The sun's a bridegroom, earth a bride; They court from morn till eventide: Charles Kingsley [1819-1875] GOD makes sech nights, all white an' still Zekle crep' up quite unbeknown An' peeked in thru' the winder,, An' there sot Huldy all alone, A fireplace filled the room's one side, There warn't no stoves (tell comfort died) The Courtin' The wa'nut logs shot sparkles out. An' leetle flames danced all about The chiny on the dresser. Agin the chimbley crook-necks hung, The ole queen's-arm thet gran'ther Young i The very room, coz she was in, Seemed warm f'om floor to ceilin', An' she looked full ez rosy agin 'Twas kin' o' kingdom-come to look On sech a blessed cretur, A dogrose blushin' to a brook Ain't modester nor sweeter. He was six foot o' man, A 1, He'd sparked it with full twenty gals, He'd squired 'em, danced 'em, druv 'em, Fust this one, an' then thet, by spells- But long o' her his veins 'ould run She thought no v'ice hed sech a swing Ez hisn in the choir; My! when he made Ole Hundred ring, She knowed the Lord was nigher. 1 737 An' she'd blush scarlit, right in prayer, Thet night, I tell ye, she looked some! She heered a foot, an' knowed it tu, All ways to once her feelin's flew He kin' o' l'itered on the mat, An' yit she gin her cheer a jerk› "You want to see my Pa, I s'pose?" "Wal... no .. I come dasignin" She's sprinklin' clo'es Agin to-morrer's i'nin'." "To see my Ma? To say why gals acts so or so, He stood a spell on one foot fust, He couldn't ha' told ye nuther. L'eau Dormante Says he, "I'd better call ag'in"; When Ma bimeby upon 'em slips, All kin' o' smily roun' the lips For she was jes' the quiet kind Whose naturs never vary, Like streams that keep a summer mind The blood clost roun' her heart felt glued Tell mother see how metters stood Then her red come back like the tide An' all I know is they was cried In meetin' come nex' Sunday. 739 James Russell Lowell [1819-1891] L'EAU DORMANTE CURLED up and sitting on her feet, My lad, if you, without abuse, Will take advice from one who's wiser, Thomas Bailey Aldrich [1837-1907] A PRIMROSE DAME SHE has a primrose at her breast, Or must I tell a story? She has a primrose at her breast, Gleason White (1851-1898] IF OH, if the world were mine, Love. I'd give the world for thee! Alas! there is no sign, Love, Were I a king,-which isn't To be considered now, A diadem had glistened Upon that lovely brow. Had fame with laurels crowned me,- Nor time nor change had found me |