The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-07-15
WHEN WENT PUSHING WITH DAD.
By NJ. E. vANDYNE.

BY NJ. E. vANDYNE.
When was boy-Im an old man now;
Look st the lines across my brow;
Old Time has furrowed them there.
NV back is bent and my eyes are dim;
he has placed his finger on every limb,
And pulled out most of my hair.
But if life has reached December,
I'm not too old to remember
When went fishing with dad.
We would each of us shoulder his part of the load,
And joyfuily start along the road
But dads was the heaviest share.
Out OF the village about mile,
Over meadow, across stile,
And then almost there.
Dear old brook, can see it still,
The messy bank and the old gray mill,
Where went fishing with dad.
We would wander about fora little space
To find the contest, shadiestplac
Before we went to work
Then dad would arrange his rod and line,
And tell me Just how TO manage mine
When the fish began to jerk. as set
If I only could feel as / used to then
II the days could only come back again,
When l went fishing with dad!
We armed our hooks with the wriggling bait,
Then seated ourselves on the bank to wait
And see if the fish would bite.
Sometimes they would only take look,
as if they thought there might be hook,
But couldn't be certain quite. sy
There was one cid perch that used to think
Would always look at the line and wink,
When / went fishing with dad.
And so we fished till the sun was high,
And the morning hours were all gone by,
And the village clock struck one!
SCI am hungry, Jim, :" then dad would say;
80 Let's give the fishes a chance to play
Until our lunch is DONE"
Oh nothing has ever tasted so sweet
Aa the big sandwiches used to eat
When went fishing with dad.
Then dad and I would lie on the grass
And wait for the heat OF the day to pass;
How happy used to feeI
And what wonderful stories he would tell
TO the eager boy that he loved so well,
After our midday meal
And how would nestle close to his side
To hear of the world so big and wide,
When went fishing with dad.
For eagerly listened to every word;
And then among men of whom heard
How longed to play part
What wonderful dreams OF the future came,
What visions of wealth and an honored name,
To fill my boyish heart!
There is no dream like the old dream,
There is no stream like the old stream
Where went fishing with dad.
Then back again to our sport we'd go,
And fish till the sunsets crimson glow
Then dad would call to me, Jim, wen stop;
The basket is full to the very top; N Ff
It's time we were on our way"
There are no ways like the old ways,
There are no days like the old days
When went fishing with dad. IL
Then we took our way through the meadow land,
And chung so tight to his wrinkled hand,
AS happy as I could be. fts
And when the o. d house came in sight,
The smile on his old face grew so bright t +
AS he looked down at me.
And no one smiles as he used to smile;
And, oh, it seems such long, long while
Since I went fishing with dad. ~ ..
1t is way, way back in the weary years
That with aching heart and falling tears
watched dad go away.
His aged head lay on my breast
When the angels called him home to rest
He was too old to stay.
And dug grave meath the very sod
That my boyish feet so often trod
When went fishing with dad
The world has given me wealth and fame,
Fulfilled my dreams of an hcnored name, &
And now am weak and old;
The land is mine wherever look;
I can catch my fish with silver hook:
But nay days are almost told.l
Uncheered by the love of child or wife,
Iwould spend the end of my lonely life
Where went fishing with dad.
My limbs are weary, my eyes are dim;
shall tell them to lay me close byrhim
Whenever come to die; &lb
And side by side, it will be my wish,
That there by the stream where they used to fish
They viii let the old men lie. 81
Close by him I would like to be-
Buried beneath the old oak-tree
Where I sat and fished with dad.
-HGspef's Weekly.