An Old Sweetheart Of Mine

As ono who oons at evening o'er an album all alone And musí s on tlie faces of frlends tliut lie has kuown, So I turn the leaves of fancy tlll Ín shadowy deslíen I flnd the smlllng features of an oíd sweetheart of mlue. The lamplight seems to glimmer wlth a fllcker of surprise As [ turn lt low to rest me of the dazzle Ín niy i -yi-s. And I llght my pipe In slleace, save a slgh that seems to yoke Its fate wüli my tobáceo and to vanlsh In the Hmoke. 'Tls a Bragrant retrospectlon- for the loving llioufjllts that start Into being are Hice tlie perfumes from the blossoms of the heart; And to dreara tue old dreum over is a luxury divine Whr-n my truant fancy wanders wlth that old sweetheart of mine. Though i hear beneath my study, Uke a flutterlng of wlngs, The volees of my children and the mother as fihe slngs, Ifeel no twlngo of eonsclence to deny nieany thenie When care has cast her anchor In the harbor of a dream. In fact, to sprak in earnest, I beliove it adds a charra. To spice the good a trlfle with a little dust of harm - For i flnd an extra flavor In memory's mollow vine That makes me drink the deeper to that old sweetheart of mine. A face of llly beauty and a form of alry grace Float out from my tobáceo as the geull frona the vast1; Ard I tiirill beiieath the glances of a pair of r.ure eyes Asglowlngaa tiie suramer and as tender as theskles. . eau nee the pink sunbonuet and the little checkertMl dresa sl.e. worc when flret 1 klssed her and she answered the caros Vith tlie written declaratlon that "aa snrely as i do vino Irew rouod the stnmp, she loved that old sweetliearlol' mine. And agaio I feel the pressure of her slender little hand s we ased to lalk together of the future we liad plantKHl - Wlion l shuiild beapoel and with notblng else to do Hut to wrlte the tender verses that she set the music to. When we should live toeether in a cozy little cot, lid in a nest of roses, wlth a tlny garden spot. Where the vlnes were ever fruitful and tho weathcr ever flue And the birds were ever slnglng for that old sweetheart of mine. Whcn I should bo her lovor forever and a duy. And sha my faithml sweetheart Uil the golden hair wasgra}' ; And we Hliould be so happy that when either'rt lips were dumb They should not shine in lleaven tlll the othcr's kiss had come. Hut ah! my dream Is broken by a step upon U16 stalr; And the door Is softly opencd, and my wlfe Is Blandlug there. Yt with easemea aud rapture all my visions i resign To meet the living presenee of that old Bweetbeart of mine. Vlien smilinji sprine returns to deck The eartb with verdure gay. And golden dandellons lleck The sward wlth their array; On Bandays when the days are fair And pious people flock To oborob, tin' Guller wheels hls pair Of twlus arouud the block.