The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-03-23
a. y ~
Doefp.
DARBY AND HES'LOAN.

fThe following old poem is always new.
It's euthor and exact age are unknown:l
When Darby saw the setting sun,
Heswung his scyrhe and home he run.
Sasdown, drank of his pint, and said:
.".My work is done, IN cote bed"
"My work is done" retorted Joan;
"My work is done, your constant tone;
But hapless woman ne'er can say
NY work is done, till Judgmen, Day"
Hsrs Darby hemtd and racked bis head
To answer what his Joan had said;
Bat all in vain, her clsck kept on;
ayes, woman's work is never done.
"Yo7 men can sleep all, night but We
Must :oil." "Whose fault is that ?? quoth
he.:
'I know your meaning" Joan replied,
"But, sir, my tongue shall ne'er be tied;
I will 20 on and let You know
What work We women have 10 do.
"Rirst, in the morning, though we feel
As sick IS drunkards when they reel
Yes, feel such pain through back and head
AZ would conine you men to bed.
"We WELD the brush and ply the broom,
We air the beds and right the room;
The COW must next be MIXED, and then
We get the breakfast for the men.
tsEre this is done, with whinpering cries
And briskly air, tne children rise;
These must be dressed and dosed with rue
And fed, and all because Of you.
eve must"-here Darby rose and scratched
his head, ~. ~
And fast re:reated for the bed;
And grumbling this IS on he run:
t.Zoaads! woman's clack is never DONE"
AZ early dawn ere Phebus rose,
Cid Joan resumed her tale Of woes;
Said Darby Thus I'll end the strife;
Be yon the man and I the wife.
Take you the scythe and now, while
Win all your boosted cares supply"
stContens," quoth Joan, "give me my STINT
This Dsr5y did and out she went.
Old Darby rose and seized the broom.
And whirled the dirt around the room;
Then. having done, he scarce knew how,
He h;ed to milk the brindle cow.
The brindle COW did whisk her tail
In Darby's eyes, and kick the pail;
The clown, perplexed with grief and pain,
Swore he'd ne'er try to milk again.
Taen, turning round in sad amaze.
he saw his cottage in = blaze,
Fosa as be chanced to brush the room,
ID careless haste, he fired the broom.
The fire at length subdued, he swore
The broom aud he should meet no more.
Pressed By misfortune and perplexed,
Darby prepared for breakfast next;
But what to get he scarcely knew,
The bread was spent, the butter TOO.
With hands bedaubed in paste and -four,
Old Darby labored full an hour,
But. luckless wight. be could not make
The bread take form or loaf or cake.
As every door wide open stood,
In pushed the SOW in quest Of food,
And, stumbling onward. with her snout
O'er set the churn-the cream ran out.
As Darby turned the SOW to beat,
The slippery cream betrayed his feet;
He caught the bread-trough in his fall,
And down came Darby trough and all.
The children, wskened By the clatter,
Start up and cry: Law, whst's the matter !;
Old yowler barked and Tsbby meowed,
And hapiess Darby bswled aloud:
"Return, my Joan, as heretofore,
III play the housewives part 10 more,
Since now BY sad experience taught,
Compared with thine my work is naughs.
s'Hencsforth IS business calls I'll take,
Content, the scythe, the plow, the rake,
And nevermore transgress the line
OR fates have marked whilst thou a,
mine.
'eThsn, Joan. return as heretofore,
tn vex thine honest soul no more;
Let each his proper task attend,
Forgive the past and strive to mend"