Year: 1874

Nsdge Miller. On a summer day.
Walked, as usual, her pleasant way.
Her dress was tidy, her aprcR white.
Her face was sweet as the morning light,
She was q country village maid
Learning country EiilEner's trade.
Her hands were soft, her dress was clean
And little she knew what care might neaa-
Said she: @Fn work at nay pretty trade.
And live happy and free old maid
Lovers may come and lovers may 60
IN have none Of them, no, NO, no.r
Bat a suiter came with tail silk hat:
He told her a story worth two OF that
The same old story bv levers told
Since first the earth cat of chaos rolled
Let us kindly hope, who are old and wise,
He did not know he was telling hes.1
Marry me darling and yeu shall be
The happiest woman land or sea
Ne longer then viii you have to 20
To your daily labor through heat snow
1T shah be nay pleasure. my law. nay lie.
To make you q bess aud happy wife.
Marry me and you never shall know
sorrow or hardship a care or woet
Marry me, darling yeu shall be
The happfest WOMAN on land or Sea p
She heard the st9ry of promised bIissI
She waited. wayered and answered -Tes~
Bright and big was the honeymoon
And elsGded by worldly care too soon.
For hsUsevork led her it's weary round
Her feet were tethered, her hands were bound,
And children came with their small demands
lettering closer her burdened hands.
In her husbands house she came to be
servant In al bJ11 salry.


All her days. whether foul or fair
Were endless circles Of work and care
And half her nights-as up and down
She walked the floor IN her dressing gown
Hushiug an ailiug infants screams.
Lest it should break its fathers dreams:
And wash the dishes and rub the knives
The lofty mission OF dute0us wives
Or coaxed and doetored sobbing child
BY the pangs OF ear-aehe driven wild
Were season Of wakeful nervous dread
So II at last DER her aching head
The angel of slumber CHANGED to stooD
He brought her visions of mumps or Group
And she rose unrested- and went once more
through The dull routine OF the day before
Week by week did she drudge and toll.
And stew and pickle, and roast and boil
And scrub and irou and sweep. and cook
HCr only reading recipe book
And battle the Children and brush their locks,
Button their aprons and pin their froeks,
and patch old garments. and darn and mend.
Oil weary worry that has end
She lost her airy and xpertive ways
The pretty charms Of her giriish days
For how can a playful fancy rove
When enc Is tied up to eookIng-sJ0ve
Her face was old ere she reached her prime,
Faded and eare-worn befure its time,
Sometime would her well-kept husband Ioak
Up from the page OF paper or book,
And note how the bloom had Ieft her face
And pallid thinness Won its place
How gray and mixed with her locks OF brown.
And her forehead gained a growing frewn'
And SAY, ''she is ugly, declare
l wonder ever thought her fairr'
Season by season year by year,
Did she follow the round Of --w0man's sphere
Net vexing her husbands davs or nights
By any mention Of W0maH's Rights.
Til she died at lasE-teo severely tried
Her LIES one selfish deesI-she died
Pr0ud and happy, and quite content
With the sIaFish way her days were sDenti
Feeling OF course, that her life WIS lost
NeblF In saving servants cost!
+-Ah Of al the sad thoughts Of waHlen or men
The saddest is this, 1t needn't have been y =


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