Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-10-15
THE OLD MANS RETROSPECT.

we've mad meetln' Nancy, We gray
haired pioneers
We talked about, and sang about the
things of other years;
It sot my brain thinkin', and l am a.
thinkin' still,
How fast the world advances, through
mans inventive skill.
This don't look like the country we came
to, years ago;
And where are the good people that,
then, we used to know?
The graveyard mounds are many, on
yonder little hill,
And hearts that beat in sympathy are,
now, forever still.
The change has been so gradual-we've
seen it with our eyes,
Or would think an angel lad tuck us
to the skies
While we were sleepin', Nancy, and put
US down again
Upon another planet, to live with other
men.
".
We came here in an ox-team; we scarce
could see the sky,
The thickets were so tangled, the for
ests we're SO high;
Now, wonder in the valley, the palace
cars fly past,
Like arrows of the hunter, like leaves
before the blast.
We cleared little corner, with sharp
ak and with fire,
And roses soon were bloomln' beside
the native briar;
With logs we built our cabin; we were
as happy there.
AS In this larger dwelling, that needs the
greater care.
/ miss the dear old fre-place-the back
log blazin' high,
When bitter blasts of winter are sweep
in thro' the sky;
1 miss the children's voices, that made
me happy then;
The girls have grown to women, the boy
to stalwart me9.
While doziu' in my rocker, l seem t.
see. again,
The golden pumpkin stewin' while hang
in on the crane.
I see the iron candle-stick; the snutfer:
on the tray;
The spinnin' wheel, the ancient clock
the marvel of its day.
1 see you with your needles, knlttln
by the fire,
Or busy with your distaff, as though
you'd never tire;
hear YOUR plaintiff lullaby, while rock
in John and Jane,
Within the rustic cradle we neer shal
see again.
Though am old, dear Nancy, I'd like
once more to see,
And join the noisy frolic Of the merry
huskiD' bee;
I got the "red ear" often, from many
pretty girl,
Because l slyly stole kiss, or pulled al
auburn curl.
Then came the apple parin', round
hearthstones warm and bright,
Where with our songs and stories, W.
fingered half the night;
The lassies, with long parin' sand cheeks
as red as fame,
Would toss them DER their shoulders, Il
spell their lovers name.
Ahl Those were days of happiness, a
well as days of toll;
At eve we drove our cares away, by da,
we titled the soil;
The innocent amusements Of fifty year
ago,
Gave girls and boys the sparklin' eye
and set their cheeks aglow.
Where are the tools Of pioneers-th'
cradle, scythe and fail?
To do the work of this fast age, like yo'
and [, they fail;
The reaper sweeps the harvest fields, tn
mower cuts the lawn,
And like the ways of other days, we,too
will soon be gone.
Where is the postman, Nancy, With Tn
New England mail?
How slow he was a comm, along the In
dian trail;
And some poor fellows never came-H
solitude they fell,
Before the savage tomahaWk, with non
the tale to tell.
Now, everywhere, DER all the earth, tn
latest news is known
By the far reachin' telegraph, and speak
in telephone;
And fast trains gather up the mails, ,aloni
the iron path,
As whirlwinds do the autumn leaVe
that fall before their wrath.
XIV.
The pleasure rides of girls and boys, il
olden times were rare,
For roads were, mostly, corduroy, anC
SJunpS were ever NuolOS
Now, mounted on their bicycles and tri
cycles, they glide
AS noiseless as a summer cloEd, or sail
boat on the tide.
XVI.
Look at the churches, Nancy, with cush
ioned walnut pews,
And windows gaily painted IN all The
rainbew's hues;
When we first went to worship, witt
neighbors bout score,
We Ieverently knelt to pray, upon tht
great barn floor.
XVII.
No organ then; with tunin' fork, start
ed every tune;
Old Arlington" and "0rtOnville." "''Dun
dee," and "Bonny DOOM;
Ah, those were days of singin', and the!
are tunes to singi
With ono accord we DraiSe0 the Lord