St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-11-17
An Old Story.

never meant to wrong you-this ia true
Although you wear a look of upb.Ii.f
'' M"huer' either. knowing all You do
But you may trust me- for INV time i. br;.,
! INV 'hS' words shall speak with You
Ana then the evil tale of shame, and ,r;.f
Comes to an ending 1t will all Ia, don.
before ih" shining of another sun
mere was a time y"u loved me, certainly
no" long ago it seems and far awayl
WONDER sometimes it really me
on married, and brought home that summ,.
day.
"''' ule day' sweet with song of bird and b..
/" thr old house that frontcd ON the bavr
an dear old house! see the roses still
iha' used to Chamber round the window sill
smell the salt sea-wind that used to blow
across the marshes; and hear again
IN" tapping ofthe water To and fro.
Inc screaming of the gulls before the rain
i""se h'tt Things that happened long ago.
i"-hlght they all come back To me 50 plain
see the very boats that used to ride
Backward and forward un the shifting tide
IL THIS were all dream and could wake
And find myself is that old house once moro
ANA smell the sea, ami hear the lash and break
OF tapping waves along the level shore.
should be glad-sO glad. Nor would make
The misery for you | made before
Would had dreamed il ALL and could undo
The sorrow and the wrong l wrought for Won!
never meant it, though-yOu must believe
MY dying words had no thought of sin
No thought of anything but to retrieve
Some empty hours some diversion win
For time hung heavy, and used t" grieve,
More than you know. for my own home and kin
missed i'll that old house beside the sea
:" much, you know, that had been dear to me.
f"u were absorbed with many a weighty care
And could not take the time, perhaps To heed
II seemed t" tax your patience but To- spare
An hour or =" at evening for my peed
And :" thought hardly had my share
OF witcly honor and was sore indeed,
And bitter often with "A sense of wrong
That made the days NOR" desolate and long.
If hal had a child-but there again
That boon universal and FREQ
| OF all others must desire in vain
The joy of motherhood was not for me
would have borne its utmost and strain
M God earth more willingly
Could have ever rocked to happy rest
\ baby OF my own upon my breast
You never thought carrdl All, well. did
And there were other things cared for too.
But shyly half, and half in pride kept Ind
BY reason of my hitter thoughts IF YOU:
Why should tell you only to bc child
For discomfort And You never knew
How duh my days were, and how the smart
Of disappointment in my empty heart.
He knew without the telling-all the rest
Grew ont of this with such "a gradual growth
never the dangrr-nrvcr guessed
That was false at heart to welded troth-
Till sudden passion lcaprd up uurrprrssrd,
Aud sudden ruin overwhelmed Us both.
Y" need 10 tell y"m more y"u know the worst;
But truly was innocent at first.
S"nrtmcs ircl-and You will smile no doubt
bitter smile and scornful, when I've said
The wicked thing you'll think it. boldly out
feel as if shall not wholly dread
+" stand before Him who Dispersed the rout
That would have stoned sinful woman dead
He knows my sin, and my temptation too;
He will not he stern Judge as you.
~ 90 forth To meet Him. glad t" go
For in this world is for
There, i another life somewhere, know.
And. Christ being in it II may also h,
That shall find my place there and may grow
To something worth rederming finally.
| see your pitying look-I hear your sigh;
No matter, Kiss me once before die.
-Mdrv f. Bradley IN APpietoaS Journdl