The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-13
THE STORY OF LUCY GRAY.

THE STORY OF LUCY GRAY.
One of the questions propounded by
the examining board at recent state
teachers examination was as to the
authorship of Lucy Gray. Other
questions involved certain character
istics of the production. The teachers
were stumped. None OF them had
ever heard of Lucy Gray, and the /
general impression was that the ques-
tons were what is known as catch |
questions" Thereupon it was pro- |
posed by Mrs. Jennie Steele Huegle,
superintendent Of the Polk county
schools, that Lucy Gray clubs be or
ganized in every county in the state
with view of bringing pressure on
the legislature to eliminate foolish
questions from teachers examinations.
1t has since developed that the
poem was written by William Wads-
worth and appeared in successive edi-
Reader" But the work of organizing
Lucy Gray clubs is going on never
theless. The Polk county club is said
to have nearly four hundred members
and is known as Lucy Gray club No.
l." It's members are to enjoy big
banquet at the Hotel Colfax, at Col
fax, on August 18th, at which time
they will elect officers, adopt consti-
tuition and bylaws and lay plans for
action in the teachers examinations.
The poem is as follows:
| Oft | heard of Lucy Gray,
And when / crossed the wild
| CHANGED to see at break OF day
| The solitary child.
| No mate, no comrade, Lucy knew;
She dwelt on wild moor;
| The sweetest thing that ever grew
| Beside cottage door!
| You may spy the fawn at play,
The hare upon the green,
| But the sweet face of Lucy Gray
/ Will never more be seen.
Tonight viii! be stormy night,
You to the town must go,
And take lantern, child, to light
Your mother through the snow
THAT father, will gladly do;
It's scarcely afternoon
The minister clock has just struck two,
And yonder is the moon.
At this the father raised the hook
And snapped fagot band;
He piled his work, and Lucy took
The lantern in her HAND.
Not blither is the mountain roe,
II With many a wanton stroke,
Her feet dispense the powdery snow,
!, That rises up like smoke.
The storm came on before it's time;
!. She wandered up and down,
a And many a hill did Lucy climb,
i But never reached the town.
v The wretched parents all that night
n Went shouting far and wide;
:. But there was neither sound nor sigh
: To serve them for a guide.
b At daybreak on hill they stood,
# That overlooked the moor,
h And thence they saw the ridge o
o wood,
+ A furlong from the door.
They wept, and, turning homeward
cried,
"In heaven We shall meet"
When in the snow the mother spie'
u The print of Lucy's feet!
st Half breathless, from the steep hill
edge
Il They traced the footmarks small.
And through the broken hawthorn
! hedge
And by the long stone wall
h And then an open field they crossed
The marks were still the same;
n, lney track them on, nor ever lost,
And to the bridge they came.
They followed from the snowy bank
IN Those footmarks, one by one,
Re Into the middle of the plank
And farther there were none!
re you may yet spy the fawn at play,
= The hare upon the green,
at But the sweet face of Lucy Gray
= Will never more be seen.
at William Wordsworth.
poNT,s FOR THE BABY.
u Dont's in caring for babies are gi'
lie en- in circular just issued by tn
Illinois board of health. They al
.e- equally applicable to the infant irdu
~ try of this state and are as follows:
RI Don't rock the baby.
Don't feed it every time 1t cries.
MP Don't take it up every time it erie