The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-02-18
Selling the Farm.

OF it DER and DER;
where wheat never failed before.
And everything here's gone backward since
Willie went off to sea,
To pay the mortgage and save the farm, the
homestead, for son and me.
know it was best to give it; it was right that
the debts be paid,
The debts that our thoughtless Willie, in the
hours of his weakness, made;
And Will would have paid it fairly, you know
it as well as !,
If the ship had not gone down that night
when no other ship was nigh.
But, somehow, Ididnt quit hoping, and even
I've tried to pray 8, = } 3
(But Tknow ii our Will was alive on earth,
he'd surely: be here today. - ..-
I thought that the mercifrl Father, would
somehow care for the lad,
Because he was trying to better the past, and
because he was all we had.
But now I sniswell nigh hopeless, since hope
for my boy has fled, -.-
For selling the farm means giving him up,
and knowing for sure he's dead.
Oh! Thomas, how can we leave it, the home
we have always knownl y
We won it away from the forest, and made it
80 much our own.
First day that we kept house together was the
fhof b,,o,, mn horn.
And no other place in the wide, wide world
will ever be half so dear.
OF course, you remember it, iThomas--I need
rnotask You, know, Il q . G: -
For this is the month, and this the day-it was
twenty.six years ago.
And don't you remember it, Thomas, tho win
ter the barn was made! . .:E
How we were SO proud and happy, for all our
debts we're paid ..'
Thecrops were good that summer, and every
thing worked like charm,
And we telt 80 rich and contented to think we
had paid for the farm.
And now to think We must leave it, when here
Iwas hoping to die, 81. 81. III
It seems as il it was breaking my heart. but
the tount OF my tears is dry.
There's man mp. there in the village that's
wanting to buy, you say.
Well, Thomas, he'll have to have it, but why
does he come to-day!
But there, it is wrong to grieve you, for you
have enough to bear,
And in all our petty troubles you always have
borne your share;
I am but sorry hepmeet since have so
childish grown. = =
There, there, 20 on 10 the village, let me have
it out alone.
Poor Thomas, he's growing feeble, he steps 60
weary and slow,
There is not much in his looks to-day like
twenty-six years ago.
But know that his heart is youthful as it
was when We first were wed,
And his love il AZ strong as ever tor me, and
tor Willie, our boy that dead.
Oh, Willie, my baby Willie, never shall see
him more;
never shall hear his footsteps, as he comes
through the open door.
How are you, dear little mother!" were al.
ways the words he'd say;
II seems AS If would give the world to hear
it again to-day.
knew when my boy was coming, be it ever
30 early or late,
He was always whistling " Home, Sweet
Home" as he opened the garden gate
And many and many moment, since the
night that the ship went down,
HaveI started up at whistle like his, on,
there ON the road from town;
And in many night OF sorrow, in the silence
early and late,
Have / held my breath at a footstep, that
seemed to pause ut the gate.
/ hope that he cannot see US, wherever his
soul may be-;
1t would grieve him to know the trouble, that's
come 10 father and me.
Out there is the tree he planted, the day he
was twelve years old;
The sunlight is glinting through it, and turn
ing its leaves TO gold;j fss.r
And oiten when was lonely, and no one near
at hand,
l have talked to it, hours together-as il i,
could understand. ... i, ... ...
And sometimes used 20 fancy, whenever !
spoke of my boy,
1t was waving its leaves together, Like clap
ping its hands for joy.
1t may be the man that will own it, that's
coming to buy to-day,
VIII be chopping it down, or digging it up, and
burning it out of the way.
And there are the pansies yonder, and the
roses he heped TO tend
Why, every bush on The dear old place is as
dear rs tried old friend.
And now we must 20 and leave them-but
there they have come from town;
hnven't had Gne to smooth my hair, or ever
tochange my gown.
lean see them both quite plainly, although il
is getting late,
And the stranger's a whistling " Home, Sweet
Home, as he comes up from the gate
III 20 ont into the kitchen now, tor I DON
want to look on his lace. = e. r..
What Ig6s mas heStobe whistling that, unless
lie has bought the place.
Why, can that be Thomas som1ng? he usually
steps so Glow;
There's something come into his footstop like
twenty.six years ago.
There's something that sounds like gladnese
and the man that he used 10 be
Before our Willie went out from home to di
on the stormy sea.
What, Thomas! Why are you smiling, ant
holding my hands SO Tight
And why don't you tell me quickly-must VI
90 from the farm tonight?
What's that? "You bring me tidings. ant
tidings of wonderful joy;" -
caDaot be very joyous, unless it is news Q
my7boy. -
Oh, Thomas! Youcannot mean it q, Here, le
melook,in yeur face. s. rs r .....
Now ten me again # IS Willie that's wantin
TO buy the place.
- 20. Chicago Inter- Ocean.
TOMS SISTER.
Cbe xpa a {; fton,f uvhen the mother died