The Mortgage

we worked through spring and winter tlirouc summerand through Uil, But the mortgafre worked ÜM h;irdcst and th teacBut of all, It worked on nights and Sundays ; t worked ec holiday ; It settlcd down amone us, and it never went away Whatever we kcpt from it seemcd almost as bad a the ft; It watched us every time, and ruled us right an lelt ; The rust and hlight were with us somc times, an sometiines they wen not; Hut the dirkbrowrd scowling mortgage was for ever on the spot. The weevil and the cut-worm, thcy went as wcll a came ; The mortgage n.iyed Ibrevcr eating hearty all Ui same It nailed up every window, stood guard at ever door. And happincss and sunshine made tlieir home witl ns no more Till, with failing crops and sickness, we got Malled upon the ffrace, And there carne a dark day on us when the interest w isn't p;iid; And there oum a sliarp forcclosure, and I kind o' lct my hold, And grew wc-arv and discourage! and the farm was choa ly oíd cliildren left and spattend, when they yet were hardly erown ; Mv wift pined an' perished, an' I found myself a'one What she died of ws a mystery, and the doctors never knew ; But I knew shu rfi.J.nf uiortgage-just'as wcll as I want to. lf to trace a bidden sorrow were withln the doetor's art, They'd ha' found a mortgage lying on tliat woman's broken heart Worm or beetle. droughth or tempest, on the firmer'b land may fall, But for firft-class ruination, trust a morlgaKC 'ijainsl them all.