Page:Anthology of Magazine Verse (1921).djvu/105

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And she had lived with him and drudged For over twenty years;He drove her on, from harrowing To breaking in the steers.
At first when she was called a fool, A hurt look dulled her eyes,And she would slip off by herself And have her little cries.
But once he caught her; after that She never dared to cry;The days seemed all alike to her That wearily went by.
And often, when he snarled and cursed, She played a little game;She tried to make believe that he Had called her some sweet name.
Then one day came a tricksy tune That hummed within her head;In spite of all that she could do It held the words he said.
She heard the song and shuddered at Its "Fool, dolt, fool, dolt, fool!"The while she gripped her hard, worn hands And drabber looked and cool.
And this kept up for weeks; she worked With hope to still the songBy weariness; it sometimes went away But would not stay for long.
When evening came, he sat about The kitchen while she ridThe sink of dishes, nagging her Through everything she did.

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