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Otago Witness, Issue 919, 10 July 1869, Page 16

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LOVE LIGHTENS LABOUR.

A good wife rose fromher bed one morn, * \ And thought, wiili a nervous 1 dread, *7 ! Of the piles of clothes to, be washed, and more Than a dozen mouths td.be fed. - '' , There are meals to be got for the men in the And the children to send"away ''" \ [field, To school^ arid the milk to be skimmed and And all to be done tbat.day., ' '.[Churned, It had rained in the night, and all the wood , Was wet as it could be ; " |l ' And there were pudding and pies to bake, And a loaf of cake for tea. The day ■was hot, and the aching head ' Throbbed wearily as' she said : <"'.' ' "If maidens but knew what good wives know, They would be in no hurry to wed." "Jennie, what d'ye think I told Ben Brown V* Cried the farmer from the well ; ' And a flush crept up to* bis sun-burnt brow, , And his eye half bashfully fell. " " It was this," he said, and coming near, ' <He smiled ; and, stooping down, ' Kissed her cheek : " 'twas this— that you're And dearest wife in town 1" [the best The farmer went back to the field) and the In a smiling, and absent way, [wife, Sang snatches of tender little songs • She'd not, sung for many a day. The pain jn her head was gone, and the clothes Were, white aa the foam of the sea ; Her bread was light, and her butter was sweet And golden as it could be. , , , " Just' thirtk," the children called in a breath, " Tbni Wood has run off to sea I He wouldn't. I know, if he only had As happj^ a home as we." ' • The night came on, and the good wife smiled To herself, as she softly said : - ' " 'Tis sweet to labour for those we love— 'Tis not strange that maids, will wed 1"