XIX.

But I wish'd it had been G.o.d'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--they sing to their team: Often they come to the door in a pleasant kind of a dream.

They come and sit by my chair, they hover about my bed-- I am not always certain if they be alive or dead.

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 w.i.l.l.y, my eldest born, at nigh threescore and ten; I knew them all as babies, and now they're elderly men.

XXIII.

For mine is a time of peace, it is not often I grieve; I am oftener sitting at home in my father's farm at eve: And the neighbors come and laugh and gossip, and so do I; I find myself often laughing at things that have long gone by.

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 G.o.d, 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.

And 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 w.i.l.l.y has gone, my beauty, my eldest-born, my flower; But how can I weep for w.i.l.l.y, he has but gone for an hour,-- Gone for a minute, my son, from this room into the next; I, too, shall go in a minute. What time have I to be vext?

XXVII.

And w.i.l.l.y's wife has written, she never was over-wise.

Get me my gla.s.ses, Annie: thank G.o.d that I keep my eyes.

There is but a trifle left you, when I shall have past away.

But stay with the old woman now: you cannot have long to stay.

NORTHERN FARMER.

NORTHERN FARMER.

old style.

I.

Wheer 'asta bean saw long and mea liggin' 'ere aloan?

Noorse? thoort nowt o' a noorse: whoy, doctor's abean an' agoan: Says that I moant 'a naw moor yaale: but I beant a fool: Git ma my yaale, fur I beant a-gooin' to break my rule.

II.

Doctors, they knaws nowt, for a says what's nawways true: Naw soort o' koind o' use to saay the things that a do.

I've 'ed my point o' yaale ivry noight sin' I bean 'ere, An' I've 'ed my quart ivry market-noight for foorty year.

III.

Parson's a bean loikewoise, an' a sittin' ere o' my bed.

'The amoighty's a taakin o' you to 'issen, 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.

Thof a knaws I hallus voated wi' Squoire an' choorch an staate, An' i' the woost o' toimes I wur niver agin the raate.

V.

An' I hallus comed to 's choorch afoor moy Sally wur dead, An' 'eerd un a b.u.mmin' awaay loike a buzzard-clock*

ower my yead, An' I niver knaw'd whot a mean'd but I thowt a 'ad summut to saay, An I thowt a said whot a owt to 'a said an' I comed awaay.

*c.o.c.kchafer.

VI.

Bessy Marris's barn! tha knaws she laaid it to mea.

Mowt 'a bean, mayhap, for she wur a bad un, shea.

'Siver, I kep un, I kep un, my la.s.s, tha mun under-stond; I done my duty by un as I 'a done by the lond.

VII.

But Parson a comes an' a goos, an' a says it easy an'

freea 'The amoighty's a taakin o' you to 'issen, my friend,'

says 'ea.

I weant saay men be loiars, thof summun said it in 'aaste: But a reads wonn sarmin a weeak, an' I 'a stubb'd Thornaby waaste.

VIII.

D'ya moind the waaste, my la.s.s? naw, naw, tha was not born then; Theer wur a boggle in it, I often 'eerd un mysen; Moast loike a b.u.t.ter-b.u.mp,* for I 'eerd un aboot an aboot, But I stubb'd un oop wi' the lot, an' raaved an rembled un oot.

*Bittern.

IX.

Keaper's it wur; fo' they fun un theer a laaid on 'is faace Doon i' the woild 'enemies* afoor I comed to the plaace.

Noaks or Thimbleby--toner 'ed shot un as dead as a naail.

Noaks wur 'ang'd for it oop at 'soize--but git ma my yaale.

*Anenomes.

X.

Dubbut looak at the waaste: theer warn't not fead for a cow: Nowt at all but bracken an' fuzz, an' looak at it now-- Warn't worth nowt a haacre, an' now theer's lots o'

fead, Fourscore yows upon it an' some on it doon in sead.

XI.

n.o.bbut a bit on it's left, an' I mean'd to 'a stubb'd it at fall, Done it ta-year I mean'd, an' runn'd plow thruff it an' all, If G.o.damoighty an' parson 'ud n.o.bbut let ma aloan, Mea, wi' haate oonderd haacre o' Squoire's an' lond o' my oan.

XII.