Honor the dead with the richest oblation,—
Cover their graves with laurel and palm!
Honor the living for life's consecration,—
Give to their pierced hearts love's healing balm.
Mary Bassett Hussey.
WHEN GREEK MET GREEK.
Stranger here? Yes, come from Varmount,
Rutland County. You've hearn tell,
Mebbe, of the town of Granville?
You born there? No! Sho! Well, well!
You was born at Granville, was you?
Then you know Elisha Brown,
Him as runs the old meat-market
At the lower end of town?
Well, well, well! Born down in Granville,
And out here, so far away!
Stranger, I'm homesick already,
Though it's but a week to-day
Since I left my good wife standin'
Out there at the kitchen-door,
Sayin' she'd ask God to keep me,
And her eyes were runnin' o'er.
You must know old Albert Withers,
Henry Bull, and Ambrose Cole?
Know them all! And born in Granville?
Well, well, well! God bless my soul!
Sho! You're not old Isaac's nephew,
Isaac Green, down on the flat,
Isaac's oldest nephew,—Henry?
Well, I'd never thought of that!
Have I got a hundred dollars
I could loan you for a minute,
Till you buy a horse at Marcy's?
There's my wallet,—just that in it.
Hold on, though! You have ten, mebbe,
You could let me keep; you see,
I might chance to need a little
Betwixt now and half-past three.
Ten. That's it; you'll owe me ninety;
Bring it round to the hotel.
