The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-03-15
Ol0
gat1urites
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Gone with a Handsomer Man,


I've choked dozen swears so as not to
tell Jane 6bs,
When the plow point struck a stone and
the handles punched my ribs.
I've put my team in the barn and rubbed
their sweaty coats;
I've fed 'em heap of hay and half
bushel of oats,
And to see the way they eat makes me
like eating feel,
And Jane won't say tonight don't make
out meal.
Well said, the door is locked out here
She's left the key
Under the step in place only known to
Jane and me.
wonder who's dying or dead that she's
hustled off pell-mell;
Here on the table is note-probably
this will tell.
Good God, my wife is gone! Ny wife has
gone astray;
The letter it reads, "Good-by, for am
going away.
I've lived with you six months, john and
| so far I've been true,
But I'm going away to-day with a hand
somer man than you"
A handsomer man than newly, that
amt much to say;
There's handsomer men than me 60 past
here every day;
There's handsomer men than mel amt
of the handsome kind
But loviner man than was I'll vow
| she'll never find.
Curse her Curse her, say, and give
my curses wings;
May the words of love I've spoke be
changed to scorpion stings.
oh, she filled my heart with joy; she
emptied my heart of doubt,
And now with the scratch Of pen she
lets my heart blood out.
Curse her Curse her, say l, she'll rue
this day;
She'll some time learn that hate Is game
that two can play.
And long before she dies she'll grieve she
was ever born,
And I'll pillow her grave with hate and
seed 1t down to scorn
And when her face grows pale and when
her eyes grow dim,
And when he is tired of her and she is
tired of him,
She'll do what she ought to have done
she'll coolly count the cost
Then she'll see things clear, she'll know
what she has lost,
And thoughts that are now asleep will
wake up in her mind,
And she'll mourn and cry for what she
has left behind.
And maybe she'll sometimes think Of me,
of me, but no,
I've blotted her out of my heart and I'll
not have it SO
And yet there was something or other she
had
That sort of fastened man to her, and
she wasn't entirely bad,
And she loved me little, think, al
though it didn't last;
But l mustn't think of these things-I've
buried them with the past.
III take my hard words back, not make
a bad matter worse;
She'll have trouble enough, she shall not
have my curse.
But I'll live life so square, and l well
know that / can;
She always will sorry be she went with
that handsomer man.
All, here is her kitchen dress; 1t makes
my poor eyes blur;
1t seems when look at it as If 'twere
holding her;
And there's her week day shoes and
there's her week day hat,
And yonder is her wedding gown won
der she didn't take that.
Twas only this morning she came and
called me her dearest dear,
And said l was making for her a regular
paradise here.
10 God, if you want man to sense the
pangs of hell,
Before you pitch him in just keep him
in heaven spell.
I'm worship no woman again, but guess
I'll learn to pray
And kneel as you used to kneel before
you ran away.
And If l thought could bring my words
on heaven to bear,
lIf thought l had some little influence
there,
Ii would pray If only it could be SO
That l might be as happy and gay as l
was half an hour ago.
!. Jane
Why, John, what litter here-you'ye
! thrown things all around.
|, Come, what's the matter, now, and what
have you lost or found?
And here's my father here waiting for
supper, too;
live been riding out with him-he's that
handsomer man than you.
fla, ha, ha Come. pa, take seat while
/ put the kettle on
And get things ready for tea and kiss
my dear old John.
why, John( you look SO strange come
what has crossed your track?
II was only joking, you know; I'm willing
to take it back.
!. John
Well, If this isn't joke with rather q
bitter cream,
lIt seems as If I'd awoke from mighty
ticklish dream;
And I think she smells a rat she looks a
me so queer.
Good Lord, hope she don't; / hope sh,
didn't hear.
Twas one Of her practical drives; sh,
thought I'd understand.