Wild Flowers | Page 8

shy,?I've watch'd your steps and learn'd your history;?You love your poor lame father, let that be?A happy presage of your love for me.?Come then, I'll stroll these meadows by your side,?I've seen enough to wish you for my bride,?And plainly tell you so.--Nay, let me hold?This guiltless hand, I prize it more than gold;?Of that I have my share, but now pursue?Such lasting wealth as I behold in you.?My lands are fruitful and my gardens gay,?My houshold cheerful as the summer's day;?One blessing more will crown my happy life,?Like Adam, pretty girl, I want a wife."
Frequent Meetings.--Family Pride.
Need it be told his suit was not denied,?With youth, and wealth, and candour on his side?Honour took charge of love so well began,?And accidental meetings, one by one,?Increas'd so fast midst time's unheeded flight,?That village rumour married them outright;?Though wiser matrons, doubtful in debate,?Pitied deluded Peggy's hapless fate.?Friends took th' alarm, "And will he then disgrace?"The name of Brooks with this plebeian race?"?Others, more lax in virtue, not in pride,?Sported the wink of cunning on one side;?"He'll buy, no doubt, what Peggy has to sell,?A little gallantry becomes him well."?Meanwhile the youth with self-determin'd aim,?Disdaining fraud, and pride's unfeeling claim,
Marriage proposed
Above control pursued his generous way,?And talk'd to Peggy of the marriage day.?Poor girl! she heard, with anguish and with doubt,?What her too knowing neighbours preach'd about,?That Herbert would some nobler match prefer,?And surely never, never marry her;?Yet, with what trembling and delight she bore?The kiss, and heard the vow, "I'll doubt no more;"?"Protect me Herbert, for your honour's sake?You will," she cried, "nor leave my heart to break."?Then wrote to uncle Gilbert, joys, and fears,?And hope, and trust, and sprinkled all with tears.
Rous'd was the dormant spirit of the brave,?E'en lameness rose to succour and to save;?For, though they both rever'd young Herbert's name,?And knew his unexceptionable fame;
Doubts.--Parental Feelings.
And though the girl had honestly declar'd?Love's first approaches, and their counsel shar'd,?Yet, that he truly meant to take for life?The poor and lowly Peggy for a wife;?Or, that she was not doom'd to be deceiv'd,?Was out of bounds:--it could not be believ'd.?"Go, Gilbert; save her; I, you know, am lame;?Go, brother, go; and save my child from shame.?Haste, and I'll pray for your success the while,?Go, go;"--then bang'd his crutch upon the stile:--?It snapt.--E'en Gilbert trembled while he smote,?Then whipt the broken end beneath his coat;?"Aye, aye, I'll settle them; I'll let them see?Who's to be conqu'ror this time, I or he!"
[Illustration: two men at a stile.]
Gilbert on the Road!--An Adventure.
Then off he set, and with enormous strides,?Rebellious mutterings and oaths besides,?O'er clover-field and fallow, bank and brier,?Pursu'd the nearest cut, and fann'd the fire?That burnt within him.--Soon the Hall he spied,?And the grey willows by the water side;?Nature cried "halt!" nor could he well refuse;?Stop, Gilbert, breathe awhile, and ask the news.?"News?" cried a stooping grandame of the vale,?Aye, rare news too; I'll tell you such a tale;?But let me rest; this bank is dry and warm;?Do you know Peggy Meldrum at the farm??Young Herbert's girl? He'as cloath'd her all in white.?You never saw so beautiful a sight!?Ah! he's a fine young man, and such a face!?I knew his grandfather and all his race;?He rode a tall white horse, and look'd so big,?But how shall I describe his hat and wig?"
A promising Story cut short.
"Plague take his wig," cried Gilbert, "and his hat,?Where's Peggy Meldrum? can you tell me that?"?"Aye; but have patience man, you'll hear anon,?For I shall come to her as I go on,?So hark 'ye friend; his grandfather I say,"--?"Poh, poh,"--cried Gilbert, as he turn'd away.?Her eyes were fix'd, her story at a stand,?The snuff-box lay half open'd in her hand;?"You great ill-manner'd clown! but I must bear it;?You oaf; to ask the news, and then won't hear it!"?But Gilbert had gain'd forty paces clear,?When the reproof came murmuring on his ear.
Again he ask'd the first that past him by;?A cow-boy stopt his whistle to reply.?"Why, I've a mistress coming home, that's all,?They're playing Meg's diversion at the Hall;
A Cow-Boy's Bravery
"For master's gone, with Peggy, and his cousin,?And all the lady folks, about a dozen,?To church, down there; he'll marry one no doubt,?For that it seems is what they're gone about;?I know it by their laughing and their jokes,?Tho' they wor'nt ask'd at church like other folks."
Gilbert kept on, and at the Hall-door found?The winking servants, where the jest went round:?All expectation; aye, and so was he,?But not with heart so merry and so free.?The kitchen table, never clear from beef,?Where hunger found its solace and relief,?Free to all strangers, had no charms for him,?For agitation worried every limb;?Ale he partook, but appetite had none,?And grey-hounds watch'd in vain to catch the bone.
Sitting upon Thorns.
All sounds alarm'd him, and all thoughts perplex'd,?With dogs, and beef, himself, and all