The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-10-12
AN OLD MANS STORY.
FOR TIE PIONEER PRES

"a. CSts Al IAoSNCEAs = hboSs 1HALlI .I "
You were harsh with Jennie to-day, Joe.
And you filed her eyes with tears.
Yon struck a blow at her heart-striugs
That will leave its mark for years.
Yes. mon are thoughtless and cruel,
Though strong TO lead and control,
And the hands should be tender that fsttee
A woman's sensitive soul.
! had passed the romance Of youth, Joe,
When l won MY fair. young bride,
And my wisdom had quite forgotten @
The dreams of life's sweet spring-tide.
was wrapped in plans for the future, =
winning riches, houses aud lands,
AND chilled the joyous creature
whose tate lay in my hands.
Boy could | know that her young he
Was building its castles, too?
That the spell of her Rirlish fancy
Its glamour DER me threw?
And each word OF rebuke I uttered
Struck keen on her wifely pride,
III the hopes Of life's radiant morpin,:
Faded and withered and died, ild
For I had a mans one model,
She must learn my mothers ways.
Aud all my life I had heard, Joe,
There was Taught so harmful as praise,
That the living breath of ~aattery, -
Spoke In It's subtle thrill,
And father and mother looked on, Joe.
While 1 taught ly wife their will.
So a year went by UNDECIDED
And Katie was growing old.
There were tiny lines on her forehead,
That a tale OF snff'ring told.
Little l dreamed l had carved them
With my ic%easeless words of blame:
That her burden of cherries labor
Was crushing her slender frame. 1904
One morning. how well 1 remember. ist.{.
Something was left undone.
Mother was hurt and offended, ~
Father was snllen and glum, aAF H.
j said there was never more quiet
Nor comfort for my life, f3idF ~ T'
And the saddest day in my hist'ry a.
Was that which made her my wife.
Then up to the field I hastened,
$ But the day was dismal aud chill, lssTj
Aud the lonesome wind of the autumn
Swept Keen DER the crest of the hill
My heart it was iiled with anger ls- 7s45
AS l turned the sodden loan.
u will be obeyed," i muttered, u St III
AND master of my home!' ,at=4aa.s,
But still as l trod the furrow
/ thought OF her winsome way,
And the wealth of love she layishce lot} -5-
On me, SO old and gray;
OF the heavy weight Of labor
That lay on her shoulders frail, la ei9gs =.
How her eyes were sad aud hopeless
And her cheek was thin and pale. '
Tho blackbirds chanted above me
A requiem in tho trees, az
And . breath of dim forebodlng
Came shiveriag on the breeze lls
And at last my heart relented;
Yielding to loves fond way ~
/ left my pillow in the furrow F-iF 4stt 54.5
And went my way.
"Katiei" l called in the kitchen.
And Katie" ! called in the hall, Eiti
But q cricket chirped ia answer 4
Slowly, and that was all
Only the pipe of q blackbird IT, FHf7 (
And the solemn cav of q crow
And the scream OF q locomotive
In tie village down below. 58t4 i.A,s}tzs
Across the field / hastened fgfi ~
With echoing anxious cry
When caught on u Haunting briar "a ts'i si3s
A ragmen smOte my eye. sls,. LID a.f7H IA
Only a dainty ribbon
Which had bound a goldent tire : So tFG
A bit of snow white ribbon ;
And a scrap OF crimson dress.
Then q presenccc stood beside me.
And chilled my very breath, t.Iltsi Hti
Numbing my throbbing pulses.
For the presence it was Death! ~ Ntal&i
Blindly its lead followed, al a.
In my heart one fierce, mad prayer
As q puff Of pesrly sspor it!itf9a rs Eti6
Hose up IN tho murky air. s{ t,-t4A a.
She stood where the rocks doomed
Over the rack below,
Her claspod hands raised to heaven. , ~
Her blue eyes wild with woe. .4yt#a -
Trembling. sinking, swaying, 2H
heard her frenzisd cry. jtf>ag
AID l caught her to my bosom
As the train went Numbering by. ti
Oh! wondrous love of woman.
undimmed by SORROW oripatn, (
iteady to ope deaths portals a
To free me from my chains. tN{s
Clasped In nv arms, / bors her Il
Back to our home, f~orlorn,
And there, in the hush of twilight, 73tfsf
Our little child was born.
God reiens! In this far, dim future,
y Perhaps there Is peace for me. i+nbR
Her face all tender, ,forgiving, e iff3j
In heaven, at last, / may see.
Through years Of lonely waiting si
l reap what 1 have sown.
10 Yus, Joe; It's your mothers story,
whose life paid for yorr own.
latH4AG.} -sl}3Hf A1Esi SARAH D. HOBART.