Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-04-01
For THE SPECTATOR.
HE KEPT HER WISH.

The scene Is in London street,
Where dismal alleys chance to meet,
Where proverty. from sire to son.
Does in long succession run.
The home, for we must call 1t SO,
A garret Is with ceilings low.
And very old and sooty walls,
Entered by narrow stairs and halls.
The family is rather small;
An only dauehter-t is all,
And parents, growing very old.
And, Peter-like, in lack of gold.
The father is q gardener,
And, also, a rough carpenter.-
A "handy man." as 1t is said.
And dlligent in gaining bread.
Once lived they in the country,
Where they breathed pure and tonic
air,
And could, a. random. roam the fields,
And Gull the sweet blooms nature yields,
Fond memories hung in clusters round
Their rural home and bury ing ground,
And round the parish chapel, where
They often met for praise and prayer.
In course of time. as nest of bird,
Their home. rest was most deeply stirred
And forth from their old haunts they
went,
Not knowing where, in time of Lent.
Somehow in the removal thence.
Led by the hand of Providence.
They entered the Great City's whirl.
The parents and their daughter-Pearl.
Picture the maiden. young and fair,
Though sad Of face from weight of care,
And reft Of her own father dear.
Who had been dead for manys year.
She was just passing from her teens,
And, having very meagre means,
And, toiling far beyond her strength.
Became an invalid at length.
her cheeks soon gave f1tful blush,
Which Doctors call the hectic fush."
Dread symptom of that dread disease
From which there seems no sure re-
lease.
Long time her mother wore the weeds
Ofmourning for her husbands loss.
Then wed another-such her needs
Who wished to bear the widows cross.
As husband and stepfather, he
Had good and faithful proved to be.
Who furnished. as poor man may,
Sufficient food from day to day.
To Bromwell Hospital, at last.
The daughter went-she sunk 80 fast.
Where, nursed SO tenderly. she felt
1t was place where angels dwelt.
From day to day, she weaker grew;
Her pulse went down, her strength
withdrew,
And, as the end did nearer come,
she sent this wish to those at home:-
"Please lay my wasted body down,
''Some fifty miles from London Town;
"In Little Horkesley let it lie.
"When I give up the ghost and de-"
One day the maiden ceased to breathe.
The arms of God we'll underneath;
The soul, she to her Maker gave;
Her body. to the silent grave.
The parents, though SO very poor,
The wolf forever at the door.
Resolved to keep her last request,
And let her form in "Horkesley" rest.
The father made a coffin rude,
And put some lining on the wood;
Then laid the lifeless corpse within,
And sealed the lid with screw and pin.
The slender form was neatly dressed.
And roses bloomed upon her breast;
The case was dark from umber stain,
And bore these words:-"SheIl rise
again."
Upon a barrow all was placed,
And toward the distant graveyard faced
And soon the poor man wheeled away.
Till fifty miles behind him lay.
Three days he rolled that precious dust,
Too weak to go, but felt he must; szaH& |
Then dug the grave-no hand to aid
And gently down the coffin laid.
He nlled the vault, and arched the
ground,
And strewed some wild.f1owers on the
mound,
His salt-tears falling on the loan.
AS wearily he turned toward home.
All! noble and heroic deed!
And worthy of our highest need.
Before it pale earth's Waterloos,
And grand exploits, we care not whose.
Ye bards, bring your best Offering,
And let us this mans praises sing,
And tell to others, where we go.
His deed OF love that all may know.
ngview, Texas. Il. M. TCTTLE.