Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-01-16
Old Robin.


stand.
You are not so green, of course, as to feed q
WORKOUT horse,
Out of pity or remorse, very long! ts,-1..,
But as sure as am master of shed and bit
Not for all the wealth, warn you, Of Wander
Will do old robin there such wrong.
He is old and lame, alasl Don't disturb him
as you passl
And enjoy the summer weather, free forever
from his tether.
Sober veteran as you see him, we were young
and gay together:
1t was who rode him first-ah, the day!
was just little chap, in first pantaloons and
And left my mothers lap at the door;
And the reins hung loose and idle, as we let
him prance and side
For my father walked beside me with his hand
upon the bride:
Yearling colt and boy Of five, hardly more.
See him start and prick his ears! see how
knowingly he leers!
believe he overhears every word;
And once more, It may be, tancies that he car
ries me and prances,
us with happy glances:
You may laugh, but-well, OF course, it's al
surdl
Poor old Robin! does he know how used to
cling and crow,
AS I rode him to and fro and around:
Every day as we grew older, he grew gentler,
grew holder,
Till, hand upon the bride and touch upon
his shoulder,
Icould vault into my seat at bound.
All, the nag you so dlsdain, with his scanty
tail and name,
And that ridge-p pole to shedrain, called back,
Then was taper'lmbed and glossy-so superb
creature was he!
And he arched his neck, 50 graceful, and he
tossed his tall, so saucy,
Like proudly waving plume, long and black!
He was light of hoof and fleet, was supple,
firm in seat,
And no sort of thing with feet, anywhere
In the country, coul. come nigh us; scarce
the swallows could outdy US;
But the planet spun beneath us, and the sky
went whizzing by US,
In hurricane we made OF the air.
Then I 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 1 saw
the Judges daughter.
In frame Of sunny bOughs on the bank.
Looking down on horse and boy, smiling
down so sweet and coy,
That thrilled with bashful Joy. when she
said
Voice as sweet as canary's-" Would you
like to get some cherries?-
You are welcome as 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
OH she ran, Lut not great way: white. hearts
black hearts, sweet-hearts straightway!
Boy and horse were soon familiar with the
hospitable gateway,
And happy fool was for wear.
Lord forgive an only child! All the blessings
Had but helped to make me wild and per.
verse.
What is there in honest horses that should
lead to vicious courses?
Racing, betting, idling, tippling, wasted soon
my best resources;
Small beginning led to more-and to worse.
Father? happy in his grave! Praying mothers
cannot save
Mine? flattercr and a slave to her son!
Often Mary urged and pleaded, and the good
Judge interceded,
Counseled, blamed, insisted threatened tears
and threats we're all UNDECIDED,
And answered him in wrath; it was done
Vainly Mary sobbed and chung; in fury out
flung,
No repentance, no compassion; on plunged
in heaClOng fashion,
In a 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
sold beneath the hammer,
My old Robin there, along with the rest.
Laughing, jeerine, Istood by, with devil in
Watching those who came TO buy, what was
had then no power to alter; looked on and
would not falter,
Till the last man had departed, leading Robin
Then II flew s~y into ns,t the loft for my gun.
would shoot him! no, said, would kill
myself instead!
TO a lonely wood fled, on hill.
Hating Heaven and all its mercies for my fol-
lies and reYerses,
Then l plunged in establishment, there
burrowed in self-curses
But the dying put off-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
whinnying to greet me!
The small missiye unstrung-op old Robins
back hung,
There cried and there chung! while I read,
In hand l knew was Mary's-"One whose
kindness never varies
Sends this gift" no name was written, but
painted bunch of cherries,
On dainty little note, smiled, instead.
There he lies now! lank and lame, stiff of limb
and gaunt of frame,
But to her ana me the same dear old boy!
Never steed ] think was fairer! still see him
the proud bearer
Ofmy portion and salvation; and he yet shall
be sharer-
AS poor dumb be asst may share-in my Joy.
1t is strange that by the time, I, man, am in
He is guilty gu t' Of the crime of old age!
Bnt no kind of circumventio ion can deprive him
of his pension:
He shall have his rack and pasture, with a
little kind attention.,
And some years OF comfortyet, I'll engage.
By long service and goodwill he has earned
them, and he still
Has humble place to fill, as you know.
Now ny little shavers ride him, sometimes
two or three astride him;
Mary watches from the doorway while lead
or walk beside him.
But his dancing all was done long ago.
See that merry, toddling lass tripping to and
fro, to pass ,-----..>.-- -
Little handfuls of green grass. which he
chews, go 80 - :"
And the two small urchins trying to climb up
and ride him lying;
And hard-hearted as you are, Dan-eh? you
don't say you are crying? : = :
Well, an old herse, after all, has his use!
y. T. T'o,r6ride, in Seri6nner's Mo nth: