The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-08-23
OLD ROBIN
J. T. TRowBRrDeR

J. Il. TRowBRIDaR.
seii Old Hobin, do you say Well, l reckon 20
nave Il / yoa avu your way with the land.
Wfth the meadows and the fallows drainln
ewamPs and nlling hOllows,
And you're mighty deep. Dan AIvord bur the SET
itself has shallows
And there are thsngs that you don't understand.
You are not go green. of course, as te feed worn
Out of pity or rernorse, very long
Bat as sure as 49, master Of a shed and bit o
Rot fer u Ihe veal h, I warn you, of Vanderbilt
win do old Rebin there such wrong.
He is old and lame. alas Don't dis,utb.him as yor
Let him lie there on tee grass, while he may, -
And ENJOY the can'mef weather. free forever iron
Sober Veteran as you see him, We we're young and
I = gay together:
It was I who rode him hrst-ah. the day
Just little ehsA. in first pantaloons and cap
/ And tie reins hung loose and Idle as we let him
prance and sidle-
For my, my father st6 galked beside with his hand
Tearling colt and boy of i've, hardly more.
See him start and prick his ears. see how know
And ones more e nlay he. fanciss that he carries
You may hugh, bct-well. OF eouTss it's absurd
Poor old Robin does he know how used To cling
and crow,
As rode him to and fro and sroundq
Every day as We grew older, he grew gentler 1
grew bolder,
TIL. hand upon the bride and touch upon his
shoulder,
could vault into my seat with bound.
All, the nag you so disdaia. Ti;h mis- scanty tai
And that ridgs pole TO shed rain, called back.
Then was tsper-liInbed and giossy-so superb a
Creature was he
Add he srehed his neck. so graceful and he tossed
. his tall, so saucy.
Like proudly wavin g rlume. long and black
BE vas llsnt OF hoOt and neet, | was supple, firm
n sat,
Aad sort of thing with feet anywhere
In the country, could come nigh US; sclrce the
, swallows could outfit us,
But the planet spun Beneath u.s. and the sky went
vhizzng by as,
In hurricane We made of tho air.
'rill, one day, beside the pool where he drank,
leaning on my handsome trotter, glancing up
To the Judges terraced orchard. there saw the
Judges daughter.
In frame OF sunny boughs on the bank.
Looking down on hose and boy, smiling down 50
That | thrilled With bashfuI Joy, when shq said
Voice as sweet as canary's-'' Would you like TO
. get SOME cherries p
You are welcome as the birds are There are nice
ones on this terrace;
These are white-hearts in the tree overhead
Was il Robin more than l, that had pleased her
girlish eve
As she as praneing by half. 1 feari
On she ran, but not great way: vhite-hearts,
black-hearts, sweet hearts, straightwsyi
Boy and horse were soon familiar with the hos
And happy fool wss l-for year.
Lord forgive only child All the blessings on
Had but helped TO make me wild and perverse.
What is there in honest horses that should lead
Racing, betting, idling, tIppling, wasted soon
: mall beginning led to more-and to worse.
Father bsppy in his grave Praying mothers
Mlne hatterer and slave to her sonI
Often Mary urged and pleaded, and the good Judge
interceded,
Counloled blamed. insisted. threatened tears and
threats were all unheeded,
and answered him in wrath it vas done
vainlv Mary sObbtd and cluns in fury out
To Old Robins back sprung and swayi
.-f'sa ternPest wltl-s seree. de-.
Through the blind and rsving gusts, mad they. |
Tried to shield me to reelaim-did her best;
stanmer
All we had was pledged for payment all was sold |
beneath the hsmner,-
Ny oil Robin there, along with the rest
Laughing jeerins, stood by, with a devil in my
Watching those who came to buy, wnst was done
had then no power 10 alter; looked on and would
TIL the last man had departed. leading Robin by
Then aew into the loft Tor my gun.
would shoot him no, said. I sould kill myself
To lonely wood fed, on hill.
Hating heaven and all It's Ineriss Tor my fOles and
reveIses.
There / plunged in establishment there bur
rOved In self-C1rses;
But the dying put on as men Will
As I wandered back at night, something, far off,
Dark sssinst fhe western light In the lane
Coming to the bars TO meet me-some illusion sent
TO cheat me
With a small white billet sewed to his
The small nIssive unstrung on old Robins neck
/ hung.
There cried there .clung while read;
ness never varies
sends this gifts" no name was written, but a
bunch of painted cherries,
On dainty little note. smiled instead.
there he lies now tank and lame. stih of limb
aud gaunt of frame,
But her and me I he same dear old boy
Never sJeed think, was fafrer still see him the
proud bearer
Of ny pardon and salvation and he yet shall be
As a dumb beast may share-in my Joy.
It is strange that by the time, 1, man, am in my
prime,
be is guilty of the crime Of old agei
But LoTt of eireumvention can depr. We him of
his pension
BE shali have his rack and posture. with little
kind attention,
And some years Of comfort yet, I'll engage.
By long service and good he has earned them,
and he still
Has a humble place TO 6Il, es you know.
Now my little shavers ride him sometimes two or
three astIide him;
Mary watches from the doOrEay while lead or
walk be idc bin-
But his danciBg all was done ionS ago
,ee that merry, toddling tripping 10 and fro,
10 pass
Little hsndfuIs of green grass, which he chews,
nd the two small urchins try ing to climb up and
nd. hard hssrted you are, Daneh you don't
say you cryiug2
Well n did horse after all has hts use