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31
MAUD MULLER AGAIN
[LATEST INTELLIGENCE]
Maud muller on a summer's day
Raked the meadow sweet with hay.
Raked the meadow sweet with hay.
And so far all of us agree:
Whittier and Bret Harte with me.
Whittier and Bret Harte with me.
The rest — Well, only the other day
I call'd at the House. I need to say
I call'd at the House. I need to say
No name but, knowing the family well,
Can best inform you how all befell.
Can best inform you how all befell.
The Judge did marry her: so Harte 's right,
But very far wrong of the after plight.
But very far wrong of the after plight.
And the Whittier needed not his moan
For the left or the poorer leaving one.
For the left or the poorer leaving one.
The Judge was also a man of will:
So turn'd where Maud was raking still,
So turn'd where Maud was raking still,
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And on the wind with the scent o' the grass
Fragranter words of love did pass;
Fragranter words of love did pass;
And ever the hay was housed in hold
A llttle circle of purest gold —
A llttle circle of purest gold —
His mother's, with just one amethyst,
Was on the finger the young Judge kiss'd.
Was on the finger the young Judge kiss'd.
No Lord of Burleigh he whose pride
Stoop'd to make a peasant his bride;
Stoop'd to make a peasant his bride;
But a good republican who knew
The growth of a woman simple and true,
The growth of a woman simple and true,
A woman whose sons might be real men,
Such as trod on the old hills when
Such as trod on the old hills when
The Sons of Heaven came down to earth,
And giants sprang of heavenly birth.
And giants sprang of heavenly birth.
Poor and low may be yet not rough:
Harte should have better known the stuff
Harte should have better known the stuff
Granite and heaven can make out West,
Due East too when we take the best.
Due East too when we take the best.
Better than Saratoga knows —
Fashion'd of only whims and clothes.
Fashion'd of only whims and clothes.
Her kin were honest and goodly folk:
What if some with an accent spoke?
What if some with an accent spoke?
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If they hadn't a many fine words tu hum,
What is that to the poor outcome
What is that to the poor outcome
From hearts, that are only diamond dust
Harden'd under the upper crust,
Harden'd under the upper crust,
Of those who the human engine shunt
Out of life in a brown stone front?
Out of life in a brown stone front?
This is perhaps o'erflow of spleen:
But the thing I want to say, and mean
But the thing I want to say, and mean
Is this:— The Judge was a judge of life
When he took a healthy woman to wife;
When he took a healthy woman to wife;
And Maud, whatever her kith and kin,
Was a woman worth a man's while to win.
Was a woman worth a man's while to win.
They lived together long years of joy;
Fair girls and more than one sturdy boy
Fair girls and more than one sturdy boy
Our happy Maud to her husband bore.
Long ere their heads were silver'd o'er
Long ere their heads were silver'd o'er
None could have told that higher birth
Was his or whose the more native worth:
Was his or whose the more native worth:
For the soul of a queen inform'd her face
And gave to her every motion grace;
And gave to her every motion grace;
And the haughtier Judge's dignified mien
Mated but well with her port serene.
Mated but well with her port serene.
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Health she brought to a stock outworn:
And all of his sons were gentle born;
And all of his sons were gentle born;
And her girls had grace to keep their share
Of the proud old family's beauty rare,
Of the proud old family's beauty rare,
And she and her lover the lesson taught,
How Love and Nature have ever wrought,
How Love and Nature have ever wrought,
Raising the low, redeeming the high,
With strength and beauty for marriage tie.
With strength and beauty for marriage tie.
Sad are the words — It might have been:
And sadder whenever the will was mean.
And sadder whenever the will was mean.
But a cheerier thought may leap the bar
To what may be from the things that are.
To what may be from the things that are.
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