The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-07-02
GRANDMOTHER GRUMBLE ON THE
FARM.
pY HELEN AsGrLL GOODWIN.

BY HELIs AsGELL GOODWIN.
We are back ON the farm where my childhood was
Our riches took wings II is well that they went.
We are happy az princes and busy az bees
At lenst all but Johns wife, She sits at her ease,
With novels, bemoaning her happier days,
While the country folks laugh at her nne-iady ways
She keeps a canary and lxp-dog 10 cheer
Her self-imposed idlsness. Is II not queer l.,
How some women will fold their white hands IN
despair
At tho dreadful dilemma Of {" nothing TO weor,s
And can't be convinced Of what plainly In true,
That the worst OF all curses Is nothing 10 40 -,
Or that he who found mischief for Idle hands "neh
The good Dr. Watts lived is still among men,
But John has grown young. He said only last
He would not take up the old cares If he might.
And from my heart do rejoice with my son
In the good this reverse TO the children has DONE
Gustayus and Lincoln work hard on the farm
And study between whites. Twill do them no
If they wort their own passage TO college and
through
They say it's the way that the greatest men do.
Ana the little ones, healthy and happy and brown,
You could not persuade them to 90 back 70 town.
IAN outdoors for play room, II pleasant the day.
II stormy, the garnet and q barnful OF nay.
The best of the whole is We do our own work:
No servants TO waste things and pilfer and shirk,
And threaten TO leave II you think II not right
To ask that - first cousin" TO tea every night
Though they would do better, fancy, for one,
II the mistress herself knew how work should DC
OF course we live simply but even johns wife
Surprised into frankness, for once in her life,
Said ~ A. far as the food goes"-vith her no small
distance
" / think this the happiest mode Of existence"
But we're out of society,"" she says. No doubt,
II the literal truth, 'tis a sorrowful - out"
But what in society? Three-minute calls
On people inst like you, late suppers and balls,
A box at the opera, carriage at VIII,
And no limit set to the nilliner's bill?
I'd sooner be shut in room with cat,
OR only rose-bJsh, than go through all that!
Thank God (. we're not out of society yet
Every soul that Christ died for belongs 30 =" our
Set"
To follow His fashions we earnestly try,
And we shall be like Him in - the sweet by ana BY.
But we're longer "upper ten" This fact, as
yet,
Young Crcesus McIlvan appears to forget,
For he calls on Eugene about every day.
He il summering near here his friends at Cape
May.
He wanted to marry next fall, or before,
And tried to coax her to teach music no more.
But the scales have dropped off from my gran
daughters eyes,
And she teaches her lover lessen more wise,
Declaring he never shall call her his wife
Till he ceases to lead such an ndolent life.
His riches may ny; so himself he must prove
Both able and willing To work for her love.
"well, then" said McIlvsn, 50 III follow my bent
And learn to build houses with Barlow x Dent
His friends do nothing but talk about him.
And wonder what made him take up such a whim.
Architecture was always his hobby" they say;
" But it might be pursued in more genteel way"
Replies the apprentice: - A truce to your pride
Like Jacob, the chosen, work Tor a bride
One wise a the wise mans ideal Of old
Her price above rubies, outshining my god.'
-hdependeW.