XVI. That was the first time, too, that ever I thought of death. There lay the sweet little body that never had drawn a breath. I had not wept, little Annie, not since I had been a wife; But I wept like a child that day, for the babe had fought for his life. XVII. His dear little face was troubled, as if with anger or pain: I look'd at the still little body-his trouble had all been in vain. For Willy I cannot weep, I shall see him another morn: But I wept like a child for the child that was dead before he was born. XVIII. But he cheer'd me, my good man, for he seldom said me nay: Kind, like a man, was he; like a man, too, would have his way: Never jealous-not he: we had many a happy year; And he died, and I could not weep my own time seem'd so near. XIX. But I wish'd it had been God's will that I, too, then could have died: I began to be tired a little, and fain had slept at his side. And that was ten years back, or more, if I don't forget: But as to the children, Annie, they 're all about me yet. XX. Pattering over the boards, my Annie who left me at two, Patter she goes, my own little Annie, an Annie like you: Pattering over the boards, she comes and goes at her will, While Harry is in the five-acre and Charlie ploughing the hill. XXI. And Harry and Charlie, I hear them too their team: they sing to Often they come to the door in a pleasant kind of a dream. XXII. And yet I know for a truth, there's none of them left alive For Harry went at sixty, your father at sixty-five : And Willy, my eldest-born, at nigh threescore and ten; XXIII. For mine is a time of peace, it is not often I grieve; XXIV. To be sure the preacher says, our sins should make us sad: But mine is a time of peace, and there is Grace to be had; And God, not man, is the Judge of us all when life shall cease; And in this Book, little Annie, the message is one of Peace. XXV. Ind age is a time of peace, so it be free from pain, And happy has been my life; but I would not live it again. I seem to be tired a little, that 's all, and long for rest; Only at your age, Annie, I could have wept with the best. XXVI. So Willy as gone, my beauty, my eldest-born, my flower; XXVII. And Willy's wife has written, she never was overwise. NORTHERN FARMER. OLD STYLE. I. WHEER 'asta beän saw long and meä liggin' 'ere aloän? Noorse ? thoort nowt o' a noorse: whoy, Doctor's abeän an agoan: Says that I moänt 'a naw moor yaäle: but I beänt a fool: Git ma my yaäle, for I beänt a-gooin' to break my rule. II. Doctors, they knaws nowt, for a says what 's nawways true. III. Parson's a beän loikewoise, an' a sittin 'ere o' my bed. "The amoighty's a taäkin o' you to 'issén, my friend,” a said, An' a towd ma my sins, an 's toithe were due, an' I gied it in hond; I done my duty by un, as I 'a done by the lond. IV. Larn'd a ma' bea. I reckons I 'annot sa mooch to larn. But a cost oop, thot a did, 'boot Bessy Marris's barn. staäte, An' i' the woost o' toimes I wur niver agin the raäte. V. An' I hallus comed to 's choorch afoor moy Sally wu deäd, An' 'eerd un a bummin' awaäy loike a buzzard-clock * ower my yead, An' I niver knaw'd whot a meän'd but I thowt a 'ad sum mut to saäy, An I thowt a said whot a owt to 'a said an' I comed awaäy *Cockchafer. VI. Bessy Marris's barn! tha knaws she laäid it to meä. VII. But Parson a comes an' a goos, an' a says it easy an' freeä "The amoighty's a taäkin' o' you to 'issén, my friend," says 'eä. I weänt saäy men be loiars, thof summun said it in 'aäste: But a reads wonn sarmin a weeäk, an' I 'a stubb'd Thornaby waäste. VIII. D'ya moind the waäste, my lass? naw, naw, tha was not born then; Theer wur a boggle in it, I often 'eerd un mysen; Moäst loike a butter-bump, for I 'eerd un aboot an' aboot, But I stubb'd un oop wi' the lot, an' raïved an' rembled un oot. IX. Keaper's it wur; fo' they fun un theer a-laäid on 'is faäce Doon i' the woild 'enemies † afoor I comed to the plaäce. Noäks or Thimbleby - toner 'ed shot un as deäd as a naäil. Naäks wur 'ang'd for it oop at 'soize - but git ma my yaale. X. Dubbut look at the waäste: theer warn't not fead for a cow • Nowt at all but bracken an' fuzz, an' looäk at it now Warnt worth nowt a haäcre, an' now theer's lots o' feäd, Fourscore yows upon it an' some on it doon in seäd. XI. Nobbut a bit on it 's left, an' I mean'd to 'a stubb'd it at fall, Done it ta-year I meän'd, an' runn'd plow thruff it an' all, oän. XII. Do godamoighty knaw what a's doing a-taäkin' o' me? XIII. A mowt 'a taaken Joänes, as 'ant a 'aäpoth o' sense, XIV. 99 Looak 'ow quoloty smoiles when they sees ma a passin' by, I done my duty by Squoire an' I done my duty by all. XV. Squoire's in Lunnon, an' summun I reckons 'ull 'a to wroite, For who's to howd the lond ater mea thot muddles ma quoit ; Sartin-sewer I bea, thot a weant niver give it to Joänes, Noither a moänt to Robins — a niver rembles the stoäns. XVI. But summun 'ull come ater meä mayhap wi' 'is kittle o' steam Huzzin' an' maäzin' the blessed feälds wi' the Divil's oän team. Gin I mun doy I mun doy, an' loife they says is sweet, XVII. What atta stannin' theer for, an' doesn bring ma the yaäle? Doctor's a 'tottler, lass, an a's hallus i' the owd taäle; I weänt break rules for Doctor, a knaws naw moor nor a floy; Git ma my yaäle I tell tha, an' gin I mun doy I mun doy. |