The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-25
WHIPPOORwILL.

AS the reapers came homeward from reaping the
grain,
And COW bells were tinkling far the green lane.
Fair Kittie trpped down from her home on the hill
Her clean secured pail in the spring house to fill;
And she sang, as she skipped down the hill side SO
steep,
Gust as much as spill, just so much will weep
So warily upward I'll carry my pail;
IF the heart be but true, then the foot will not fail
And the whippoorwill sat In the thick alder tree,
And hipwill-the-willowi
Come, hasten and fill, o
Fair Kittie, thy bucket with water,' piped he.
But another, besides this querulous bird,
Fair Kittie's halfsong enraptured, had heard
Young William, whose stout arm had slaughtered
the wheat,
From thirst and for GOODNESS, had sought this re-
treat:
And he thought as he listened. twas almost a sin
That her song should end, and the birds should
begin;
And peeping, he saw her. with innocent look,
Step down, ankle-deep, in the bed of the brook.
'Tf he were the brook" SO he thought, "oh. how
sweet,
To ripple and curl and to kiss her white feet,
To laugh and to CULVER with inward delight
To press and to bless and caress them all night"
But Kittie, now freed from the broeklets embrace,
In the door Of the spring house, they met face to
face;
While whippoorwfll, frantic, hoped round in his
tree,
And "Chip-will-the-willow
He'll kiss you, he will, o
Fair Kitte, be cautious, be cautious" cried he,
With cry. she eaped back, and then straightway
she knew
That.the outlaw before her was tender and true;
And then, at his look repentant and meek, Az
All the roses of summer doomed out on her cheek
'Sweet Kittie, Ipray your forgiveness" quoth he
"For frightening the heart that trust is for mo:
From swinging my scythe l have sought this re-
treat,
To quench here my thirst, and to cool here my heat
But since I've awakened your tremors by this,
IT'S just should put them to sleep with kiss"
Attempt it" she said, land your ardor I'll cool
With gourd full of water from out of this pool.
Who yields up her lips doth ineite her own fall
Then, you come thro' shower if you come sir, at
ALL
"Dear Kittie," quoth he, 81 would do thee no
wrong;
Right well have loved thee right well and right
long;
I've wide fields and cattle, and silver galore;
With thee, Kittie mine, could wish Tor no more;
So, kiss thee VIII" and the agile young swain
Leaped forward and rushed thro' tempest of rain.
Then whippoorwill fell almost out of his tree
And "Chip-will-t he-willow
Fair Kitty, be still; oh,
He'll kiss you, he will, OH he will, oh, shreked he.
"Too long have tarried and dallied with thee
My fatherll grow weary waiting bis tea;
So homeward together, and with us partake
OF milk and of curds and of sweet johnny-cake;
And when he is joking and smoking at ease,
Concerning myself you may ask what you please
He flied up her pail from the spring. NOISY green,
And laughing, together they bore 1t between;
Nor ceased whippoorwll from his perch in the tree
But "Chip-will-the-willo
Now go up the hill, o.
Fair Kitte, with VIII, o, with WIN, O." sang he.
Together they twain have assembled the hill;
Good luck to them both not drop did they spill;
Let us pray that, hereafter, when downward they
creep,
Kind heaven may dry all the tears that they weep
For him may the summers spread acres Of grain,
His flocks and his herds may they cover the plain;
For her, busy housewife, may love and good cheer
Smile under her rooftree for many year:
Then, loving and loved, down the Hill when they
creep;
May the tears born of love be the tears that they
weep
May whippoorwill never grow old in his tree
Cry "Chip-will-the-
All love is q Will-o'-
The-wsp and twill flicker, it will. o, perdy."
Ifsummer clouds last with her glories OF green
maidens could ever remain at sixteen.
If lads could be lads, and never be men,
What dear good old world would encompass US
then
TO safe US with living, and loving the dears,
God wot! it would take full thousand Of years,
But YOUTH eager Pilgrim departs from our door,
And kissing his hand, he returneth no more
All then, do we sigh, in the bitterest ruth,
"What roses might have gathered i'll youthr
While whippoorwill laughs il his cynical glee,
And "Chip-will-the willow
You've spent it but III. O.
But i'll, o. your fnult it is still, o." rnocks he
Monticello, Ga. William T. Dumas.
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