Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: EARLY POEMS. THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER. An Emigrant's Song. 'T1s twenty years to-day, my dear, That you have worn the ring of gold, And into many a happy ear The English bells our marriage told. God bless you ! countless wishes fond Have I, but cold the words I find : More blessings in the years beyond Be yours, than in the years behind. It seems but only yestermorn I met you first in Friday's field, Where stood, in mellow sheaves, the corn, Like bosses on a golden shield; And then your grace, and thrilling eyes, Your ringing laughter struck athrough My soul, like music from the skies, And all the world was merged in you. Your old farm-house, I see it still, Quaint-gabled, diamond-paned, half-hid In shadow of the firry hill And ancient elms it stood amid; And at its side the willowy pond, Where swans, with arching necks of light, Swam in calm beauty, while, beyond, A whispering wood ran up the height. What fancies, born of hope, or fear, Would light, or dim, the wistful hours, While in the meads I lay anear, Nor knew my hands were plucking flowers, For watching the old house below, All eager, on the ringing air, To catch your warm laugh come and go, And feel that you were living there. " Though rapid months their flags unfurl, I never see the face of joy ! " I was as bashful as a girl, As awkward as a flurried boy. " Cheer, nephew, cheer ! " in accents warm, At last, one eve, cried Uncle Gray,- " I've seen the Farmer at the farm, And there we spend our Christmas Day." O slow, slow hours ! They went away At last, and brought that day to me. THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER. 27 The rarest, gladdest Christmas Day : How the old farm o'erflowed with glee, Songs, flaming yule logs, holly boughs, Whose glossy ...