Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-02-14
SELLING THE FARM.

Well, why don't you say it, husband? know
what you want to say;
You want to talk about selling the farm, for the
mortgage we :; not pay.
know that wecr syit' have thought oi
For the wheat has fail. ecorner lot, where
wheat never failed
And everything here's CO. ~SWard since
Willie went of to Sea,
To pay the morlgage and save rm' tne
homestead for you and me.
know it was best 10 give it, 1t was f.. 1t that
the debts be paid,
The debts that our thoughtless Willie, IN the
hours OF his weakness made;
And Will would have paid 1t fairly, you know
If the ship had not gore down that night when
But. somehow @ % l don't quit hoping. and ever
kseW 5Tsea Il to oup Pr Vim was alive upon ear,n
he'd surely be here to day.
thought that the merclful Father would, some
Because he was trying to better the past. and
because he was all We had.
But now am well nigh hopelessi since hope for
For selling the farm means giving him up. and
| knowing Tor sure he's dead:
Oh, Thomas, how can we leave 1t, the home We
have always known?
We won it away from the forest, and made it SO
much our own,
| First day that we Kept house together was the
| day that you brought me herei
And no other place in the wide, wide world
| will ever be half so dear.
|
For this is the month, and this is the day-it was
| twenty-siX years ago,
And don't you remember it, Thomas, the win.
ter the barn was made
How we We're so proud and happy, for all oul
! debts were paid
The crops were good that summer, and every
| thing worked like charm,
/ And we ielt so rich and contented, TO think W.
| had paid Tor the farm.
And now to think we must leave 1t, when here
was hoping to die,
1t seems as ii it was breaking my heart. but tn
fount OF my tears is dry.
There's a man up there In the village that
wanting to buy. you say;
Well, Thomas, he'll have to have It; but VIII,
does he come to-day?
But there, it Is wrong to grieve you. for yo
have enough to bear,
And in all of our petty troubles you have Away
borne your share;
am but a sorry helpmeet since have so child
lsh grown.
| There, there, go on to the village, let me nave
out alone.
Poor Thomas, he's growing more feeble, he'
so weary and slow.
There is not much in his looks to-day like TWEEN
ty-six years ago.
when we first were wed.
| And his love Is strong ever for me, an
GT while Gu1 pabS S0$ Whit ,hl. shall
1 never shall hear his footsteps as he come
through the open door.
"How are you. dear little mother 2" were a
ways the words he'd say;
1t seems AS if 1 would give the world to hear
again to-day.
1 knew when my boy was coming, be it ever S
early or late.
, He was always a-whistlIng Home, swe'
r And many and many a moment, since the nigl
that the ship went down,
Have started up at u whistle like his, out thel
on the road from town;
, And in many u night Of sorrow. in the sllenc,
early and late,
= | Have held my breath at footstep, that SCENE
to pause at the gate.
: hope that he cannot see us, wherever his so
!, may be;
u 1t would grieve him to know the trouble that
. :. come to father and me.
: Out there is the tree he planted, the day he WI
twelve years old;
ss And often when Was lonely, and no one near
- hand,
u l have talked to it hours together-as il 1t cou
= understand
y And sometimes l used to fancy, whenever
u spoke of my boy,
1t was weaving its leaves together. like clappil
its hands for joy.
Ii may be that the man who will own it, that
coming to buy it to-day,
Will be chopping it down, digging 1t u
and burning it ont of the way.
And there are the pansIes yOnder, and the rOs
he helped to tend
Why. every bush on the dear old place is
tried old friend
And now we must 90 and leave them-but ther
they have come from town;
haven't had time to smoothe my hair, or ev
to change my gown.
can see them both quite plainly, although it
getting late,
And the strangers whisting ''Home, Sw,
, Home as he comes up IRON the gate.
I'n go out into the kitchen, now, for dol
want to look on his lace,
i What right has he to be whistllng that, uni,
q he has bought the place?
Why. can that he Thomas coming9 He usua
- steps SO slow;
There's something come into his footsteps Ii
}. twenty-siX years ago,
There's something that sounds like gladne
p, and the man that he used to be
"a Before our Willie went out from home to die
the stormy
What, Thomas! Why you smiling, d
m holding my hands SO tight?
W And why don't you tell me qulckly-must we
1id from the farm tonight?
es- What's that? "You bring me tidings. and
ings OF wonderful Joy;''
1t cannot be very joyous, unless it Is news
Us my boy.
Oh, Thomas |! You cannot mean It! Here,
Inc look in ycur face.
- Now tell me again 1t is Willie that's wanting
Yer buy the place.