The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-04-03
1HODA FARR4ND.

IN tn, fast of these Centennial days,
LET me sing d song to woman praise:
.ow she proved herself i'll that time of strife,
Worthv OF being patriot s wife.
"IIttlss woman she was-not young,
io,4 vaa1y of wit and quick Of tongue;
i,ae bae 1T lie kind of which Solomon told;
setting their price above fnbleS ana gold.
i memory brave clings around her name;
-1,eas Rhoda Farrand, and worthy OF fame.
tTbnlIgh scarce she dreamed 'twould be woven
n fbese-her grand-daughter's daughters
times.
4,st3 ont of the clamor of wars alarms,
gay in tranquil quiet the Jersey farms;
And an of the produce in barn and shed
n the lads and girls was harvested.
IA the winds of winter with storm and chill
sweut bitterly over each field and hill.
Her husband was with the army, and she
Was left on the farm at Parsippany.
Wheu she heard the sound OF a horses feet,
And Marshal Doty rode up the street;
Ne paused but a moment, and handed down
4 letter for Rhoda from Morristown,
In her husband hahd-hoW she selzed the
sheet;
The children came running with eager feet:
There were Nate and Betty, Hannah and Dan,
10 list to the letter, and thus it ran.
After best greeting to children and wife:
s'HeaYi t4 his heart, and the life of his life,"
Ireadfzom the paper, wrinkled and brown,
aEe are here for the winter in Morristown,
and a sorry sight are our men to-day,
II fatters and rags with no sign of pay.
As We marched to camp, it a man looked
~ she dropping blood he could trace our
track;
For scarcely man has decent shoe,
And there's not stocking the army through;
10 send us stockings as quick as you can,
Wycompany needs them, every man,
sTdevery man is neighbor's lad;
TeIf this to their mothers; they need them
bad
Then. If never before, beat Rhoda's heart,
Twas time to be doing woman's part.
She turned to her daughters, Hannah and
aGirls, each ON your needles stocking set,
Get my cloak and hood; as for you, son Dan,
Yoke up the steers just as quick as you can;
Pnta chair in the wagon, as you're alive,
will sit aud kuit, while you go and driye.''
They started ait once on Whippany road,
She knitting away while he held the goad.
AT Whippany village she stopped to call
On the sisters Prudence and Mary Ball.
She would not go in, she sat in her chair
And read TO the girls her letter from there.
That was enough, for their brothers three
We're in Lieutenant Farrand s company.
Then on Rhoda went. stopping here and
there,
To rouse the neighbors from her old chair.
Still while she was riding her fingers few,
And minute by minute the stocking grew.
across the country, SO withered and brown,
They drove till they came to Hanover Town,
There, mellow and rich, lay the Smiths broad
lands.
With them she took dinner and warmed her
hands.
Nexttoward Hanover Neck Dan turned the
steers.
Where her cousins, the Kitchels, had lived for
with the Kitchels she supped, when home-
ward turned,
While above her the stars like lanterns
burned.
And she stepped from her chair, helped by her
With her first days work and her stockings
done.
On Rackaway River, so bright and clear,
The brown leaf skins in the fall Of the year.
Around through the hills it curves like an
arm
And holds in its clasp more than one bright
Through Rockaway valley next day drove
Dan;
His mother behind him sat in her chair,
STU knitting, but kilittiltg another pair,
They reused the valley, then drove through
the gorge,
Then on to Boonton, and there they were fed,
While the letter was passed around and read
Knit, said Rhoda to ALL las fast as you can;
zen ssnd a the stockings to me: and my son Dan
Inc first Of next week will drive me down,
And al take the stockings TO Morristown." "
Then from Boonton home and at set of sun
she entered her house tCitB her stockings done
Tn Thursday they knit from the morn till
She aud the girls, with all their might.
When the yarn gave out they carded and
spun.
And every day more stockings were done.
When the wool was gone, then they killed 9
sheep
a cosset-but nobody stopped to weep.
Iney pulled the fleece, and they carded away
Ann spun and knitted from night until day
IN oil the country no woman could rest,
Put they knitted on like people possessed
Ana Parson Condit expounded his views
nn the Sabbath day unto empty pews,
except for q few stray lads who came
Ana sat In the gallery, to save the name.
IN Monday morn at an early hour
ihe stockings came in perfect shower
1snoWer that lasted until the night;
BRICK, brown and gray ones and mixed blue
and white.
There were pairs one hundred and thirty.
three
Long ones, remember. up to the knee;
Aha tue next day Rhoda carried them down
" Tue Old ox-wagon to Morristown.
near like an echo the soldiers cheers
Eef khoda and Dan, the wagon and steers,
1I9Wlng wilder yet for the chief in com nand
Nhlle up at salute" to the brow flies eact
As washington passes, desiring then
~ tnank Mistress Farrand in name of his
men. -
1at the words that her husbands lips let fan
Knew you would do it, were best of all. .
aasa Aha think In these Centennial days
1nat sne should be given her need of praise
Ae 4aA1 Mhile We are singing of AUD Lang
her name with the others deserves to shine
-Etednor Il. Hunter. In the Continent.