150

date: 1920-04-05

names-on-the-page: Mrs. Fitzroy; Mrs. Yost

transcription: April 5, 1920 - Page 10

She then gave this to Mrs. Fitzroy:

-Weary but Watching-

I am weary of hoping.
Each morn I have loosed the latchet
Of my door and looked yonward.
Yea and shut it expectant,
Seekin' the hearth and spinnin',
Spinnin', spinnin',
But keepin' an ear to the latchet
And listenin', listenin' for the
Knockin', knockin'.
And I hae spread the sands wi' the rushes
And singed to my doleful little heart
"A hope, ah hope, ah hope!" and rubbed
The kettle's base and houghed -- upon it.
And peered within to see if hope
Leaned in at yonder door,
But all that stared me back wert me
Wi' frowsy patin'!

I'm wearyin' o' hopin'!
And now I've pegged the door
And set a dielish clatter wi' the sandin'
And rattled o' the pots and snapped
The hooks and singed, singed, singed unpiouswise!
But whist! still mine ear be harkin!

Mrs. Yost received this:

-Never Growing Old-

The day will ne'er, ne'er, ne'er be old.
It will not age. I cannot see
The hours grow old. I, like a mither,
Sit and watch them goddlin' by.
Jealous am I. Ah, jealous am I.
For what betides them yon?

The day will ne'er, ne'er, ne'er grow old
For every hour which passeth me
I hold close to my breast,
So close to my breast and croon, croon, croon.
The day will ne'er, ne'er, ne'er grow old.
I'll never let it be, for when
The last hour passeth me, I'll sit
Croonin' and whisperin' wee talk to the bairns!

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