Would surely be forgotten. But at length She gave consent, and Michael was at ease.
Near the tumultuous brook of Green-head Gill, In that deep Valley, Michael had design'd To build a Sheep-fold, and, before he heard The tidings of his melancholy loss,
For this same purpose he had gathered up A heap of stones, which close to the brook side Lay thrown together, ready for the work. With Luke that evening thitherward he walk'd; And soon as they had reach'd the place he stopp'd, And thus the Old Man spake to him. "My Son, To-morrow thou wilt leave me; with full heart I look upon thee, for thou art the same That wert a promise to me ere thy birth, And all thy life hast been my daily joy. I will relate to thee some little part Of our two histories; 'twill do thee good
When thou art from me, even if I should speak
Of things thou canst not know of.
First cam'st into the world, as it befalls
To new-born infants, thou didst sleep away
Two days, and blessings from thy Father's tongue Then fell upon thee. Day by day pass'd on, And still I lov'd thee with encreasing love.
Never to living ear came sweeter sounds
Than when I heard thee by our own fire-side First uttering without words a natural tune,
When thou, a feeding babe,
Sing at thy Mother's breast.
And in the open fields my
Month follow'd month, life was pass'd
And in the mountains, else I think that thou Hadst been brought up upon thy father's knees. -But we were playmates, Luke; among these hills, As well thou know'st, in us the old and young Have play'd together, nor with me didst thou Lack any pleasure which a boy can know."
Luke had a manly heart; but at these words
He sobb'd aloud; the Old Man grasp'd his hand,
And said, "Nay do not take it so I see
That these are things of which I need not speak.
-Even to the utmost I have been to thee
A kind and a good Father: and herein I but repay a gift which I myself
Receiv'd at others hands, for, though now old Beyond the common life of man, I still Remember them who lov'd me in my youth. Both of them sleep together: here they liv'd As all their Forefathers had done, and when At length their time was come, they were not loth To give their bodies to the family mold.
I wish'd that thou should'st live the life they liv'd.
But 'tis a long time to look back, my Son,
And see so little gain from sixty years.
These fields were burthen'd when they came to me;
'Till I was forty years of age, not more
Than half of my inheritance was mine.
I toil'd and toil'd; God bless'd me in my work, And 'till these three weeks past the land was free. -It looks as if it never could endure
Another Master. Heaven forgive me, Luke, If I judge ill for thee, but it seems good
That thou should'st go." At this the Old Man paus'd, Then, pointing to the Stones near which they stood, Thus, after a short silence, he resum❜d :
"This was a work for us, and now, my Son,
It is a work for me. But, lay one Stone- Here, lay it for me, Luke, with thine own hands. I for the purpose brought thee to this place. Nay, Boy, be of good hope :-we both may live To see a better day. At eighty-four
I still am strong and stout ;-do thou thy part, I will do mine.- I will begin again With many tasks that were resign'd to thee; Up to the heights, and in among the storms,
Will I without thee go again, and do All works which I was wont to do alone,
Before I knew thy face.--Heaven bless thee, Boy! Thy heart these two weeks has been beating fast With many hopes-it should be so-yes-yes
I knew that thou could'st never have a wish
To leave me, Luke, thou hast been bound to me Only by links of love, when thou art gone
My purposes. Lay now the corner-stone, As I requested, and hereafter, Luke, When thou art gone away, should evil men Be thy companions, let this Sheep-fold be Thy anchor and thy shield; amid all fear And all temptation, let it be to thee
An emblem of the life thy Fathers liv'd, Who, being innocent, did for that cause
Bestir them in good deeds. Now, fare thee well- When thou return'st, thou in this place wilt see
« PreviousContinue » |