Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-12
Old Robin.

swamps ndtilling hollows;
And you're mighty deep, Dan Alvord! but the
sea itself has shadows,
And there are things that you don't under
stand
You are not SO green, Of course, as to feed a
wOrnOut horse,
Out OF pity or rcmOrSe, very long!
But as sure as am master of a shed and bit
of pasture,
Not for all the wealth, ] warn you, of Wander
bilt or AStor,
Will | do old robin there such wrong.
He is old and lame, alas! Don't disturb him
as you pass!
Let him lie Their on the grass, while he may
And enjoy the summer weather, free forever
from his tethtr.
Sober veteran as you see him, we were young
and gay together:
1t was who rode him tirst-ah, the day!
was just 2 little chap, in first pantaloons and
cap,
And left my mothers lap at the door;
And the reinS hung loose and idle, as we let
him prancc aud sidlc--
For my father walked beside me with his hand
upon the bride:
Yearling colt aud boy Of five, hardly more.
See him start and prick his ears! see how
Knowingly he leers!
l believe he overhears every word;
And once more, It may be, tancles that he car
rieS me and Frances,
While my mother from the DOORWAY follows
us with happy glances:
You may laugh, but-Well, of course, it's at
surd
Poor Cd Robin! does he know how used to
cling and crow,
AS rode him to and fro and around?
Every day as we grew older, he grew gentler,
7 hD1Apr
Till, a hand upon the bride and a touch upon
his shoulder,
l could vault into my seat at a bound.
tail and name,
And that ridge pole to shed rain, called a back,
Then was taper-limbei and glossy--so superb
creature was he!
And he archea his neck, so graceful, and he
tossed his tail, so saucy,
Like proudly waving plume, long and black!
He was light of hoof and fleet, was supple,
firm in seat,
Aud no sort of thing with feet, anywhere
In the country, coul. come nigh u.s. scarce
the swallows could outfy us;
But the planet spun beneath us, and the sky
went Whizzing by us,
In q hurricane We made Of the air.
Then rode away to the school in the morn
ings fresh and cool;
Till, one day, beside the pool where he drank,
Leaning on my handsome trotter, glancing up
across the water
To the Judges terraced orchard, there l saw
the Judges daughter
In frame Of sunny bOughs on the bank
Looking down on horse and boy, smiln g
down so sweet and COY,
That / thrilled with bashful joy, when she
said
Voice as sweet as a canary's-" Would you
like to get some cherries?-
You are welcome rs the birds are;-there are
nice ones on this terrace;
These are white hearts in the tree overhead"
Was it Robin more than I, that had pleased
her girlish eye
AS she saw us prancing by? half, fear!
On she ran, but not a great way: white. hearts
ck-hearts, sweet-h hearts straightway!
Boy and horse were soon familiar with the
hospitable gateway,
And happy fool was for a year.
Lord forgive an only child! All the blessings
On me piled
Had but helped to make me wild and per-
verse.
What is there in honest horses that should
lead to vicious courses?
Racing, betting, dling, tipping, wasted soon
my best resources;
Small beginning led to more-and to worse.
Father? happy in his grave! Praying mothers
cannot save
Mine? a latterer and slave to her son
Often 4'ary urged and pleaded, and the good
Judge interceded
Counseled, blamed, insisted, threatened; tears
and threats were all unheeded
And answered him in wrath; it was done!
Valnly Mary sobbed aud clung; in a fury ut
l flung,
To old Robins back I sprung, and away!
NO repentance, no compasslon; on plunged
in heaclon@ fashion,
In NIGHT of rain and tempest, with fierce
despairing passion
Through the blind and raving gusts, mad as
they.
Bad to worse was still my game: my poor
mother, still the same
Tried to shield me, to reclaim-did her best.
Creditors began to clamor; could only lie
and stamme";
All we had was pledged for payment, all was
sod beneath the hammer,
My old Robin there, along with the rest
Laughing, jeering, Istood by, wi h a devil in
my eye
Watching those who came 10 buy what was
done
l had then no power to alter; looked on and
would not falter,
Till the last man had departed, leading Robin
Then I flew into the loft for my gun.
l would shoot him! no, said, would kill
myself instead!
To q lonely wood fled on q hill
Hating Heaven and all its mercies for nv fol
lies and rGYerscs,
Then l plunged in self abasement, there !
burroWed in self-curses;
But the dying put otf-as men will
As wandered back at night, something far
off caught my sight,
Dark against the western light, in the lane;
Coming to the bars to meet me-sOme illusion
sent to cheat me!
No, twas Robin, my own Robin, dancing,
Whlnnyng to greet me!
With small white billet sewed to his name,
The small missye unstrung-op old Robins
back 1 hung,
There cried and there I chung! while read
In hand knew was Mary's-"One whose
kindness never varies
Sends this giftn no name was written. but 3
painted bunch of cherries,
On dainty little note, smiled, instead
There he lies now! lank and lame, stiff of ]imI
AID gaunt Of frame,
Never steed I think was fairer! still see him
the proud bearer
Of my portion and salvation; and he yet shall
be sharer-
AS a poor dumb beast may share-in nv iov
1t is strange that by the time I, man, am in
my prime,
He is guilty Of the crime of old age
bntno KIND OF circumvention can deprive him
of his pension:
He shall have his rack and pasture, with E
little kind attention,
And some years of comfort yet, I'll engage
by lonS service and goodwill he has earned
them, and he still
Has humble place to fill, as Won know.