The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-04-26
Jane Reed.
A PENNSYLVANIA BALLAD.

A PENNSYLVANIA BALLAD.
"H could forget" she said, "forget, and
begiu again.
We see 30 dull at the time, and, looking back,
20 plaiu:
There's = quiet that's worse, think, than
many spoken strife,
And it's wrong that one mistake should change
the whole Of life.
"There's John, forever the same, 80 steady,
sober, and mild;
He never storms as man who never cried as
child:
Perhaps my ways are harsh, but II he would
seem to care,
There'd be fewer swallowed words and lighter
load to bear.
"Here, Cherry she's found me out, the cali
Iraised in the spring,
And likely heifer she's grown, the foolish,
soft-eyed thing!
Just the even color I like, without dapple o,
speck-
Oh, Cherry, bend down your head, and let me
cry on your neck!
"The poor dumb beast she is, she never can
know nor tell,
And it seems to do me good, the very shame Of
the spell:
80 old woman and hard, and Joel 80 old q
man
But the thoughts Of the old go on as the
thoughts of the young began
cts guessing that wastes the heart, IA,
worse than the surest fate;
II knew he had thought Of me, could
quietly work and wait;
And then when either, at last, on bed Of
death should lie,
Why, one might speak the truth, and the
other hear and die |"
She leaned on the heifer's neck; the, dry
leaves fell from the boughs,
And over the sweet late grass Of the meadow
strayed the COWS;
The golden dcdder meshed the cardinal Aowe,
by the rill;
There was autumn haze in the air, and sun.
light low on the hill.
GIVE somehow missed my time" she said tc
herself, and sighed:
"What girls are free to hope, a steady woman
must hide,
But the need outstays the chance; 1t makes
me cry and laugh
To think that the only thing I can talk to now
is calf"
A step came down from the hill; she did moi
turn or rise;
There was something in nel heart that saw
without the-eyes.
She heard the foot delay, as doubling to stay
or go:
els the heifer for sale ?" he said. She stern.
ly answered: "No!"
She lifted her head as she spoke; their eyes 9
moment met,
And her heart repeated the words: III
could only forgetr
He turned little away, but her lowered eyes
could see
His hand, as he picked the bark from the
trunk Of a hickory tree.
"Why can't We be friendly, Jane3" his words
came strange and slow;
"You seem to bear me grudge, so long, and
30 long ago!
You were gay and free with the rest, but al.
ways 50 shy Of me,
That, before my freedom came, saw il
couldu't be-"
"Joel!' was all sh, cried, as their glances
met again,
And sudden rose ehaced her pallor Of age
and pain.
he picked at the hickory bark: cts curl
GUS thing to say:
But I'm lonely since Phebe died and the girls
are married away.
"That's why these thoughts come back: I'm 8
little too old for pride.
And never could understand how love should
be all one side;
'Twould answer itself, thought, and time
would show me how,
But It didn't come 30 then, and it doesn't seen
so now ="
"Joel, it came 80 then r'-and her voice wa
thick with tears
"a hope for single day, and bitter shame
for years.
He snapped the ribbon Of bark; he turned
from the hickory tree:
"Jsne, look me once in the face, and say tina
you thought Of me !"
She looked, and feebly laughed: "It's com
fort to know the truth,
Though the chance was thrown away in the
blind mistake Of youth"
"And greater comfort, Jane,' he said, witt
tender smile,
"To find the chance you have lost, and keel
it little WHILE"
She rose as he spoke tho words: the pettet
heifer thrust
Her muzzle between the twain, with an ami
mails strange mistrust:
But over the creatures neck he drew her tt
his breast:
GA horse is never 30 old but it pulls with an
other beast!'
Its enough to know" she said, "to remem
Der, not forget"
"Nay, nay for the rest Of life we'll pay esot
others debt !'
She had no will to resist, 80 kindly was she
drawn,
And she sadly said, at last: bat what viii
become Of John2
-Bayard Taylor.
Leather at the Centennial.