The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-06-18
AN OLD MANS LOVE.
BY ARvIDE BALDWIN.

An old and feeble man was this
Of whom this story's told to-day;
Sorrows he'd known as well as bliss,
And he had nearly closed lfes play; 4 IS
But sti he had no thought that time
Had such wild wings as it flew on,
And so he passed his life of prose and rhyme,
And youth. he thought was here, was gone.
And manhood in its prime had disappeared,
While wrinkles deep, marked DER his face,
Had now to show that what he feared
While young had found lodging-place;
But still he would not know twas SO,
But toiled on with dry and creaking bones,
Trying to keep ahead OF worldly woe,
And stunning the place that's covered DER with
stones. ~ @a
And thus he tolls, with shoulders stopping down,
Writing with greatest will to-day, 8% kE
And looks not up But DER his crown
Of gray the morning sunbeams play;
Perhaps twill not be wrong to steal look
Upon the page where crooked lines are seen
And see what's in the hearts remotest nook
Of age; and what its love has been.
And SO we look, and this is what we see bA
Scrawled upon the sheet before us;
Twill show that with us, early though death be,
Those that live will e'er deplore us,
And though our mate may live an hundred year
And five and seventy more than we,
He'll only recolect through smiles and tears
Our youth and its sad destiny.
*1g *'r> -
Dear Lena, thou springtme of my soul,
Hong to clasp thee in these arms again,
To shield thee from the ills and pain
This life control. y ~ &
Thou vert my 10y but few days ago,
But death hath robbed thee from the earth, Il
And taken youth and beauty we'll as worth, ~
And only memory left to know sary ~
That thou vast here, and all that's good OF thee. ~
feel hand I think it must be thine!
Ave. those fingers that so quietly INTERVENE
Are thine for me-
All, yes, indeed, it is. I hear sound! .,, u~s ~
That gentle voice only hers could bell II
And thus hear her say s. Come up to me - a. ~
Pleasures here abound"
I've missed thee long-aye, many day,
My love so beautiful in form and face, ~ ft
And DER whose brow no sign, no trace
Is found of life's decay.
Return to me, that may see thee yet
That may love thee as in days gone by
Wen foster joys, that ills Of earth may die,
And not our paths beset
Answer, my love, and tell it unto me
That thou wilt come and ease my aching heart
What dost thou say q "Here, love, we never part,
Come up to me-" * II k&
1 must for life without my Youthful bride FL
Is tasteless and I'd better far be there
And breathe the incense of the heavenly air,
When death hath died.
So wait for me, I'll soon be there with thee,
For am getting tired, and down will lie,
And rest myself before the trip, try,
To once more see ss as
And love thee, more than have loved thee yet.
md the trembling hand is weakening now,
As he guides the pen, and wonders how
He'll cross unto his pet.
But he loves to talk to his darling one, iI
And he tolls on and tells her of his love;
IF how he'd die to meet her up above, p
If otherwise it can't be done.
The pen is wandering DER the page,
The scraws are almost meaningless,
But love abounds in this rude dress,
And is not lessened cen by age.
At last the pen drops from his hand;
The hand falls listless by his side; & p
The smiles Of youth the aged burrows hide
Bespeak better lands eWp an w
They touch the wrinkled brow so clanl1ny,
With DEATHS stain stamped upon the clay, lag
They know that now his souls begun the day ~
In regions ever balmy.
No more will sorrows crowd upon his head;
His dreams of Lena are now realized;
Ind all the good for man by Heaven devised
Are resting on his head.