The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-01-01
FARMER pAUL,s CHRISTMAS EVE

The light shone out through the windows bare
OF the laborers cottage over the way,
Showing plenty of poverty there
plenty of children, too, at play;
It shone in the eyes of Farmer Paul,
TAXING his ease by his chimney wall.
A mother dandlipg her babe on her knee,
father joining his boy in shout,
To raise up the palm and Christmas tree,
AS the bells of the Christmas eve rang out.
This vision, and more, saw Farmer Paul,
Resting his head 'gainst the chimney wall.
His eyes they fingered over the way
over the mother aud the babe on her knee;
" NJ boy may be sick and dying to-day
Whose breast will he rest on over the sea?
Uneasily murmured Farmer Paul,
As tears to his lap began to fall.
A brave young lad and maiden fair
Knelt meath the palm, at the laborer's feet,
The hope of their new life telling there,
In thtir bushes warm and young love sweet.
" All me, all me" moaned Farmer Paul,
" On my poor, lost boy no blessings fall"
AS the night waned on, still Farmer Paul
Looked out and thought, while the laborer now
Ladened each stocking upon the wall
With tokens of love, and every bouRh,
"While my wealth curses the misers greed,
The gift OF crust my boy may need"
Bending his head 'gainst the chimney wall,
And bending his eyes to the moldering blaze,
With many sigh he thought of it all,
just as II was III those Olden days
Just az IL was when Farmer Paul
Had son Of his own to hear his call.
He may have treated him too severe.
Keeping him wearily bending low
At a constant toll, in terror and fear
OF his passionate words and smarting blow.
But then, pitiless, iron sway
With beast and creature was ever his way.
The tender touch of the delicate lad,
The womanish look of his handsome face,
The patient glance which his soft eyes had,
Angered him till he forgot the place
The boy should have in his heart, and then
Well, who is so faultless he may condemn?
The boy passed out from his fathers home
With saddened heart and an empty purse,
But sadder than all things that may come,
out with him followed a fathers curse.
First however, it seemed TO fall
On the blighted life of Farmer Paul.
The farmer worked in his fields alone,
And wealth he Toaped in glittering maze,
A prosperous sun upon him shone,
But ah, they were long and weary days,
These that followed to Farmer Paul,
Sitting alone by his chimney wall.
Weary with seeing the morning dew
Weary with bearing the noon-day heat
Weary with living the long days through
cary of heart and weary of feet.
Most weary Of all, to Farmer Paul,
Taking his case by the chimney wall.
Sad the crickets beneath the SILL
sad the crows in the locust lane,
Sad in the garden the whppoorwill; ;
All earth was sad anG full of pain
To the childless life Of Farmer Paul,
Seated each eve by the chimney wall.
Bending his head 'gainst the chimney WALL
And bending his eyes to the smoldering blaze,
he tried 10 imagine he heard a call,
A step familiar in olden days,
Before there came TO Farmer Paul
This waiting life by the chimney wall.
Fearing 10 look, and trembling deep,
He thought his boys breath famed his cheek
He thought his boys step tried to creep
Softly near, and his boys voice speak:
4" VIII you welcome me, Father Paul?
VIII yCu hear my pleading call?"
No, not a dream, for there stood his boy,
brave bronZed man with bearded chin
Oh, how he chung to HIM in his JOY,
AS the bells fair Christmas morn rang in.
This was the gift to the farmer born
Out of the call of the Christmas morn
-FireSide Friend.