But long o' her his veins 'ould run All crinkly like curled maple, The side she breshed felt full o' sun Ez a south slope in Ap'il. 40 She thought no v'ice hed sech a swing Ez hisn in the choir; My! when he made Ole Hunderd ring, She _knowed_ the Lord was nigher. An' she'd blush scarlit, right in prayer, 45 When her new meetin'-bunnet Felt somehow thru' its crown a pair O' blue eyes sot upon it. Thet night, I tell ye, she looked _some_! She seemed to 've gut a new soul, 50 For she felt sartin-sure he'd come. Down to her very shoe-sole. She heered a foot, an' knowed it tu, A-raspin' on the scraper,-- All ways to once her feelins flew 55 Like sparks in burnt-up paper. He kin'o' l'itered on the mat, Some doubtfle o' the sekle, His heart kep' goin' pity-pat, But hern went pity Zekle. 60 An' yit she gin her cheer a jerk Ez though she wished him furder, An' on her apples kep' to work, Parin' away like murder. "You want to see my Pa, I s'pose?" 65 "Wal ... no ... I come designin'" "To see my Ma? She's sprinklin' clo'es Agin to-morrer's i'nin'." To say why gals acts so or so, Or don't, would be presumin'; 70 Mebby to mean _yes_ an' say _no_ Comes nateral to women. He stood a spell on one foot fust, Then stood a spell on t'other, An' on which one he felt the wust 75 He could n't ha' told ye nuther. Says he, "I'd better call agin;" Says she, "Think likely, Mister:" That last word pricked him like a pin, An' ... Wal, he up an' kist her. 80 When Ma bimeby upon 'em slips, Huldy sot pale ez ashes, All kin' o' smily roun' the lips An' teary roun' the lashes. For she was jist the quiet kind 85 Whose naturs never vary, Like streams that keep a summer mind Snowhid in Jenooary. The blood clost roun' her heart felt glued Too tight for all expressin', 90 Tell mother see how metters stood. An' gin 'em both her blessin'. Then her red come back like the tide Down to the Bay o' Fundy, An' all I know is they was cried 95 In meetin' come nex' Sunday. ODE RECITED AT THE HARVARD COMMEMORATION JULY 21, 1865 I