WRITE THEM A LETTER TO-NIGHT.
And I think that my papa's grown pious,
For he listened, as still as a mouse,
Till I got to Amen;-then he said it
So it sounded all over the house.
WRITE THEM A LETTER TO-NIGHT.
DON'T go to the theatre, grange or ball,
But stay in your room to-night;
Deny yourself of the friends that call,
And a good long letter write-
Write to the sad old folks at home,
Who sit when the day is done,
With folded hands and downcast eyes,
And think of the absent one.
Don't selfishly scribble "excuse my haste,
I've scarcely the time to write,"
Lest their brooding thoughts go wandering back
To many a by-gone night,
When they lost their needed sleep and rest,
And every breath was a prayer—
That God would leave their delicate babe
To their tender love and care.
Don't let them feel that you've no more need
Of their love or counsel wise;
For the heart grows strongly sensitive
When age has dimmed the eyes-
It might be well to let them believe
You never forgot them, quite;
That you deem it a pleasure, when far away,
Long letters home to write.
Don't think that the young and giddy friends,
Who make your pastime gay,
Have half the anxious thought for you
That the old folks have to-day.
The duty of writing do not put off;
Let sleep or pleasure wait,
Lest the letter for which they looked and longed
Be a day or an hour too late.
For the sad old folks at home,
With locks fast turning white,
Are longing to hear from the absent one-
Write them a letter to-night.
THE RIDE OF GREAT-GRANDMOTHER LEE.
[A STORY OF REVOLUTIONARY TIMES.]
THIS is the tale of Great-grandmother Lee,
Just as my grandmother told it to me;
A tale of the old Colonial time,
And a woman's bravery, set to rhyme.
Great-grandmother Lee was a maiden then,
But her hand was promised a lover when
The war for freedom was fought and won,
And the world applauded a grand deed done
By those who in action and brave words spoke
The anger they felt 'neath a tyrant's yoke.
"We will be free of it." Thus said they.
"Down with King George's galling sway!"
There was fighting near and fighting far;
The air seemed charged with the stress of war.
Never a day went by that brought
No rumor of battle somewhere fought,
THE RIDE OF GREAT-GRANDMOTHER LEE.
And those at home almost held their breath
As the days went by with their tales of death.
Backward and forward, on every side,
Swept the ever-changing battle-tide;
Often it brought near home the men
Who had gone to the war, then turned again
And bore them farther and farther away,
And no tidings would come for many a day
From those whose lot was to come and go
As the winds of conflict might chance to blow.
One day a postman brought news that stirred
With eager hope all the hearts that heard;
"Lieutenant Lee had been sent," he said,
"With twoscore men to Marblehead
In charge of some prisoners. It might be
They would come that way." At the name of Lee,
How the eyes of Great-grandmother Ruth grew bright,
And the heart that was heavy with hope grew light!
But next day the news went about the town
That a band of Britishers, marching down.
From Boston or Concord, had been seen
That town and the Marblehead hills between.
"They will lie in wait for Lieutenant Lee,
And, dreaming not of his danger, he
Will keep straight on till it is too late
To escape the foes that in ambush wait."
Great-grandmother Ruth heard the news they brought,
And up to her brain leaped a sudden thought-
Some one must go, and at once, to warn
Lieutenant Lee. Ere another morn
He might fall, perhaps, an easy prey
To the British men who in ambush lay.
But who should go? All the men in town
Were old, or crippled, or broken down
With wounds or sickness. "Not one," cried she, "To carry the news to Lieutenant Lee!
I will go myself." And her blue eyes shone
With a courage born not of love alone,
But the spirit that nerved the arm and heart
Of those who in war bore a soldier's part.
"A woman can't fight very well," she said;
"But there's many a thing she can do instead
That's as good as fighting. My British men,
I'll take a hand in your game." And then
She saddled her horse, and as night came down,
They saw her galloping out of the town.
"She goes to warn her lover," they said,
"Of a danger that lurks in the way ahead.
Brave is the girl's heart and strong her steed,”
And every one cheered her and said "God speed!"
Twoscore miles to make ere the first cock crowedGreat-grandmother Ruth planned her route as she rode. "Lieutenant Lee and his men will take
The old post-road by Hingham's Lake;
There I must meet them, and they can turn
To the north on the highway that runs by Kern;
And thus they can slip past the ambushed foe
Who hides on the new road, miles below.
Ah, ha! my Britishers, watch and wait;
You'll find out the truth when it is too late!"
The dusk closed round her; the stars grew bright,
And the moon made day of the brief June night.
"Five miles are behind us," she cried, as she passed
The ford in the valley, and still more fast
She urged her steed down the road that runs
Through Sudbury town and the smaller ones
That lie to the south. Often those in bed
Were roused by the sound of a horse's tread,
And said to each other, "Some one rides fast,"
And e'en as they said it the place was passed
By the midnight rider. "The stars say One,"
"and our ride's half done.”
Two-"We do well." Three-"The miles are few.
Doll, do you know what depends on you?"
THE RIDE OF GREAT-GRANDMOTHER LEE.
Four-and upon her keen eyes break
The sight she has longed for of Hingham's Lake.
"Our ride is ended," and she draws rein
In the shade of the pine trees on Hingham's plain,
To wait for the coming of those who are nigh,
With a smile on her lip and a laughing eye.
"Hark! they are coming. Good steed of mine,
We will bid them stand and give countersign,"
She says, as the tramp of men's feet sounds near.
"He, my lover, is almost here,"
And her face grows bright like a damask rose
When all of a sudden its leaves unclose
At a warm wind's kiss, and break all apart,
To reveal the glow at the blossom's heart.
"Halt!" The soldiers, startled, heard
A woman's voice speak the well-known word;
Then out of the shadow of pines rode she.
"Ruth, my Ruth!" cried Lieutenant Lee,
"Is this your ghost, or are you a dream?”
Then his arms were round her, and it would seem
That the touch of her lips was proof enough
That the vision was hardly of ghostly stuff.
"There's no time for love-making now," laughed she;
"There's something more urgent, Lieutenant Lee."
Then she told them what she had come to tell.
"Ruth, my heroine, you've done well,"
Cried Lieutenant Lee, and his face was bright.
"Such help as this nerves our hearts for fight.
Men, what say you? This girl should be
Made colonel, at least, for her bravery.
Cheers for brave Colonel Ruth, my men!"
And the morning rang and rang again
With hearty cheers for the girl whose deed
Had brought them warning in time of need.
There is little need for me to make
The story longer. At Hingham's Lake
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