University of Virginia Library


545

THE OLD FARM GATE.

In gilded saloons, where the fairest of belles
Fling around me their subtlest of glamour and spells,
I broke through their magic, I mocked at their art,
Unmoved in my fancy, untouched in my heart;
But yielded a captive, well pleased at my fate,
When Dora I met at the old farm gate.
When Dora I met,
When Dora I met,
When Dora I met at the old farm gate.
I passed, rod in hand, on my way to the brook,
And planned as I went little fishes to hook.
She stood there in silence, half smiling, half shy,
And moved from the pathway to let me go by.
Ah! who would not bite when such charms were the bait?
So Dora caught me at the old farm gate—
So Dora caught me,
So Dora caught me,
So Dora caught me at the old farm gate.
We had met and had parted full often before,
But we met on that morn to be parted no more;
The light in her eye and the flush on her cheek
Emboldened my tongue of my loving to speak.
What cared I for trout? They might lie there and wait,
Now Dora said “yes” at the old farm gate—
Now Dora said “yes,”
Now Dora said “yes,”
Now Dora said “yes” at the old farm gate.