 | [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary with introduction and notes |  |
JOHN THOMPSON'S DAUGHTER.
A fellow near Kentucky's clime
Cries, “Boatman, do not tarry,
And I'll give thee a silver dime
To row us o'er the ferry.”
Cries, “Boatman, do not tarry,
And I'll give thee a silver dime
To row us o'er the ferry.”
“Now, who would cross the Ohio,
This dark and stormy water?”
“O, I am this young lady's beau,
And she John Thompson's daughter.
This dark and stormy water?”
“O, I am this young lady's beau,
And she John Thompson's daughter.
“We 've fled before her father's spite
With great precipitation,
And should he find us here to-night,
I 'd lose my reputation.
With great precipitation,
And should he find us here to-night,
I 'd lose my reputation.
465
“They 've missed the girl and purse beside,
His horsemen hard have pressed me,
And who will cheer my bonny bride,
If yet they shall arrest me?”
His horsemen hard have pressed me,
And who will cheer my bonny bride,
If yet they shall arrest me?”
Out spoke the boatman then in time,
“You shall not fail, don't fear it;
I'll go, not for your silver dime,
But for your manly spirit.
“You shall not fail, don't fear it;
I'll go, not for your silver dime,
But for your manly spirit.
“And by my word, the bonny bird
In danger shall not tarry;
For though a storm is coming on,
I'll row you o'er the ferry.”
In danger shall not tarry;
For though a storm is coming on,
I'll row you o'er the ferry.”
By this the wind more fiercely rose,
The boat was at the landing,
And with the drenching rain their clothes
Grew wet where they were standing.
The boat was at the landing,
And with the drenching rain their clothes
Grew wet where they were standing.
But still, as wilder rose the wind,
And as the night grew drearer,
Just back a piece came the police,
Their tramping sounded nearer.
And as the night grew drearer,
Just back a piece came the police,
Their tramping sounded nearer.
“O, haste thee, haste!” the lady cries,
“It 's anything but funny;
I'll leave the light of loving eyes,
But not my father's money!”
“It 's anything but funny;
I'll leave the light of loving eyes,
But not my father's money!”
And still they hurried in the face
Of wind and rain unsparing;
John Thompson reached the landing-place,
His wrath was turned to swearing.
Of wind and rain unsparing;
John Thompson reached the landing-place,
His wrath was turned to swearing.
For by the lightning's angry flash,
His child he did discover;
One lovely hand held all the cash,
And one was round her lover!
His child he did discover;
One lovely hand held all the cash,
And one was round her lover!
“Come back, come back,” he cried in woe,
Across the stormy water;
“But leave the purse, and you may go,
My daughter, O my daughter!”
Across the stormy water;
“But leave the purse, and you may go,
My daughter, O my daughter!”
466
'T was vain; they reached the other shore,
(Such dooms the Fates assign us,)
The gold he piled went with his child,
And he was left there, minus.
(Such dooms the Fates assign us,)
The gold he piled went with his child,
And he was left there, minus.
| [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary with introduction and notes | |