The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-08-26


Couldn't keep from lovin' Joe.
An my old eyes would grow dim
AsI'd sit and think Nv him,
Toilin' out thar in the west,
But the Lord knows what is best.
Bill worked all the summer thru;
Kept his old dad busy, too,
An the neighbors sed he had
Managed better than his dad.
Ruther guess that it was So
l was allus sorter slow,
Shiftless, too, guess like Joe.
One day Bill he comes to me
With paper, ''Dad' SEE he,
"You are gettin' kinder old
(Knowed1 was fore was told.)
can ruther guess, SEE he,
''Better deed the farm to me.
d, Fer guess I'll have to do,
Nearly all the work, fer you
Can't do much" My eyes growed din
Couldn't say word to him.
could feel my old heart bleed,
But tuck and signed the deed.
Didn't seem to have no will.
After that | lived with Bill
In the place Nv him with me;
But it didn't seem to be
Jist the same; but Bill. he guessed
l would find it far the best.
Bill was married the next May,
Sold the place an moved away,
Bought farm NV bottom land,
Paid but half the money, and
Gave a mortgage fer the rest,
'Lowin' that it was fer the best.
Didn't have word to say,
Bill would allus have his way;
Reckon he had allus had
Better judgment than his dad.
But guess it's God own plan
Success amt fer every man.
So Bill comes to me one day,
SEED the mortgage was to pays.
Had wife to keep-was pore,
Couldn't keep me any more.
Hitched up his old team next day,
Tuck me in and drove away;
SEED couldn't work no more;
Left me at the poorhouse door.
Set an watched him down the hill;
Tr;oI 70 Dill
Then my old eyes gin to fill.
Thot NV Nancy cold an still,
Lynn up thar on the hill,
An wished that had died,
An was lynn by her side
Lynn thare with her at rest;
But the Lord knows what is best.
1t ain,t give to us to know.
Looked up then an thar stood Joe.
Didn't speak a single word;
Looked at him an never stirred;
Couldn't help it-never tried.
jist set right thar and cried.
STOPPED and Rugged me. dad, said he
"Better come on home with me;
Porehouse amt no place fer you.
Old farms big enough fer two
''Joe' sed 1.-THE place is sold
Bill lowed l was getting Old
SO the place was sold,' sed he.
cit was sold today to me-
Bought the old farm back fer you
Guess its big enough fer two.''
Set down thar an talked awhile
Told me how he made his pile
In the mines out west. sed he;
''Thot there was no luck for me,
had allus been so slow.
Guess that didn't matter tho;
KEEP diggin wouldn't quit.
Jist KEEP peggin' right at it.
Some they reckoned it was grit,
Some said luck, but don know,
Others called me Lucky Joe,'
But didn't care bit.
Didn't matter-luck or grit,
Made my pile and came away,
Back to the old farm to stay"
Had carriage at the gate;
Guess we rolled away in state;
All the people watched us go
Stood a-watching me an Joe.
Didn' mind twas SO glad
Joe had come back for his dad.
Found the old place fixed up new,
Painted, furnished thru an thru,
Fire a-blazin' on the hearth
Home is the best place on earth.
By the evenin fires glow
Sat down there and talked with Joe
Talked of Nancy on the hill,
Talked of the old farm an Bill.
1t was good to see Joe's face
Back onct more at the old place.
9 got plenty. dad, sed he
More'n enough fer you an me;
Hyar's thousand fer yer till,
Hyar's another-that' fer Bill"
Mortals cannot allus know;
But the Lord knowed Bill and Joe
Knowed the one to send out west
God sent Joe an God knows best.
Eek.