“ Get the lantern, Jim and Tom; Mother, keep the babies calm, And we'll follow up that halloa, and we'll see where it is from. 'Tis a hairy sort of night For a man to face and fight; And the wind is blowin'—Hang it, Jimmy, bring another light! Ah! 'twas you, then, Johnny Rich, Yelling out at such a pitch, For a decent man to help you, while you fell into the ditch: 'Tisn't quite the thing to say, But we ought to've let you lay, While your drunken carcass died a-drinkin' water any way. ”
Summary
“Farm Ballads”, is a work by Will Carleton. It explores elements such as Betsey, Army of the Dead and child'rn.
Quotes from Farm Ballads (Will Carleton)
“ My wife, she says that han'some face will some day make a stir; And then I laugh, because she thinks the child resembles her. She'll meet me half-way down the hill, and kiss me, any way; And light my heart up with her smiles, when I go home to-day! If there's a heaven upon the earth, a fellow knows it when He's been away from home a week, and then gets back again. If there's a heaven above the earth, there often, I'll be bound, Some homesick fellow meets his folks, and hugs 'em all around. ”
“ The Editor sat in his sanctum and looked the old man in the eye, Then glanced at the grinning young hopeful, and mournfully made his reply: "Is your son a small unbound edition of Moses and Solomon both? Can he compass his spirit with meekness, and strangle a natural oath? Can he leave all his wrongs to the future, and carry his heart in his cheek? Can he do an hour's work in a minute, and live on a sixpence a week? Can he courteously talk to an equal, and browbeat an impudent dunce? Can he keep things in apple-pie order, and do half a dozen at once? ”
“ When a feller's alone in the darkness, and every thing is still. "But," says I, "we're too far along to take another track, And when I put my hand to the plow I do not oft turn back; And 'tain't an uncommon thing now for couples to smash in two;" And so I set my teeth together, and vowed I'd see it through. When I come in sight o' the house 'twas some'at in the night, And just as I turned a hill-top I see the kitchen light; Which often a han'some pictur' to a hungry person makes, But it don't interest a feller much that's goin' to pull up stakes. ”
“ I've scolded my team till I'm hoarse; I've tramped till my legs are weak; I've choked a dozen swears (so's not to tell Jane fibs) When the plow-p'int struck a stone and the handles punched my ribs. I've put my team in the barn, and rubbed their sweaty coats; I've fed 'em a heap of hay and half a bushel of oats; And to see the way they eat makes me like eatin' feel, And Jane won't say to-night that I don't make out a meal. Well said! the door is locked! ”
“ BETSEY AND I ARE OUT. Draw up the papers, lawyer, and make 'em good and stout; For things at home are crossways, and Betsey and I are out. We, who have worked together so long as man and wife, Must pull in single harness for the rest of our nat'ral life. "What is the matter?" say you. I swan it's hard to tell! Most of the years behind us we've passed by very well; I have no other woman, she has no other man— Only we've lived together as long as we ever can. So I have talked with Betsey, and Betsey has talked with me, And so we've agreed together that we can't never agree ”
“ And I'll plow her grave with hate, and seed it down to scorn! As sure as the world goes on, there'll come a time when she Will read the devilish heart of that han'somer man than me; And there'll be a time when he will find, as others do, That she who is false to one can be the same with two. And when her face grows pale, and when her eyes grow dim, And when he is tired of her and she is tired of him, She'll do what she ought to have done, and coolly count the cost; And then she'll see things clear, and know what she has lost. ”
“ I've somehow felt uneasy like, since first day I come down; It is an awkward game to play the gentleman in town; And this 'ere Sunday suit of mine on Sunday rightly sets; But when I wear the stuff a week, it somehow galls and frets. I'd rather wear my homespun rig of pepper-salt and gray— I'll have it on in half a jiff, when I get home to-day. I have no doubt my wife looked out, as well as any one— As well as any woman could—to see that things was done: For though Melinda, when I'm there, won't set her foot outdoors, She's very careful, when I'm gone, to tend to all the chores. ”
“ Fare you well, old house! you're naught that can feel or see, But you seem like a human being—a dear old friend to me; And we never will have a better home, if my opinion stands, Until we commence a-keepin' house in the house not made with hands. ”
“ Out of the old house, Nancy—moved up into the new; All the hurry and worry is just as good as through; But I tell you a thing right here, that I ain't ashamed to say, There's precious things in this old house we never can take away. ”
“ Are clear and pure of human blood, and, mother, so am I! By father's grave on yonder hill—his name without a stain— I ne'er had malice in my heart, or murdered Allen Bayne! But twelve good men have found me guilty, for so the Judge has said, And they'll hang me to the gallows, mother—hang me till I'm dead! The air is fresh and bracing, mother; the sun shines bright and high; It is a pleasant day to live—a gloomy one to die! It is a bright and glorious day the joys of earth to grasp— It is a sad and wretched one to strangle, choke, and gasp! ”
“ Over the hill to the poor-house—it seems so horrid queer! Many a step I've taken a-toilin' to and fro, But this is a sort of journey I never thought to go. What is the use of heapin' on me a pauper's shame? Am I lazy or crazy? am I blind or lame? True, I am not so supple, nor yet so awful stout; But charity ain't no favor, if one can live without. I am willin' and anxious an' ready any day To work for a decent livin', an' pay my honest way; For I can earn my victuals, an' more too, I'll be bound, If any body only is willin' to have me round. ”
“ "Over the Hill to the Poor-House, I'm trudgin' my weary Way" "Till at last he went a-courtin', and brought a Wife from Town" "Many a Night I've watched You when only God was nigh" "Who sat with him long at his Table, and explained to him where he stood" FARM BALLADS. ”
“ First thing bothered and worried me, was 'long o' my daughter Kate; Rather a han'some cre'tur', and folks all liked her gait. Not so nice as them sham ones in yeller-covered books; But still there wa'n't much discount on Katherine's ways an' looks. And Katherine's smile was pleasant, and Katherine's temper good, And how she come to like Tom Smith, I never understood; For she was a mornin'-glory, as fair as you ever see, And Tom was a shag-bark hickory, as green as green could be. "Like takes to like," is a proverb that's nothin' more than trash ”
“ And we struck an agreement never to have another row. And I told her in the future I wouldn't speak cross or rash If half the crockery in the house was broken all to smash; And she said, in regards to heaven, we'd try and learn its worth By startin' a branch establishment and runnin' it here on earth. And so we sat a-talkin' three-quarters of the night, And opened our hearts to each other until they both grew light; And the days when I was winnin' her away from so many men Was nothin' to that evenin' I courted her over again. ”
“ When we was fairly settled, an' had things snug and tight: We feel as proud as you please, Nancy, over our house that's new, But we felt as proud under this old roof, and a good deal prouder, too. Never a handsomer house was seen beneath the sun: Kitchen and parlor and bedroom—we had 'em all in one ”
“ And I will put things into shape, when I get home to-day. The mornin' that I come away, we had a little bout; I coolly took my hat and left, before the show was out. For what I said was naught whereat she ought to take offense; And she was always quick at words and ready to commence. But then she's first one to give up when she has had her say; And she will meet me with a kiss, when I go home to-day. My little boy—I'll give 'em leave to match him, if they can; It's fun to see him strut about, and try to be a man! ”
“ And I'll put it in the agreement, and take it to her to sign. Write on the paper, lawyer—the very first paragraph— Of all the farm and live-stock that she shall have her half; For she has helped to earn it, through many a weary day, And it's nothing more than justice that Betsey has her pay. Give her the house and homestead—a man can thrive and roam; But women are skeery critters, unless they have a home ”
“ And that was the way The deuce was to pay, As it always is, at the close of the day, That gave us— Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! (With some restrictions, the fault-finders say,) That which, please God, we will keep for aye— Our National Independence! ”
“ Yellow, mellow, ripened days, Sheltered in a golden coating; O'er the dreamy, listless haze, White and dainty cloudlets floating; Winking at the blushing trees, And the sombre, furrowed fallow; Smiling at the airy ease Of the southward-flying swallow. Sweet and smiling are thy ways, Beauteous, golden, Autumn days! ”
“ I've things of my own I must 'tend to—good-day, sir, I b'lieve I will climb." The Editor sat in his sanctum and brought down his fist with a thump: "God bless that old farmer," he muttered, "he's a regular Editor's trump." And 'tis thus with our noble profession, and thus it will ever be, still; There are some who appreciate its labors, and some who perhaps never will. But in the great time that is coming, when loudly the trumpet shall sound, And they who have labored and rested shall come from the quivering ground ”
“ And things that blossomed you would've made some women wilt; And every other day, then, as sure as day would break, My neighbor Ager come this way, invitin' me to "shake." And you, for want of neighbors, was sometimes blue and sad, For wolves and bears and wild-cats was the nearest ones you had; But lookin' ahead to the clearin', we worked with all our might, Until we was fairly out of the woods, and things was goin' right. Look up there at our new house!—ain't it a thing to see? Tall and big and handsome, and new as new can be ”
“ But poetry's worth whatever it fetches in butter an' bread. An' many a time I've said it: it don't do a fellow credit, To starve with a hole in his elbow, an' be considered a fool, So after he's dead, the young ones 'll speak his pieces in school. An' Tom, he had an opinion that Shakspeare an' all the rest, With all their winter clothin', couldn't make him a decent vest; But that didn't ease my labors, or help him among the neighbors, Who watched him from a distance, an' held his mind in doubt, An' wondered if Tom wasn't shaky, or knew what he was about. ”
“ How they growed! 'twas a wonder how we found room for 'em all; But though the house was crowded, it empty seemed that day When Jennie lay by the fire-place, there, and moaned her life away. And right in there the preacher, with Bible and hymn-book, stood, "'Twixt the dead and the living," and "hoped 'twould do us good;" ”
“ But every couple's child'rn's a heap the best to them. Strange how much we think of our blessed little ones!— I'd have died for my daughters, I'd have died for my sons; And God he made that rule of love; but when we're old and gray, I've noticed it sometimes somehow fails to work the other way. Strange, another thing: when our boys an' girls was grown, And when, exceptin' Charley, they'd left us there alone; When John he nearer an' nearer come, an' dearer seemed to be, The Lord of Hosts he come one day an' took him away from me. ”
“ With a face as white as a corpse's face, and "Where is Kate?" says she. And the neighbors come runnin' to me, with faces black as the ground, And shouted, "Where is Katherine? She's nowhere to be found!" An' this is all I remember, till I found myself next day, A-lyin' in Sanders' cabin, a mile an' a half away. If ever you wake up, children, with somethin' into your head, Concernin' a han'some daughter, that's lyin' still an' dead, All scorched into coal-black cinders—perhaps you may not weep, But I rather think it'll happen you'll wish you'd a-kept asleep. ”
“ Sat a maiden and her lover; And the thoughts within her he Yearned, in silence, to discover. Round them danced the sunbeams bright, Green the grass-lawn stretched before them; While the apple-blossoms white Hung in rich profusion o'er them. ”
“ And then there is things to be doin' a-helpin' the women indoors; There's churnin' and washin' of dishes, and other descriptions of chores; But he don't take to nothin' but victuals, and he'll never be much, I'm afraid, So I thought it would be a good notion to larn him the editor's trade. His body's too small for a farmer, his judgment is rather too slim, But I thought we perhaps could be makin' an editor outen o' him! "It ain't much to get up a paper—it wouldn't take him long for to learn; He could feed the machine, I'm thinkin', with a good strappin' fellow to turn. ”
“ Where we had long been workin' a piece of land on shares; But how a fellow's to prosper without the rise of the land, For just two-thirds of nothin', I never could understand. Up from the East we had traveled, me and my folks alone, And quick we went to workin' a piece of land of our own; Small was our backwoods quarters, and things looked mighty cheap; But every thing we put in there, we put in there to keep. So, with workin' and savin', we managed to get along; Managed to make a livin', and feel consid'able strong ”
“ Can he know all, and do all, and be all, with cheerfulness, courage, and vim? If so, we perhaps can be makin an editor 'outen of him.'" The farmer stood curiously listening, while wonder his visage o'erspread; And he said, "Jim, I guess we'll be goin'; he's probably out of his head." But lo! on the rickety stair-case, another reliable tread, And entered another old farmer, and these are the words that he said: "Good-morning, sir, Mr. Editor, how is the folks to-day? I owe you for next year's paper; I thought I'd come in and pay. ”
“ Of course he does not expect to escape, what he needs so greatly, the discipline of severe criticism; for he is aware that he has often wandered out of the beaten track, and has many times been too regardless of the established rules of rhythm, in his (oftentimes vain) search for the flowers of poesy. ”
“ My good old Christian mother, you'll see, Will be sure to stand right up for me, With over the hill from the poor-house. UNCLE SAMMY. Some men were born for great things, Some were born for small ”
“ An' maybe she wasn't wrapped up that day; An' maybe our cottage wasn't warm an' bright, An' maybe it wasn't a pleasant sight, To see her a-gettin' the evenin's tea, An' frequently stoppin' and kissin' me; An' maybe we didn't live happy for years, In spite of my brothers' and sisters' sneers, Who often said, as I have heard, That they wouldn't own a prison-bird; (Though they're gettin' over that, I guess, For all of 'em owe me more or less) ; But I've learned one thing; an' it cheers a man In always a-doin' the best he can ”
“ An' the wind outside was a-howlin', and puttin' it in to keep. 'Twas half-past three next mornin', or maybe 'twas nearer four— The neighbors they came a-yellin' and poundin' at my door; "Get up! get up!" they shouted: "get up! there's danger near! The woods are all a-burnin'! the wind is blowin' it here!" If ever it happens, children, that you get catched, some time, With fire a-blowin' toward you, as fast as fire can climb, You'll get up and get in a hurry, as fast as you can budge ”
“ I've lived with you six months, John, and so far I've been true; But I'm going away to-day with a handsomer man than you." A han'somer man than me! Why, that ain't much to say; There's han'somer men than me go past here every day. There's han'somer men than me—I ain't of the han'some kind ”
“ And Charley was pretty good to me, with scarce a word or frown, Till at last he went a-courtin', and brought a wife from town. She was somewhat dressy, an' hadn't a pleasant smile— She was quite conceity, and carried a heap o' style; But if ever I tried to be friends, I did with her, I know; But she was hard and proud, an' I couldn't make it go. She had an edication, an' that was good for her; But when she twitted me on mine, 'twas carryin' things too far; An' I told her once, 'fore company (an' it almost made her sick) , That I never swallowed a grammar, or 'et a 'rithmetic. ”
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