As well thou knowest, in us the old and young 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 Received at others' hands; for, though now old I wished that thou shouldst live the life they lived: Than half of my inheritance was mine. I toiled and toiled; God blessed 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, That thou shouldst go." At this the old Man paused; Then, pointing to the stones near which they stood, Thus, after a short silence, he resumed : "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. Nay, Boy, be of good hope; - we both may live do thou thy part; I will do mine. I will begin again With many tasks that were resigned to thee: All works which I was wont to do alone, Before I knew thy face. — Heaven bless thee, Boy! My purposes. Lay now the corner-stone, Bestir them in good deeds. Now, fare thee well; When thou return'st, thou in this place wilt see The Shepherd ended here; and Luke stooped down, And, as his Father had requested, laid The first stone of the Sheepfold. At the sight The old Man's grief broke from him; to his heart He pressed his Son, he kissèd him and wept; And to the house together they returned. - Hushed was that house in peace, or seeming peace, Ere the night fell:- with morrow's dawn the Boy And all the neighbors, as he passed their doors, A good report did from their Kinsman come, Of Luke and his well-doing: and the Boy Wrote loving letters, full of wondrous news, Which, as the Housewife phrased it, were through out "The prettiest letters that were ever seen.” Both parents read them with rejoicing hearts. So, many months passed on: and once again The Shepherd went about his daily work There is a comfort in the strength of love; 'T will make a thing endurable, which else Would overset the brain, or break the heart: I have conversed with more than one who well Remember the old Man, and what he was Years after he had heard this heavy news. His bodily frame had been from youth to age Of an unusual strength. Among the rocks He went, and still looked up to sun and cloud, And listened to the wind; and, as before, Performed all kinds of labor for his sheep, And for the land, his small inheritance. And to that hollow dell from time to time Did he repair, to build the Fold of which His flock had need. "T is not forgotten yet The pity which was then in every heart For the old Man, and 't is believed by all, That many and many a day he thither went, And never lifted up a single stone. There, by the Sheepfold, sometimes was he seen Sitting alone, or with his faithful dog, Then old, beside him, lying at his feet. The length of full seven years, from time to time, ground On which it stood; great changes have been wrought Beside the boisterous brook of Green-head Ghyll. 1800. XXXIII. THE WIDOW ON WINDERMERE SIDE. I. How beautiful when up a lofty height Honor ascends among the humblest poor, And feeling sinks as deep! See there the door Of one, a Widow, left beneath a weight Of blameless debt. On evil Fortune's spite |