 | The Poetical Works of Caroline Bowles Southey |  |
“Mother,” quoth Ambrose to his thrifty dame—
So oft our peasant's use his wife to name,
“Father” and “Master” to himself applied,
As life's grave duties matronise the bride—
“Mother,” quoth Ambrose, as he faced the north,
With hard-set teeth, before he issued forth
To his day labour, from the cottage door—
“I'm thinking that to-night, if not before,
There'll be wild work. Dost hear old Chewton roar?
It's brewing up down westward; and look there!
One of those sea-gulls—ay, there goes a pair.
And such a sudden thaw! If rain comes on,
As threats, the waters will be out anon.
That path by the ford's a nasty bit of way—
Best let the young ones bide from school to-day.”
So oft our peasant's use his wife to name,
“Father” and “Master” to himself applied,
As life's grave duties matronise the bride—
“Mother,” quoth Ambrose, as he faced the north,
With hard-set teeth, before he issued forth
To his day labour, from the cottage door—
“I'm thinking that to-night, if not before,
There'll be wild work. Dost hear old Chewton roar?
It's brewing up down westward; and look there!
One of those sea-gulls—ay, there goes a pair.
198
As threats, the waters will be out anon.
That path by the ford's a nasty bit of way—
Best let the young ones bide from school to-day.”
| The Poetical Works of Caroline Bowles Southey | |