The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1883-03-28

"I have not been strong since baby
came and went. And 1 must get well,
there is so much TO be done before win.
ter sets in" She opened her eyes
brown eyes they were-and / thought Of
Alice Cary's lines
"Her sick soul aweary with waiting
Came up to look out of her eyes"
Jenny, the dairymaid, came in for some
directions and l went up stairs with that
look haunting me- A lew DAYS latershe
was feverish and decidedly worse.
II wish you'd 60 in and see her, II
you wouldn't mind" her husband said,
as / inquired for her as usual after sup.
per. Then, instead of putting on his
! broad-brimmed hat and following his
brother to the barns, he tOoki it Off again
and fingered the rim slowly. / waited
for 1 knew he wanted to say something.
Farmer-folk are generally very silent.
| Silence is the rule, conversation the eX.
ception And when they do speak they
have something to say. So | waited,
and he said, after clearing his throat and
! looking out of the open door:
"If she would Just cry or sleep. She
has not shed a tear since the baby died.
1 thought she bore up real well, but a
woman who came over to help lay it out
said she hoped she d have a crying spell
SOON didn't think so much about it
then, but reckon twould have been
| better
"Has she no mother or sister to c. Ne
and stay with her?'' 1 asked. He shook
his head.
"Her mother died soon after we were
married, and she was an only child. /
have a sister, but she has little children
and could not come, even if Minnie
wanted her Our farmhouse is un-
usually far away from any neighbors,
and those nearest have never been such
as she was used to, or cared to see much
1 never realized until lately how lone
some she's been"
I thought of the years spent in
this isolated life. The leaving all girl
hoods associations and friends in the
distant New England State and coming
to this new, strange life of the babies
who had come like CLEANS of sunshine,
and then were snatched away TO leave
the lonesome monotOny almost unen-
durable; of the settling down to hard,
unceasing work that filled the empty
hands but not the aching heart; of the
last baby who had come like a whole
flood of sunshine to the lonely house and
mother heart, and the three months in
which she held her darling close-so
close! and then-Oh, how could it be- the
bright, beautiful boy must be laid with
the others in the grassy slope. Thought
Of all this as l left the dining-roOm and
crossed the hall to her door. The warm
sunset came in through The western win
dow. She was lying with her face to-
ward it, the far-awaY, hungry look in
her eyes.
60 Mrs. CO 1 said, as took her
thin, feverish hand in mine, " is there
no one who could come and stay with
you, whom you would love to have near
you and care for yOu?'
No one,n she said, YEARLY.
How you must wish for your mother
now,n I went on.
Mother" she repeated, catching al
the word; ''Mother? Yes. 1t is mother
lwant now. How 1 do want her! 1 need
my mother now.
1t was a woman of thirty FIVE lying
before me, yet it did not sound childish.
1t came to her like fresh thought; as OF
something so impossible it had not oc.
CURED to her. If 1 could only bring
the tears to her eyes; Thought, as re.
membered her husband words, "If she
would only cry or sleep" A silent prayer
went up from my heart to the pitying
Father in Heaven, and like an inspira.
ton come those beautiful verses of Eliz.
abeth Akers Allen. .H 20.
+" Do you care for poetry?" 1 asked,
as she started to turn the subject.
" used to-" she answered.
" Now if you'll close your eyes and
try to sleep want to repeat some to you
know you'll like. She smiled sadly
but shut them and rested her cheek or
her other hand like a tired child, And
began:
Backward, turn backward, 0 time, in YOU
flight
Mother, come back from the eOhOless shore,
Take me again to your heart as Of yOre
Kiss from my forehead the burrows of care,
Smooth the few silver threads out of my hair
Over my slumber your loving watch keep,
ROolE me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep
How still she wasi 1t seemed as if she
hardly breathed.
Backward flow backward, o tide of the
am so weary of tolls and of tears.
Toll without recOmpense, tears all in vain,
Take them and give me my childhood again.
1haye grown weary of dust and decay,
Weary Of sowing for others to reap;
Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep
Was it the echo of a sigh that trem
bled on the air? And ah! her lips culver.
"Tired of the hollow, the base and untrue,
Mother, o mother, my heart calls for you.
Many summer the grass has grown green,
BlOssomed and faded our faces between;
Yet with strong yearning and passionate pair
Long tonight for your presence again;
Come from the silence so long and so deep,
Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep,
Can it be tears that glitter on the dark
lashesP And-Oh, they come! Stealing
under the lids, down the pale cheeks
through the thin fingers sinking softly
into the pillow:
"COme, let your brown hair, Just lighted with
gold,
FAN on your shoulders again as OF old;
Let Il fail over my forehead tonight
Shading my faint eyes away from the light.
For with is sunny edged shadows once more
HAPPY viii thrOng the sweet visions of yOre
I Lovingly, softly It's bright biloWB weep,
Rock me 70 sleep, mother, rock me to sleep
Still the tears came. Silently, steadi-
ly. Great warm, refreshing tears, that
had long refused to flow. My voice was
very unsteady rs L began Che last verse
"Mother dear mother the years have been
Since / last listened thy lullaby song;
Sing then, aud unto my soul it shall seem
WOmanhOOd years have been only dream
glasped 10 thine arms in a loving embrace,
With thy light lashes Just sweeping my face,
Never hereafter to wake or 70 weep,
Rock me TO sleep, mother, rock me to Sleep.
1 hardly dared stir lest 1 break th
spell, and repeated the last verse over
and over again, though there was nc
need for the hand 1 held relapsed it's
hold and-ghe slpDtl Was ever DOen1