The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-05-18
VOL. 5.
That Baby ina 'EuscnlOO.


The following burst of backwo
poetry has been in print, but will b
'epetition. In every respect it may
considered equal to anything IN t
inc that ever came even from the
If Bret Harte, and it is far superior
nauv of the odd emanations OF his bra
So you're all the way from Kansas,
And knew my Jennie there;
Well, I'm mighty glad to see YOU
Just take that vacant chair.
You don't seem much Of stranger.
Though never here before
Jack, take the gentleman's beaver
And hang it hind the door.
What five whole days on the Journey,
Comm by boat and car?
Good graciousI who'd thought Jennie
Could ever live so far
Away from the Youghiogheny,
The farm, and the mountain blue;
Wouldn't believe it of her,
And that's 'twlXt me ana you.
You say she's not very lonely;
Then she don't feel the worst.
What! Jennie has got q baby 90 .
You should have said that first.
And now please repeat it over,
can't believe my ear
Just think my Jennie mother.
Pshaw, now, what's this "a tear?
Here, Jack, run OF TO the kitchen,
Tell mother to come quick,
Let the bakn' go to thunder,
Let her not strike lick
TIL she hears the news from Kansas,
Twill make her very vain
So you knew the little ones mother9
Your hand; We'll shake again.
Perhaps you may think me foolish
For making such row;
But you must excuse an old man
Mind, I'm grandpa now.
Well, well, how the years slip by US,
Silent and swift and sly;
For all the world like the white clouds
Adrlft In summer sky!
But only in this they differ
We're going with the years
Into the harbor OF Old age,
Up to the silent piers,
Where eachmay discharge his burden
And furl his wrinkled sail,
And thank the Heavenly Master,
Who saved him through the gale.
But what is the use in talkin'-
I'm Dustin with joy;
IbelIeye l could whoop like an Injun !.
And you tell me it's boy,
And she called him for her fatherf
You see, she don't forget
The old man who used TO nurse her
And play peep" with his pet"
Stranger, your story has called up
A night long, long ago;
The night came to this mountain
Through binding wreaths of snow.
We came il Conestoga-
Only my wife and l;
Slender and coy and shy.
We started in shinin' weather;
But then it blew up cold,
And the snow fell thick and heavy
And down the mountain rolled
In drifts as big as the wagon
All, sir, that was storm!
Each tree was decked OFT III feathers.
Pretty, but not SO warm.
Tue snow kind of stopped our motion,
Night hedged US all about,
And then began to wonder
How we'd weather it out.
Just then, as lny luck would have 1t,
Jane said she felt quite queer;
Can YOU dream how felt then, sir,
AND not a woman near?
The wind moaned among the branches,
Thought it would pierce Inc through;
Said |, Jane, there's but one OF me
My coat may save you two"
She cried, and refused to take it
Mau-like, had my way;
Then on that mountain l knelt down,
And oh, how did pray.
Prayed for the night to be over,
Prayed for human form,
PRAYED for the ather to shelter
NV pride and hope from harm.
think he bent down to listen,
For, way up there on high,
Angels came out with little lamps
And hung them in the sky.
1 cracked the whip over Rosin,
Told Jim to git along,
And then, with rush, we started
broke into a song;
Not that felt much like singln',
But had often heard
Women in James way were skeery,
So sung hike bird.
Well, Preached this place bout midnight
And thanked God with smile;
Then ran to the nearest neighbor-
And that was half mile.
At the door kicked and pounded,
And made my trouDIe knoWn--
You can bet your bottom dollar
didn't come back alone.
The women-folks built q fire,
And l stood out in the hall,
And there | shivered and trembled
Until there came squall;
1t wasn't much of holler,
But then it gave me start,
And ever since that blest moment
I've had bigger heart.
But pshaw . let us change the subject,
You are too young man
To grasp such delicate questions,
Oryet to understan';
So III not bother you further
Bout Jennie's babyhood;
But anyhow, this I will say,
She was pretty and good.
What's the use of keepin "a secret Z
She married 'gainst our will,
A lad by the name of jackson,
Whose father kept the mill.
Thought him too young and shiftless
Though he was big and strong,
And told my daughter, kindly,
He'd never get along.
I'll not soon forget her answer,
Twas spoken like a queen.
Said she, II will take chances,
Whatever comes between"
What i said don't remember;
My anger did the rest,
And that uIght Jennie and Jackson
Left for the distant West,
No one can tell what I suffered
] walked around all day
With face as white as chalk, sir
And tried but could not pray.