 | Rhymes with reason and without |  |
38
UNFAILING SIGNS.
When the wind blows from the orient
Be certain it will rain;
When the wind blows from the occident
'T will soon be fair again.
Be certain it will rain;
When the wind blows from the occident
'T will soon be fair again.
Good Mrs. Goodwin hung her line,
And called for her maiden Ann;
For the day was fair and the day was fine,
And she her washing began.
And called for her maiden Ann;
For the day was fair and the day was fine,
And she her washing began.
And her face was bright
With joy and hope,
And her clothes were white
With soda and soap,
And over the tub she wrung and wrung,
While merrily, merrily ran her tongue,
As on to the line her clothes she flung;
And out on the air,
Like banners fair,
The garments fluttered with freedom rare.
With joy and hope,
And her clothes were white
With soda and soap,
And over the tub she wrung and wrung,
While merrily, merrily ran her tongue,
As on to the line her clothes she flung;
And out on the air,
Like banners fair,
The garments fluttered with freedom rare.
But the wind blew east, and her neighbor said
That it boded rain and trouble,
And the water that simmered on the crane
Rose up in many a bubble.
But good Mrs. Goodwin kept right on,
Nor heeded the tokens plain;
She should have known, the foolish one!
That it boded naught but rain;
That it boded rain and trouble,
And the water that simmered on the crane
Rose up in many a bubble.
39
Nor heeded the tokens plain;
She should have known, the foolish one!
That it boded naught but rain;
She should have seen that the wind was east,
And spared her present toil,—
'T is a hard, hard thing those clothes to wring,
And harder to have them spoil.
And spared her present toil,—
'T is a hard, hard thing those clothes to wring,
And harder to have them spoil.
Good Mrs. Goodwin heard never a word,
But kept on with her wringing,
And though the wind blew most dismally blue,
She lightened her care with singing.
But kept on with her wringing,
And though the wind blew most dismally blue,
She lightened her care with singing.
But her neighbor knew,
And all day through
She watched for rain and squall;
But the sun shone bright,
In her despite,
And it did n't rain at all.
And all day through
She watched for rain and squall;
But the sun shone bright,
In her despite,
And it did n't rain at all.
Then good Mrs. Goodwin laughed right loud,
O, merrily laughéd she!—
Who watch for rain may watch in vain;
Best wait till it comes, like me.
O, merrily laughéd she!—
Who watch for rain may watch in vain;
Best wait till it comes, like me.
'T is best not borrow the woe of to-morrow
To-day's enjoyment to crowd,
If the sun shines bright, improve its light,
Nor think of to-morrow's cloud.
To-day's enjoyment to crowd,
If the sun shines bright, improve its light,
Nor think of to-morrow's cloud.
| Rhymes with reason and without | |