkCn zone or hOmespun frOCk
1t stirs with thrObs of passion.
$ You think me deaf and blind; you bring
Your winning graces hither
As free as if from cradle time
We two had played together.
9 You tempt me with your laughing eyes,
Your check Of sundOwn's bushes;
a motion as Of waving grain,
A music as of thrushes.
8 The plaything Of your summer sport,
Inc Spells you weave dIOuEu UlG
You cannot Of your will undo,
Nor leave me as you found me.
You 90 as lightly as you came,
Your life is well without me;
What care you that these hills will close
Like prison walls about me?
s. No mood is mine to seek a wife,
Or daughter for my mother;
Who loves you loses in that love
All power TO love another!
6 dare your pity or your scOrn
With pride your own exceeding;
fling my heart INTO your lap
Without u word of pleading"
She looked upon the waving grass
So archly, yet so tender,
. And l 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 "a woman waits
Behind the silken armor?
q love you; on that love alone,
And not my worth, presuming,
Will you not trust for summer fruit
The tree in May-day blooming?"
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,
His mother found daughter;
There looks no happier home than hers
on pleasant Bcarcamp Water.
Flowers spring to blossom where she walks
The careful ways of duty;
Our hard, stiff 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.