Page:All quiet along the Potomac and other poems.djvu/225

 THE REASON WHY. 2 19

He whispered in his dream &quot;Jenny,&quot;

And waking shunned my eye ; And so I gave the lad his chance,

Though yielding I should die. So if you love him best, Jenny,

Although my heart may break, I ll keep my oath and help the lad,

For our dead mother s sake ;.

And over yonder stormy sea

I ll take my load of sorrow, To bear it as I may, till time

Shall bring some calm to-morrow. But when I die, above my breast

The hawthorn tree shall wave A knot of ribbon bright and blue

Rest with me in the grave.

A fortnight more ere I can speak

Till then I dare not meet you ; I dare not walk beside you, dear,

In dance or revel greet you. Then, if poor Allan bids me ask

The boon he could not buy, I ll tell you in the lane, Jenny,

Softly, &quot;the reason why.&quot;

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