An inborn grace that nothing lacked Of culture or appliance, The warmth of genial courtesy, The calm of self-reliance. Before her queenly womanhood How dared our hostess utter The paltry errand of her need To buy her fresh-churned butter? She led the way with housewife pride, Her goodly store disclosing, Full tenderly the golden balls With practised hands disposing. Then, while along the western hills We watched the changeful glory Of sunset, on our homeward way, I heard her simple story. The early crickets sang; the stream Plashed through my friend's narration Her rustic patois of the hills Lost in my free-translation. "More wise," she said, "than those who swarm Our hills in middle summer, She came, when June's first roses blow, To greet the early comer. "From school and ball and rout she came, The city's fair, pale daughter, To drink the wine of mountain air Beside the Bearcamp Water. "Her step grew firmer on the hills That watch our homesteads over; On cheek and lip, from summer fields, She caught the bloom of clover. "For health comes sparkling in the streams From cool Chocorua stealing There's iron in our Northern winds; Our pines are trees of healing. "She sat beneath the broad-armed elms That skirt the mowing-meadow, And watched the gentle west-wind weave The grass with shine and shadow. "Beside her, from the summer heat To share her grateful screening, With forehead bared, the farmer stood, Upon his pitchfork leaning. "Framed in its damp, dark locks, his face Had nothing mean or common,-- Strong, manly, true, the tenderness And pride beloved of woman. "She looked up, glowing with the health The country air had brought her, And, laughing, said: 'You lack a wife, Your mother lacks a daughter. "'To mend your frock and bake your bread You do not need a lady Be sure among these brown old homes Is some one waiting ready,-- "'Some fair, sweet girl with skilful hand And cheerful heart for treasure, Who never played with ivory keys, Or danced the polka's measure.' "He bent his black brows to a frown, He set his white teeth tightly. ''T is well,' he said, 'for one like you To choose for me so lightly. "You think, because my life is rude I take no note of sweetness I tell you love has naught to do With meetness or unmeetness. "'Itself its best excuse, it asks No leave of pride or fashion When silken zone or homespun frock It stirs with throbs of passion. "'You think me deaf and blind: you bring Your winning graces hither As free as if from cradle-time We two had played together. "'You tempt me with your laughing eyes, Your cheek of sundown's blushes, A motion as of waving grain, A music as of thrushes. "'The plaything of your summer sport, The spells you weave around me You cannot at your will undo, Nor leave me as you found me. "'You go as lightly as you came, Your life is well without me; What care you that these hills will close Like prison-walls about me?