Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-10-05
AN OLD MANS STORY.

.9Ess FOR THE PIONEER PRESS.
You we're harsh with JeEnie to-day. Joe,
And you filed her eyes with tears
Yo o.! struck q blow at her heart strings
583. That will leave its mark for years.
II Yes, men are thoughtless aud cruel,
Though strong TO lead aud control,
And the hands should be tender that fetter
4 Woman's sensitive soul.
/ had passed the romance OF youth, Joe,
5a When I won mr. fair, young bride, ~
Aud my wisdom had quite forgotten i:
\ The dresmsof lifs's sweet spriaR tide. 81.
l was wrappsd in plans for the future,
Winning riches, houses and lands.
And chilled che Joyous creature 81
whose fate lay in my hands. 3* 7
! How could know that her Young he
Was building its castles. too? I'LL. " i
That tho spell Of her girlish fancy sy g
=. Its glamour Der me threw?
j. And each word of rebuke / uttered 3
Struck keen on her wifely pride, Y
Till the hopes of iife's radiant morniI.:
Faded aud withered and died.. .'s.. Ez
For had mans one model. .E5e. :
she must learn my mother ways. -
And all my life I had heard, jos, ~.
There was naught so harmful as praise.
That the lying breath Of dattery, s.
Spoke in its subtle thrill, "a
And father and mother looked on, Joe,
While taught my wife their will.
So a year went by unheeded ,,E.. -
And Katie was growing old. r -
There were tiny lines on her forehead,
That 4 tale Of suff ring told.
Little dreamed had carved them
With my ceaseiess words Of blame:
That her burden of cherries labor
Was crushing her slender frame.
One morning. how we'll remember.
Something was left undoae.
Mother was hurt and offended,
Father was sullen and glum.
said there was never more quiet
Nor comfort for my life,
And the saddest day in my hist'ry
Was that which made her my wife.
Then up to the field I fastened,
But the day was dismal and chill,
And the lonesome wind of the autumn
Swept keen DER the crest of the hill.
My heart it was filed with anger
As turned the sodden loan.
Il will be obeyed," [ muttered,
And master Of MY home!"|,
But still as trod the furrow
l thought Of her winsoIne way,
And the wealth of love she iavishes
On me. so old and gray;
OF the heavy weight Of labor
That lay on her shoulders frail,
How her eyes were sad and hopeless
And her cheek was thin and pale.
The blackbirds chanted above me
A requiem in the trees,
And breath OF dim foreboding
Came shiyering on the breeze.
And at last my heart relented;
Yielding to loves fond way
! left my ploW in the furrow
And homeward went my way.
"Kate!'' called in the kitchen.
And Katie" called in the hall,
But cricket chirped 10 answer
Slowly, and that was an
Gully the pipe of a blackbird
And the solemn cav Of a crow
and tbs scream of a locomotive
In the village down below.
Across the field hasteued
With echoing anxious cry
When caught on q Haunting briar
a fragment smote my eye.
Only dainty ribbon
Which had bound golden tire
a bit of snow-White ribbon
And d scrap of crimson dress.
Then presence stood beside me
And chilled my very breath,
NumbinG my throbbing pulses,
Fer the presence it was Death!
Bliudty its lead followed,
In my heart one fierce, mad prayer
As puff OF pearly yapor
Rose up III the murky air.
She stood where the rocks loomed
Over the rack below,
Hex clasped hands raised to heaven
Her blue eyes wild with woe.
Trembling, sinking. swaying,
heard her frenzied cry,
And caught her to my bosom
As the train went laundering by.
Obi woudrous love OF woman,
Undimmed by sorrow or pain,
Ready to ope deaths portals
To free me from my chains.
Clasped in my arms, I bore her
Back to our home, forlorn,
And there, in the hush of twilight,
Our little child was born.
God reignsl In this far dim future,
Perhaps there is peace for me.
Her face all tender, forgiying,
In heaven, at last, may see.
Through years of lonely waiting
/ reap what have sown.
Yes, Joe; It's your mothers story,
whose life paid for your own.
SARAH D. HOBART.