The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-03-06

In tbcseNher grand-daughter's daughter s
times.
Just out of the clamOr of wars alarms,
Lay in tranquil quiet the Jersey farms;
And all of the produce in barn and shed -
BY the lads and girls was harvested.
For the winds OF winter with storm and chill
Swept bitterly over each field and hill.
Her husband was with the army, and she
Was left on the farm at ParSippany.
When she heard the sound OF a horses feet,
And Marshal Uoty rode up the street;
He paused but moment, and handed down
A letter for khOda from AorristOwn,
In her husbands hand-hOW she seized the
sheet;
The children came running with eager feet:
There were Nate and Betty, Hannah and Dan,
To list TO the letter. and thus IL ran,
After best greeting TO children and wife:
Heart of his heart. and the life of his life, -
i read from the paper, wrinkled and brown,
I'VE are here for the winter in MOrTistown,
And sorry sight are our men to-day,
In tatters and rags with no sign of pay.
As we marched to camp, ii man looked
back,
By the dropping blood he could trace our
track;
For scarcely a man has q decent shoe,
And there's not a stocking the army through;
So send us stockings as quick as you can,
My company needs them, every man,
And every man is a neighbor's lad;
Tell 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
Bets
'Girls, 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 I;
Put cnair in the wagon, as you're alive,
will sit and knit, winle you go and drive"
They started at once on Whippany road,
She knitting away while he heli the goad.
AT Whippany village she stopped to cali
On the sisters Prudence and Mary Bali.
She would not go in, she sat in her chair
And read TO the girls her letter froEs there.
That was enough. for their brothers three
Were 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 flew,
And minute 10y 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.
Next toward Hanover Neck Dan turned the
steers,
Where her cousins, the Kitchels, had lived for
years,
With the KitcheIs 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 Rockaway 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
farm.
Through Rockaway valley next day drove
Dan;
Boy though he was, yet he worked like man.
His mother behind him sat in her chair.
stu knitting, but knitting another pdir,
They reused the valley, then drove through
And stopped for a minute at Compton's forge
Then on to Boonton, and there they were fed,
While the letter was passed around and read.
knit, said Rhoda to all, "aS fast as you can;
Send the stockings to me- and my son Dan
The first of next week will drive me, ,down,
And I'll take the stockings to Morristown."
Then from BoontOn home and at set of sun
She entered her house IDits her stockings done
On Thursday they knit from the morn till
night,
She and 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 a
A cosset-but nobody stopped to weep.
They pulled the fleece, and they carded away,
Ann spun and knitted from night until day.
In all the country no woman could rest,
But they knitted on like people possessed;
And ParsOn COndit eKpounded his views
On the Sabbath day unto empty pews,
Except for a few stray lads who came
And sat in the gallery, to save the name.
On Monday morn at an early hour
The stockings came in perfect shower
A shower that lasted until the night;
Black, brown and gray ones and mixed blue
and white,
There were pairs one hundred and thirty
three,
Long Ones remember, up to the knee;
And the next day Rhoda carried them down
In the OLD OX-wagon to MOrriStOwn.
l hear like an echo the soldiers cheers
For Rhoda and Dan, the wagon and steers,
Growing wilder yet for the chief in command,
While up at salute" to the brow flies each
hand
As Washington passes, desiring then
To thank Mistress Farrand in name of his
men.
But the words that her husbands lips let fall,
81 knew you would do it, ;" were best of all.
And think in these Centennial days
That she should be given her NEED of praise;
And while we are singing of "Auld Lang
Syne,"
Her name with the others deserves to shine.
. Eleanor A. HaRteT, in the Continent.