Going East

<SPAN name="startofbook"></SPAN> <h3 id="id00436" style="margin-top: 3em"> GOING EAST.</h3> <p id="id00009" style="margin-top: 2em"> By</p> <h5 id="id00010"> FRANCES E. W. HARPER</h5> <p id="id00437">  She came from the East a fair, young bride,<br/> With a light and a bounding heart,<br/> To find in the distant West a home<br/> With her husband to make a start.<br/></p> <h4 id="id00438" style="margin-top: 2em"> 64 GOING EAST.</h4> <p id="id00439">  He builded his cabin far away,<br/> Where the prairie flower bloomed wild;<br/> Her love made lighter all his toil,<br/> And joy and hope around him smiled.<br/></p> <p id="id00440">  She plied her hands to life's homely tasks,<br/> And helped to build his fortunes up;<br/> While joy and grief, like bitter and sweet,<br/> Were mingled and mixed in her cup.<br/></p> <p id="id00441">  He sowed in his fields of golden grain,<br/> All the strength of his manly prime;<br/> Nor music of birds, nor brooks, nor bees,<br/> Was as sweet as the dollar's chime.<br/></p> <p id="id00442">  She toiled and waited through weary years<br/> For the fortune that came at length;<br/> But toil and care and hope deferred,<br/> Had stolen and wasted her strength.<br/></p> <p id="id00443">  The cabin changed to a stately home,<br/> Rich carpets were hushing her tread;<br/> But light was fading from her eye,<br/> And the bloom from her cheek had fled.<br/></p> <p id="id00444">  Slower and heavier grew her step,<br/> While his gold and his gains increased;<br/></p> <h4 id="id00445" style="margin-top: 2em"> GOING EAST. 65</h4> <p id="id00446">  But his proud domain had not the charm<br/> Of her humble home in the East.<br/></p> <p id="id00447">  Within her eye was a restless light,<br/> And a yearning that never ceased,<br/> A longing to see the dear old home<br/> She had left in the distant East.<br/></p> <p id="id00448">  A longing to clasp her mother's hand,<br/> And nestle close to her heart,<br/> And to feel the heavy cares of life<br/> Like the sun-kissed shadows depart.<br/></p> <p id="id00449">  Her husband was adding field to field,<br/> And new wealth to his golden store;<br/> And little thought the shadow of death<br/> Was entering in at his door.<br/></p> <p id="id00450">  He had no line to sound the depths<br/> Of her tears repressed and unshed;<br/> Nor dreamed 'mid plenty a human heart<br/> Could be starving, but not for bread.<br/></p> <p id="id00451">  The hungry heart was stilled at last;<br/> Its restless, baffled yearning ceased.<br/> A lonely man sat by the bier<br/> Of a corpse that was going East.<br/></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />