Riley Songs of Home Part 11

Ho! I'm going back to where We were youngsters.--Meet me there, Dear old barefoot chum, and we Will be as we used to be,-- Lawless rangers up and down The old creek beyond the town-- Little sunburnt G.o.ds at play, Just as in that far-away:-- Water nymphs, all unafraid, Shall smile at us from the brink Of the old millrace and wade Tow'rd us as we kneeling drink At the spring our boyhood knew, Pure and clear as morning-dew:

And, as we are rising there, Doubly dow'rd to hear and see, We shall thus be made aware Of an eerie piping, heard High above the happy bird In the hazel: And then we, Just across the creek, shall see (Hah! the goaty rascal!) Pan Hoof it o'er the sloping green, Mad with his own melody, Aye, and (bless the beasty man!) Stamping from the gra.s.sy soil Bruised scents of _fleur-de-lis_, Boneset, mint and pennyroyal.

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MY DANCIN'-DAYS IS OVER

What is it in old fiddle-chunes 'at makes me ketch my breath And ripples up my backbone tel I'm tickled most to death?-- Kindo' like that sweet-sick feelin', in the long sweep of a swing, The first you ever swung in, with yer first sweet-heart, i jing!-- Yer first picnic--yer first ice-cream--yer first o' _ever'thing_ 'At happened 'fore yer dancin'-days wuz over!

I never understood it--and I s'pose I never can,-- But right in town here, yisterd'y, I heerd a pore blindman A-fiddlin' old "Gray Eagle"--_And_-sir! I jes stopped my load O' hay and listened at him--yes, and watched the way he "bow'd,"-- And back I went, plum forty year', with boys and girls I knowed And loved, long 'fore my dancin'-days wuz over!--

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At high noon in yer city,--with yer blame Magnetic-Cars A-hummin' and a-screetchin' past--and bands and G.A.R.'s A-marchin'--and fire-ingines.--_All_ the noise, the whole street through, Wuz lost on me!--I only heerd a whipperwill er two, It 'peared-like, kindo' callin' 'crost the darkness and the dew, Them nights afore my dancin'-days wuz over.

T'uz Chused'y-night at Wetherell's, er We'nsd'y-night at Strawn's, Er Fourth-o'-July-night at uther Tomps's house er John's!-- With old Lew Church from Sugar Crick, with that old fiddle he Had sawed clean through the Army, from Atlanty to the sea-- And yit he'd fetched, her home ag'in, so's he could play fer me One't more afore my dancin'-days wuz over!

The woods 'at's all ben cut away wuz growin' same as then; The youngsters all wuz boys ag'in 'at's now all oldish men; And all the girls 'at _then_ wuz girls--I saw 'em, one and all, As _plain_ as then--the middle-sized, the short-and-fat, and tall-- And, 'peared-like, I danced "Tucker" fer 'em up and down the wall Jes like afore my dancin' days wuz over!

Yer _po_-leece they can holler "Say! _you_, Uncle! drive ahead!-- You can't use _all_ the right-o'-way!"--fer that wuz what they said!-- But, jes the same,--in spite of all 'at you call "interprise And prog-gress of _you_-folks Today," we're all of _fambly-ties_-- We're all got feelin's fittin' fer the _tears_ 'at's in our eyes Er the _smiles_ afore our dancin'-days is over.

HER BEAUTIFUL HANDS

O your hands--they are strangely fair!

Fair--for the jewels that sparkle there,-- Fair--for the witchery of the spell That ivory keys alone can tell; But when their delicate touches rest Here in my own do I love them best, As I clasp with eager acquisitive spans My glorious treasure of beautiful hands!

Marvelous--wonderful--beautiful hands!

They can coax roses to bloom in the strands Of your brown tresses; and ribbons will twine.

Under mysterious touches of thine, Into such knots as entangle the soul, And fetter the heart under such a control As only the strength of my love understands-- My pa.s.sionate love for your beautiful hands.

As I remember the first fair touch Of those beautiful hands that I love so much, I seem to thrill as I then was thrilled, Kissing the glove that I found unfilled-- When I met your gaze, and the queenly bow, As you said to me, laughingly, "Keep it now!"

And dazed and alone in a dream I stand Kissing this ghost of your beautiful hand.

When first I loved, in the long ago, And held your hand as I told you so-- Pressed and caressed it and gave it a kiss, And said "I could die for a hand like this!"

Little I dreamed love's fulness yet Had to ripen when eyes were wet, And prayers were vain in their wild demands For one warm touch of your beautiful hands.

Beautiful Hands! O Beautiful Hands!

Could you reach out of the alien lands Where you are lingering, and give me, to-night, Only a touch--were it ever so light-- My heart were soothed, and my weary brain Would lull itself into rest again; For there is no solace the world commands Like the caress of your beautiful hands.

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