The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-10-14
JOmNI VILLAGE IDyL.

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The sun was settling NJ hc came,
Stout John, across the village gf"nj
Behind the p%ollaris, pools a-Namc
IAtup the old familiar scrnci
And cattle lowed, md milk-mnlds sung,
And birds upon the rOostlnB hung,
Beyond the village street there stands
4 cottage wrnppri with growing things
where crern@fs cling with loving hands,
And rIng-iOycs plume their dusty wings
And there, right broad Oi chest and tread,
Comes John, and holds alOft his head,
But on the garden path h. halls-
What sight IL this which makes hlf oycs
Ol~n like sunfOwrr after min2
lie finds his wife In rDmc new gnlSo'
Among the rOSs, spade In hand
lie soc- her comedy hgnrc stand,
GOOD wife, ho says, an. something ne"
To zee you mind the garden pnirhi
! thought you only liked thOv" hover,
That uOw aIaor lrnrath our lhhi'h
Then She, " every good vii" %shoull,
Called him aside from where ne SUM-
"F0t here" she said, "iof NINA YOU '"""'
She 1, W sharp, sane" ihrir.
She picks M everything Hhr h''I'
Al, does indeed, john have \ thI' ,
n,t lain and then she hllHl"l ana hlh}"l
The coming words, ASH n'h"1'
mt John, with one arm round per waist,
D,Ic her speak on and ~ at lonRlh
bhe sIple, nov slowly, nov ~ hl.ic
Allrlt, hy.and-h came 'lfiIlNh
INTO her words, while yet hcI A,nl
Wa, hpwcI before him, assist t'lI
".Iohn, | have always loved the Hover"
That grow beneath the blessed SKY,
And | was happy one" " think
We'd have 4 garden, you and l.
thought such lovely things should show,
And such sweet roses bud and blow
" But, John, when irst the garden came
(Why, Alice, there, was ten weeks Ola
The other gardens all we've thin,
Hut ~ Tor no, my heart was cold
Toward the ysrdon, John, ] mean,
Assn my wish had never been
" For John, y0n used Ia hide from h"in"
A something Int thV" summer days
tried ~ cheer myself y hli,
Aiylng YOU must Inv" mnnill TnyH.
But John, when vRgc-dny came round,
hut little wages could be found.
"hDd 0nc night, John, ! heard your step
Como late along the dnilla row
S,st morning when the children looked
For peas that they had learnt 10 NV,
q, John, your fest had gone nwfy,
And Judith asked the rcnsDI why
I" couldn't tell her could ] John
could hut cry ~ women do,
only the hours seemed less Ike home"
Only the sky seemed not No blue
only did not caro- 10 make
our garden nisr for others sake
- But now, John somehow God has heard,
And you have hcnrl my heart NAT 'p"k"i
think unless TINT you had heard
Before hi, time my heart had bf"k"i
But now good times have come ioI me,
And | want ross on our tree.
That's WHY, John, now ! care 10 take
Some pains here with our gaId'n plot
think II will h. sweet 10 MAJ.
Flower grow. fruit Iipcn on ih" spot,
For our W children here, may h.,
when God has gathered YOU and me-.
" Az, and Tor u.s." hc made reply,
"ln y,ar, the good tod yet may CIV"
TO..happy folks like us. And !
Aw.rt wife, will make you ear" to live.
80 plant the garden plot, nor icnr
II shall h. wai"r"l by . tear
Beyond the yillagc street there stands
\ cottage wrapped with glowing ihingt,
where crrrprr' cling with loving hands
And rlngAIovrt plume their dusty wing',
And there, right broad II chest and tread,
Lives John, md holds aloit hi, head.