Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-03-24

/ uluOO W pity aIlU 70 SdULeSS,
For wounded dove she found
Fluttering wildly on the ground,
In an agony of PAIN
All its bosom overspread,
And the very grasses red.
With cruel crim> on stain.
Then, her heart with sorrow wrung,
TO the helpless thing she sprung;
Laid it tenderly to rest
Or her warm and loving breast,
Bore it hOmeward speedily
All forgetful in it's need,
OF her scented hriOny.
Buttercup and pink sweet-pea,-
Leaving every one, indeed,
OF the fresh and fragrant flowers
She had gathered all these hours,
Where they fell to fade away
In a premature decay.
Homeward with such flying feet
That they hardly bent the wheat,
Hardly shook its waving tassels.
Hurried maiden Marguerite;
Sought her mother with a cry
Do not let it bleed and die"
And the two, with that fond skill
Tender hearts command at viii,
Soothed the frightened. fiuttering thing,
Stanched the blood, aud bound the wing;
Fed it, nursed it. day and night,
I'LL once more the pretty creature
Might have plumed its wings for flight.
For the sheeny, purple crest
Aud the fair unruftied breast
Had regained their glossy beauty,
And the wings were lit for Gu ",
Healed and strong again with rest.
So at length, to Marguerite
Said the mother, 8 This is wrong
That we keep the bird SO long;
For its freedom would be sweet
Now the broken wing grows strong.
Somewhere IN the shady wood
There may be loving mate
And a helpless nesting brood.
That have found it long TO wait.
Let the ringdove go said she:
And the child, half-willnsly.
Ealf-reluctant, with the bird
Did according to her word.
Set the door and window wide,
Stood the open cage beside,
And with some such tender pain
AS g motherhood may know
When she sees her nestlings go,
Never to return again,
Watched 70 81 the dove take fight
Swift and sure beyond her sight.
But it turned its pretty head
With & sidelonS look instead.
From the wide and open window
Toward blue-eyed Marguerite,
Fluttered from the cages door
Downward to the cottage floor,
And stood cooling at her feet.
There was naught TO let Or hinder,
And the world outside was sweet,
Roses nodded IN the breeze.
Cherries riDe upOu the trees
Blue-b birds, black-birds, robins, Trens,
Picking greedily at these;
While tie noisy cocks and hens
Clucked and strutted to aud fro
Ii the barn-yard down below.
All the busy life and stir
Did not tempt the bird from he<:
For q moment at her feet
II cooed softly; growing bolder,
Then 1t perched upon her shoulder,
While the happy Marguerite
Laughed aloud IN her delight;
And the mother, staring, wondered
a. the unexpected sight:
Saying. as the thing she pondered.
1t Vii fly away tonight"
But tie night and then the morning
Found the dove. from all her warming,
Still unknown, and choosing still
OF Its own unhindered Will
In the cottage-home TO stay.
And though duly every day
Marguerite set wide the open door
And the window, as before,
II would never fly away;
Never could be cCaxed to stir
Out Of sight or sound Of her,
Seeming piacidly content
Just TO follow where she went.
So the snmner-days grew long
With the locust's shrilling song;
And one eve the little maiden
Went outside the cottage-door
With her willow-basket laden
For The granary's golden store.
At her coming focked together
Birds of various form and feather;
Ducks and geese with waddling feet,
Guinea fowls and turkeys freckled,
Yellow hens, and ROSTERS speckled;-
Eager for the coming treat.
One and al they flew 10 meet
Little mistress Marguerite.
on her shoulder, raised above
Al the noisy crowd. the dove
perched itself with look serene;
Satin breast and folded wing
In the sunset gllstenlng
Royal-purple, golden green.
Like a single, shining star
II was seen and known affair."
With sudden downward fight
From some accidental height
With arapid rush and rustic
And a cry of strange delight
Came dove that knew Its mate
Through all changes OF estate
In the lonely summer wood
She had found it long to wait,
Knowing nothing Of his fate,
And 10 reason understood
Why lie came not, soon OF late.
But the pain Was ovelpast,
ARD her true love found at last!
Maiden MarSuerlte's blue eyes
At SO rare sight as this
Filled with tender sweet surprise;
And she thought-but thought amiss-
Now my dove will stay no longer,
For another claim is stronger
It is only right he should
Fly away with one that clearly
Must have loved him very dearly;
And [ would not if | could,
By the lifting Of q finger,
Do thing 70 make him linger."