Page:The Poets and Poetry of the West.djvu/411

1840-50.] FRANCES D. GAGE. 395 A HOME PICTURE. Ben Fisher had finished his hard day's work, And he sat at his cottage door ; His good wife, Kate, sat by his side, And the moonlight danced on the floor ; — The moonlight danced on the cottage floor, Her beams were as clear and bright As when he and Kate, twelve years before, Talked love in the mellow light. Ben Fisher had never a pipe of clay, And never a dram drank he ; So he loved at home with his wife to stay, And they chatted right merrily : Right merrily chatted they on, the while Her babe slept on her breast ; While a chubby rogue, with rosy smile. On his father's knee found rest. Ben told her how fast his potatoes grew. And the corn in the lower field ; And the wheat on the hill was grown to seed, And promised a glorious yield : — A glorious yield in the harvest time. And his orchard was doing fair ; His sheep and his stock were in the pi-ime. His farm all in good repair. Kate said that her garden looked beautiful, Her fowls and her calves were fat ; That the butter that Tommy that morning churned. Would buy him a Sunday hat; That Jenny for pa' a new shirt had made, And 'twas done too by the rule ; That Neddy the garden could nicely spade, And Ann was ahead at school. Ben slowly passed his toil-worn hand Through his locks of grayish brown — "I tell you, Kate, what I think," said he, "We're the happiest folks in town." " I know," said Kate, " that we all work hard, — Work and health go together, I've found ; For there's Mrs. Bell does notwoi-k at all, And she's sick the whole year round. " They're worth their thousands, so people say, But I ne'er saw them happy yet ; 'Twould not be me that would take their gold. And live in a constant fret. My humble home has a light within, Mrs. Bell's gold could not buy, Six healthy children, a merry heart, And a husband's love-lit eye." I fancied a tear was in Ben's eye, — The moon shone brighter and clearer, I could not tell why the man should cry, But he hitched up to Kate still nearer ; He leaned his head on her shoulder there. And took her hand in his, — I guess (though I looked at the moon just then). That he left on her lips a kiss. nOUSEKEEPER-S SOLILOQUY. I WISH I had a dozen pairs Of hands, this very minute ; Pd soon put all these things to rights — The very deuce is in it. Here's a big washing to be done, One pair of hands to do it, Sheets, shirts and stockings, coats and pants, How will I e'er get through it ? Dinner to get for six or more. No loaf left o'er from Sunday ; And baby cross as he can live, — He's always so on Monday.