Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-10-25
WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 25. 1882.
= MIDWAY MILESTONE.

- Come down" the simple letter says,
land Keep your Sabbath birthday here,
Como down and hear the cburch-bells ring,
And hear the pg the thrushes sing
Among the le&fy bowers;
: Come forth from dreary city ways,
And glad Us with your presence, dear,
And longed for as the Summer flowers
Come down, and we will take once more
The healthy path across the hill;
Or saunter through the dewy lane,
Wherein we parted with such pain
A little year ago.
The heath is sweet with honey store,
The fair green lane is dewy still,
And IL long 10 see you SO
ssCome down, and we will sit again
Beside the milestone gray and old,
That stands without Our garden gate,
The spot where was won't to wait,
And listen, while your feet
Passed to the highway from the lane,
And my heart seemed too full to hold
Its tender bliss, so new and sweet"
L sit me in the Summer dusk,
The sultry dusk of city ways,
I put the letter from my hand,
And memory bring at my command
The past before mine eyes.
J see garden, sweet with musk
And lilies, wrapped in silver haze,
And sleeping under Summer skies.
A garden gateway, clothed about
With cream and crimson woodbine flowers,
And il the copse across the way,
The bird that singeth not by day,
Chants of her cruel fate.
The long VIII tie highway stretches out,
and faint pink eelantine embowers
milestone by the garden gate.
A stone that on its ancient face
A magic number shows to me,
IN quaint old figures mossy-brown,
SO many miles to London town
So many years have L
All, little girl! the barren space
Of my spent youth 'twixt me and thee,
For evernore must coldly lie.
think the moonlight touched my brain
That Summer night year ago;
Though sweet thy 1--we, had no right
To win the sacred blossom white
Of thy pure girlish heart:
Thy tears fell down like Summer rain,
To hear me tell my tale of woe,
Would God they could have healed the smart
Would God that to my empty home,
Where sombre shadows come at will,
Mine hand could lead thee, to dispe
The doleful memories that dwell
Beside its hearthstone cold;
Or would that / with thee could roam
The dewy lane, the heath-clad hill.
And sit beside the milestone old.
Would God, sweet child, that could share
The simple glee that fills thine heart,
That all the griefs and all the tears
That flied my life of forty years,
Might pass like morning dew;
would God that I could pray thy prayer.
From ali the worlds illusions part,
And tWine the roses with nay rue.
= Is it too late ?" my heart cries out
g Too late. too late - 1 make reply:
I had no right to speak of love,
Tue eagle mates not with the dove.
know the truth tonight:
see the way too clear for doubt,
L lay the simple letter by;
The midway milestone fades from sight.
IF l have harmed thee, gentle child,
will not deepen yet the wrong:
I could not quit my busy strife
To share thy simple country life;
The freshness of my soul
Has faded in Torld-pathways wild;
Pass on, and sing thy simple song,
] am too rough for loves control.
I could not sit in peaceful ease
With thee among the garden flowers
Nor could Isip-whose lips have quaffed
Life's strongest wine-the simple draught
Thou offerest gay and glad:
The soothing nurmur of the trees,
The incense of the wUodbine bowers,
Year after year, would drive me mad
aud SO I lay thy letter down,
and keep my birthday here apart;
Pass on, my little darling, free,
a brighter future waits for thee
In llfe's untrodden ways;
Pass on, and win thy Woman's crown
and kingdom, in youthful heart;
God give thee good, and length of days!
and 1, hfe's midway milestone past,
What more with love have to do2
My hearts lone memories, bitter-sweet,
Bestrew the ground before my feet,
Like wrecks on winters sea
God grant the young their dreams may last,
Nine early Cied-yet love is true
vel believe. though dead for me
all the Year Round.