All Angel of a Husband.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2039, 1 August 1885, Page 6 (Supplement)

All Angel of a Husband.

What's that sensation round my heart That feels as if I'd lost a part Of self, and makes my feelings smart ? My wife's away. What happy voice at rosy morn, On musio'e wing that onoe was borne, Is missed, and things look ao forlorn? My wife's away What makes me have the bluest blues, And all the world curse and abuse, And sulky melancholy choose ? My wife's away. What's vaoant at the table head, Where, augel-lik<\ dispensing bread, Sho sat, and now a blank instead ? My wife's away. What ails my undergiumont kit? Not one of them will rightly fit — It drives me nearly in a lit. My w lfe's away. Tlh>. socks— uot two of them will piir ; Tli'i ahuta— not ono without a tear ; The Buttons', too, arc never there, My wife's away. T l io sooty servant now is boss, And turns her nose up with a t063 ; And lookd at me infernal crosi. My wife's away. What makes the evening accra so long And Btill as night, wheru once was song Of rnu-iio eweet ohflrmed time along? My wife's avivy. My wife, God ble^s her an^-l fnce, And briug her pafo to my embrace J To me tho ernprrflfi of the rf>cc. My wifo'o away.

!Uy llnslv: '-.<!. A hOKniNn crow . a woe [ iteous cry, A m'.cMQg it'Urfh und ii ■ .s!y uttered jest, Arc all that reach rae aa i! r \ hurry by. But tho full mra-i'y; I have rightly guoseed — Anrther tenant for the pi i- in cell ; A woman, too 1 tI.L ; ( y i { it all I Wliat 1l>! ahe do i? Al< ! I cannot toll ; T-"> il U'H iip later •.'. : I ohanee tncJl. * I. * * I iioA U.O »voni>:u f-iui " ' t her cell, Y» 7 i ri« rg l^i' Lai , n*'l shedding bitter teiui, Hor thiD, pale checks th^ir tale of sorrow tpll; Hor bony form, too, b^afc, but not [with yeaia. Her eyes mcci mine, but no my tongue can She fu'ls upon her knees upon the floor, Crying, '• On I God forgive cio, I was weak ; But he will die, and I could bog no more. " Why havo you torn me fiom him ? Lot mo pol Yun will not leave him there to die alone, j Wnile J, nis lawful wife, am here ? Oh !no : Let me ro to him, if jou are not stone. I tell jou be is dying, sir, for bread — A big strong man, Bir, mrrdcrod in hii prime ! I couid n>r beg the food ; I stole instead ; Piole, r ir to cave hia life 1 Was that a crime? " For fit teen yctvi& we've laboured dlcle by Hide ; For fifteen jean hh faithful wife I've been ; Aod many a time, sir, we've baen uorely tried. For many ;>. bitter trouble wo have seen. Our children c>i:<l of hunger, one by one; We coald not feed tbwtn 1,-3 they ehould bo fed. They dip. i ! We tried to say, " Thy will be f'oiiQ," Cut 'ii n't easy when your hopes arc riead. "Andmmya ftinj we said we'd h>.\e no more, But when we paw nome neighbour's babyboy, Andwa»cue' hia chiiJi *h gambols round our door, Ami marked tnemotLer's pride, the father's joj— Why, we were human, bir, and thought, alas 1 That heaven jj.'ic ! if\uce might lvi tho next one stay ; But one by one tLov withe-wl like the giass, Aral one by one ii y di< d and passed away. " And all ILe v^ars .e'vo he and I, To Keep our soirow-s bid from mortal eye<?. ' Chcor un, dear, things uiit brighten by and b/; The world 13 hard, bat God is good and wife.' That's wbut he always eaid when things wont vro^.g, When work wa3 rcarco, and food w.13 liard to get— I Cheer up dear,' he would say ; •it won't be long ; Let's tniot in God, He's never failed us yetl' •'And 'vo have waited — goniet'aiei waited long — And wa have prayed for help, and help ha 3 come. But every winter something has gone wrong, And every year we've been without a home. Tnu htila treasures we would fain huva kept — Tho playthings of our dear ones dead anil gone — Were sold for food 1 How bitterly we wep!., They only guess who suoh a grief have known. "And then this illness came and struck him down, An<3 he grew weak and wealrar day by day : While I have done odd jobs about the town To earn him food, and help to pay our way, But ho grew worse I And then the doctor came, And ordered raedio'ne, nourishment, and wine. Oh! he meant well, sir; h? waa not to blame ; He did hie duty — and then I did min3 ! '• Foi t~/o ,-y~ I hid neither bit nor sup. Oh 1 how I suffered ; but he revet know And every hour more bitter jjrew my ouy, Fcr every hour still woree and wor^e ho jjrev. T!T !i fcp aoiL ".an fa'iort. I begged, and begged in vain 1 ' CiiL'ji up, my lass,' ho taid, ' the timea will mend. We've trubted God beforo ; let's tru&f. af,ain ; Wo need not fear whio we have cuch a friend 1 ' II But ovory day the fiercer giow our need, And hunger pnawed us like a ravage beast. My frenzied brain conceived the desperate deed Of theft ! Was'c crime ? 'Twould otva his life at least. God knows that I could see no other way. Had I not begged and prayed— and both in vain ? I did not think of what the world might say— If that would pave him I could beir ths stain ! " I stood outside a fashionable shop, And watched tho tide of wealth go rolling in ; And as I gazed, I saw & carrisgo stop — My houl burned with the fever of my sin I A lady stepped out, clad in Bilks so grand. And holding in her dainty clasp apuise; I darted forward, auatuhed it from her hand Aod fled, like one who flees before a curse. II But I was weak and faint, and swifter feet Than mine were following, and Boon ran me down. Policemen came and dragged me throught he street ; And now I am the byeword of the town. And he is dyipg there, while I am here, And cannot soothe or raibe his fevered head. For God's sake, take mo to him I Never fear, I'll oomo back heie a^.iin — when he is dead ; " Do with me what you will when he is gone I I care not then what puuidhment you give. But do not let him peiinh there alone ; Do with me what you will but let him live 1 Oh I save his life, sir, and I'll be your slave, And God will send his blessings on your head Don't let them put him in a pauper's grave, And treat him like a dog when he is dead 1 " God bless you, Bir ! Oh 1 speak those words again I You'll take me out ? Oh I ujuiok, then ; let us go. Thank Heaven, this time I have not begged in vain. Why don't they let us out ? They are bo slow Don't tell him I've been here, air ; he is ill 1 Poor dear, he never had a thought of wrong. Don't let him know this, sir ; the Bhame would kill, no always paid, ' Wait dear, it won't bo long.' * * • • * " Ah ! here it is, sir ; mind the broken stair. It'u dark, sir ; for we can't afford a light. We're glad to find a shelter anywhere ; It'd li.ud to walk about the streets all night. Ah 1 thoio be is 1 John, dear, I've come again ; I'm boiry, dear, you ye had so long to wait. What't) this?— He's; cold I—th l I have come in vain — lie 'a ct- iii 3! llo'a dead I And I'm too late, too lato ! * H. t * * * And has this happened in a Christian land I It comeo More me like a hideous dceam. Too hue, alas ! I hear on every hand The orphan's wail, the widow's anguished Bpreaui. And poverty, red eyed stalks gaunt and bare, While pampared Wealth aits in the justice peat! But hnik ! a sentence cleaves the humid air — 1 They hungered and ye gavo them not to eat ! '" W. T. Hawkins in tot Theatre.