PS 3^?S 
 . 156 G3 *• 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
 
 Chap.T-^-irCopjright No._.. 
 
 4ato — 
 
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
A Gallery of 
 Farmer Girls 
 
KIOTE BOOKS 
 
 A Gallery of Farmcf Girls, (verse) 
 
 by Schuyler W. Miller . . . $1.00 
 
 Over Grass^'GrowQ Trails, (stories) 
 
 by Harry Graves Shedd . . 1.00 
 
 Volume L The Kiotc .... 1.00 
 
 Volume 11. The Kiotc .... 1.00 
 
 IN PREPARATION 
 Kiote Tales, Number!. .... $1.25 
 
A GALLERY OF 
 FARMER GIRLS 
 
 by 
 
 SCHUYLER W. MILLER 
 

 .15-4 a. ^ 
 
 «J 'O t •^ijf 
 
 Copyrighted 
 
 1900 
 
 by 
 
 Schuyler W. Miller 
 
 SECOND COPY, 
 
 THE IVY PRESS 
 
 PRINTERS 
 LINCOLN, NEB. 
 
 
This then is a Little Book of 
 Western Verse by Schuyler W. 
 Miller, of which Three Hundred 
 were printed, and the number 
 of this volume is ^ 
 
 7 
 
 M^ 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 FIERCE storms of win- 
 ter, 
 Summer's sunny 
 days, 
 •Wide -stretching prai- 
 ries. 
 Autumn's velvet 
 haze; 
 Glad joy, deep sA-row, 
 
 Patience, true/ content. 
 Fullest o! all jG( f s blessnij|{s 
 Earth-born m )rtals sent ; 
 Long day:y^! lajbor, 
 
 Nights^f peajbeful rest, 
 Strong^earted pen, true women, 
 Earfl's own 
 
 vii 
 
viii 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 
 ' 
 
 Page 
 
 At the End of the Row 
 
 11 
 
 The Plowman 
 
 . 13 
 
 Love and Duty . . . . 
 
 16 
 
 Fidelity .... 
 
 . 18 
 
 A Question . . . . 
 
 20 
 
 A Picture .... 
 
 . 23 
 
 Through the Drouth . 
 
 25 
 
 Misanthropy 
 
 . 32 
 
 A Prayer .... 
 
 35 
 
 By Moonlight . 
 
 . 37 
 
 In Any Weather . 
 
 . 39 
 
 A Comparison . 
 
 43 
 
 In June .... 
 
 . 46 
 
 On Inspiration . 
 
 . 48 
 
 Envoi 
 
 . 50 
 
 9 
 
 
:<K 
 
AT THE END OF THE ROW 
 
 ISS Lillic Day's the 
 school-ma'am, she 
 just passed, 
 She said « Good morn- 
 ing " just as clear and 
 sweet 
 
 As song of any robm, and her neat 
 Blue jacket, sailor hat, and all surpassed 
 The finest of the city girls' for she 
 Is just as pretty, and ain't got that 
 
 proud 
 Disdamful way as them's that of that 
 crowd. 
 Or else, of course, she wouldn't speaK to 
 me. 
 
 I wish I'd looked some better, for these 
 
 torn 
 
 II Blue 
 
At the End of the Row 
 
 Blue faded overalls and old white hat 
 Perhaps am't quite as good she'd 
 liKe to see; 
 You can't go dressed up much when 
 plowin' corn; 
 I don't believe, though, that she noticed 
 that, 
 It maKes no difference for she spoKe 
 to me. 
 
 Dull 
 
THE PLOWMAN 
 
 ULL low-hung clouds 
 press downward fold 
 on fold, 
 
 Sharp cutting blasts of 
 chilling mist drive 
 keen: 
 
 Sodden and damp the 
 fields, and blacK be- 
 tween 
 Gray breadths of stubble 
 lies the upturned 
 mold. 
 
 Bravely against the blasts of stingmg rain 
 The weary plowman toils, his head 
 bent low ; 
 
 13 
 
The Plowman 
 
 Chill clini his garments, painfully and 
 slow, 
 Soil-clojjjgcd his weary feet plod on amain. 
 
 Night presses on, and darker grows the 
 gloom. 
 The wmd more ehill ; but m his rugged 
 breast 
 Faints not his sturdy heart For 
 clear and bright 
 From out his cottage, from the cheery 
 room 
 Where wife and children wait, and 
 well-earned rest, 
 The evening lamp bodes shelter from 
 the niiht 
 
 15 ITS 
 
LOVE AND DUTY 
 
 T'S been the derndest 
 
 slowest afternoon 
 I've seen for morc'n a 
 
 month. It ain't because 
 I've worked so awful hard. 
 
 I ain't plowed half 
 What any other fellow'd 
 
 done, I s'pose. 
 The team's all right; the 
 
 ground's a-workm' fine; 
 The field's a-needin* 
 
 plowin', too. You'd 
 
 think 
 I'd Keep 'em goin' lively, 
 
 but, by jing, 
 I jest can't do it. When I turn around 
 Down at the other end, there, next the house, 
 
 16 Or 
 
Love and Dvty 
 
 Or stop a bit to clean the shovels off, 
 Jest liKe as not I'll fool around and take 
 Three times as long's I really ought to da 
 
 A fellow shouldn't act jest this-a-way 
 An' waste the whole cndurin' afternoon, 
 An' keep a-lookin' all the time to where, 
 Down to the house acrost the pasture lot, 
 She's visitin' our folks. 
 
 17 
 
 Fidelity 
 
FIDELITY 
 
 LOVE thcc well; 
 
 Through sore adver- 
 sity, 
 Though friends depart 
 Thou still art true to 
 me. 
 
 Once wealth was mine, 
 Fame not from me 
 estranged ; 
 Now troubles come, 
 Alone art thou un- 
 changed. 
 
 My purse is lean, 
 My coat is shabby grown ; 
 Friends pass me by, 
 
 Thou'rt true, and thou alone. 
 
 18 Long 
 
Fidelity 
 
 Long years have broujght to us 
 
 Acquaintance ripe ; 
 Thou still art true to mc, 
 
 My old brown pipe. 
 
 19 
 
A QUESTION 
 
 E E N a- sporkin' Suszm 
 
 Jane, 
 Oldest daughter Jacob 
 
 Lane, 
 Nigh on three year now, I 
 
 guess, 
 Ought to get my happiness 
 Settled pretty soon, I 
 
 s'pose; 
 Would if tVan't for little 
 
 Rose, 
 Younger sister. Wouldn't 
 
 'low 
 She could bother, would 
 
 you now? 
 But I've tried to fix my mmd, 
 Susan's lovin' 'nough, and Kind ; 
 
 20 I 
 
A Question 
 
 I 'low sometimes she don't Know 
 Why I acts this way, but, sho! 
 When that Rose is Kitin' 'round 
 Words for Susan can't be found. 
 Big brown eyes and coal blacK hair, 
 'Bout sixteen, it isn't fair 
 Way she does. K only she 
 Was old as Susan you'd soon sec 
 This whole busmess fixed to stay ; 
 Why does she act Ihis-a-way? 
 
 21 
 

A PICTURE 
 
 BRIGHT blue eye and 
 a quiet smile, 
 And masses of golden 
 hair, 
 A calm clear face, with 
 never a trace 
 Of aught ill lurking 
 there. 
 A slender foot 'neath her 
 simple gown 
 No queen e'er had 
 such grace. 
 As she sat with mc 
 'neath the apple- 
 tree. 
 
 The love-light on her face. 
 
 23 
 
 It's 
 
A Picture 
 
 It*s a picture, that's all, from the days 
 jione by. 
 
 Days many these long years past, 
 But thouj^h time has sped, and the 
 seasons fled, 
 
 That picture will always last 
 I cherish it still, yea, always will. 
 
 It is sacred to me above 
 All others I Know, 'twill be ever so ; 
 
 My first and my one true love. 
 
 24 Throuj^h 
 
THROUGH THE DROUTH 
 
 W let us bow our heads 
 
 in silent prayer." 
 Clear fell the words, 
 
 clear, full, but deeply 
 
 fraught 
 With true emotion, and 
 
 their import sanK 
 Within each heart the 
 
 while the priest's thin 
 
 pale 
 Young face showed 
 
 plamly how his iron 
 
 will 
 But scarcely held his 
 
 feelings under sway. 
 Then fell a silence in the little church, 
 A deep and solemn silence, all the air 
 
 25 Seemed 
 
Through the Drouth 
 
 Seemed held in bond by some mysterious 
 
 force 
 That drew together close the souls of all 
 And melted them to one, and one that 
 
 prayed 
 Deep, earnest, passionate that God might 
 
 hear 
 And stead them in then* anguish and their 
 
 need. 
 Withm the silence but one sound was 
 
 heard. 
 The gentle sighing of the autumn wind, 
 A sad and solemn silence, far away 
 LiKe that of one who suffers sore but 
 
 would 
 If in her power Keep her anguish hid 
 Lest it should trouble give to one she loves. 
 
 So prayed they all in silence, till at 
 
 last 
 Impassioned, clear, the strong young voice 
 
 began, 
 
 26 So 
 
Through the Drouth 
 
 So true in Kinship 'twas to every heart 
 It seemed a voice the congregation poured 
 In concert breathing forth their hearts' 
 desires. 
 
 He spoKe of burdens God his people lent 
 To ^ivc them faith, increase their failing 
 
 strength, 
 To cleanse each heart from all its sel- 
 fishness ; 
 Of God's own people, how for many years 
 They bore misfortune, bore and murmured 
 
 not. 
 Through days when earth then- mother 
 
 failed to give 
 Her wonted sustenance, when rivers failed. 
 The soil was parched, the sKy was burning 
 
 brass. 
 And hope was dead withm each aching 
 breast. 
 
 Then rose his voice with feeling more 
 mtent, — 
 
 27 Thou 
 
Throvgh the Drouth 
 
 « Thou God, who hearcst when the ravens 
 
 cry, 
 And pitiest them and givest them their 
 
 food, 
 Who Knowest all thy creatures, e'en the 
 
 least, 
 The humblest in thme whole wide universe, 
 Give ear to us, thy children, who have toiled 
 Long weary months and come at last to 
 
 find 
 Our labor fruitless, bare of recompense. 
 Our fields grew fair and flourished, and the 
 
 hope 
 Of bounteous harvest cheered each toiler 
 
 on; 
 Withm each heart was joy, and from each 
 
 eye 
 LooKed hope and courage, courage such as 
 
 wms 
 Though mountam-high the barriers arise 
 So is there left a path however steep 
 
 28 By 
 
ThrovjJh the Drouth 
 
 By which to reach the goal. Then came 
 
 those days, 
 Those fearful days when Thou did'st seem 
 
 to fail, 
 Or m some high displeasure did'st remove 
 Thy favor from us, Thou did'st take away 
 The hand that erst had'st sheltered us 
 
 withal. 
 
 " Our fields lie waste, no toiler's hand has 
 
 reaped 
 Aught for his labor, empty are our barns. 
 Our stocK un-fed. God give us strength 
 
 to bear 
 Not want alone, nor winter's cruel storms. 
 Not scant protection from that which 
 
 assails 
 Our mortal bodies ; no, but be Thou, Lord, 
 Thrice potent to sustain ovr smking souls 
 When empty-handed, heavy-hearted, sad. 
 Long days we sit with useless idle hands. 
 Helpless and hopeless, sore and sick at heart, 
 
 29 Broken 
 
Through the Drouth 
 
 BroKen and comfortless, oppressed beneath 
 
 Dlack sullen clouds that crush and Kill the 
 soul. 
 
 Let shine some light by which to pierce the 
 gloom, 
 
 Sustain the down-cast, give to each some 
 cheer, 
 
 Make brave each heart, and even as we 
 now 
 
 Through gathering evening shadows home- 
 ward go 
 
 Be with us all as Thou wert once of old 
 
 To bless Thy people in the wilderness." 
 
 He ceased, and deeper yet the silence 
 
 seemed. 
 The wind had settled. Shadows thick and 
 
 darK 
 Filled nave and transept, but a beam of 
 
 light 
 DroKe from the dull gray clouds ere sanK 
 
 the sun, 
 
 30 Flashed 
 
Throvgh the Drovth 
 
 Flashed bright o'er pew and altar, till it 
 
 fell 
 Full on the sculptured Christ upon the 
 
 wall, 
 Bathing it rich in golden radiance. 
 
 Lifting his hand the priest spoke, " May 
 
 God bless 
 This sacred omen. And now, beloved, go 
 
 hence 
 Be brave of heart, keep firm and strong 
 
 your faith. 
 God bless you all ! " They answered low, 
 
 "Amen." 
 
 31 Misanthropy 
 
MISANTHROPY 
 
 S'P EC T you'll UimKirs 
 
 kind o' hcathen-liKc, 
 May'bc 'tis wrong, but 
 
 jest the same it's true; 
 I Keer more for that old 
 
 gray team out there, 
 My worn-out wagon, 
 
 plows, and other things 
 I've got 'round here than 
 
 'bout the biggest half 
 Of human critters that 
 
 I've ever seen. 
 These things, I knows. 
 
 They're always in 
 
 their place 
 And when I wants them, I'm dead sure 
 
 to find 
 32 They're 
 
Misanthropy 
 
 They're ready fixed for jest what's to be 
 
 done, 
 And humans, though they all 'lows they're 
 
 so smart, 
 Puts on such airs; holds up their heads so 
 
 high. 
 Ain't safe to trust, can't be de-pended on. 
 
 I'm old Bill Jones ; not very much account. 
 Am't got no woman, child, nor scarce a 
 
 friend ; 
 Got that air team, some few old farmin' 
 
 tools. 
 Got this here eighty, worst blame piece of 
 
 land 
 You ever saw, I s'pect. 'Tain't fit to farm. 
 Jest hills and hollers, all growed up to 
 
 weeds. 
 All rough and stony, creeK choKed hill of 
 
 brush. 
 The worst derned place I s'pect that lays 
 
 out doors. 
 
 33 I 
 
Misanthropy 
 
 I liKc it thoui^li. It's good enough for mc ; 
 And, after all, I'm most inclmed to guess 
 Them hosscs there, this eighty acre farm 
 Are just as much God's makm' as the best 
 
 34 Who 
 
A PRAYER 
 
 H that I am, and what I 
 
 am, and who 
 Arc all these forms about 
 
 mc, I Know not; 
 Nor can I Know. And 
 that which I have done, 
 And strive to do, no man, it seems, can 
 
 know. 
 And God eternal, only, understands. 
 
 I am so weaK, so helpless, and so frail; 
 Thou God who hearest all thy children's 
 cries, 
 
 Let shme for me one star in all the vast 
 Wild night through which I wander. Deign 
 to show 
 
 Some path, however humble, that, assured 
 There I may follow and thy will be done. 
 
 35 
 
BY MOONLIGHT 
 
 LOVE this quiet moon-lit 
 winter nijjht 
 When all the prarie 
 round so wide and far 
 Is snowy - mantled, and 
 each twmkling star 
 Burns like a rajah's jewel, large and bright; 
 
 The clear cold moon floods down its silver 
 light. 
 And from each post or tree a blue-blacK 
 
 bar 
 Of shadow falls athwart the earth, to 
 mar 
 The far-spread ermme robe of vffgm white 
 
 37 
 
 That 
 
By Moonlii^ht 
 
 That covers all. Here by the sod-housc 
 door 
 I stand and listen ; mystic, strange, but 
 clear 
 There comes sweet music, all the 
 breathless air 
 Vibrates ecstatic, and my heart feels more 
 Celestial joy, Ihoujjh sordid my lot here. 
 Than earth-born mortals have the 
 right to share. 
 
 38 There's 
 
IN ANY WEATHER 
 
 HERE'S folKs, no matter 
 
 what the weather is, 
 Am*t never suited, kicK 
 
 because it's cold, 
 Wuss yet when*s hot, or 
 
 wet, or else too dry, 
 Can't suit them nohow ; 
 
 'low that i! the Lord'd 
 Give them the job they'd 
 
 fix things up 'bout 
 
 rii^ht; 
 Leastwise they sense it 
 
 so, but after all 
 Though I respects their 
 
 great ability, 
 And gives them credit for a heap more 
 brams 
 
 39 
 
In Any Weather 
 
 Thzin some the rest has got, Pd hate to trust 
 A ticKlish busmess like the weather is 
 To then* contrivin*. May-be, even though 
 They air so clever, even yet there might 
 Some little thmgs go wrong, in spite the 
 
 fact 
 They know so much. 
 
 fiut when all's said and done 
 I don't see what's the use complainin' 
 
 'round ; 
 The weather's what you make it, foul is 
 
 fan- 
 To him as cares to see it that-a-way; 
 The finest day in June is cold and drear 
 To some cantanKerous humans, always is. 
 Their liver's bad, they'd rather see things 
 
 'round 
 LooK dull and gloomy. But it ain't my way ; 
 I like the man who's got the nerve to stand 
 The same each day; goes out to meet the 
 
 storm, 
 
 41 Fights 
 
In Any Weather 
 
 Fights wind in summer, snow in winter 
 
 time, 
 Cares for his stocK, does all the needful 
 
 chores, 
 Takes ram and sunshme, heat and cold 
 
 aliKe, 
 Keeps his heart warm by doing what's 
 
 his due. 
 
 42 Yes 
 
A COMPARISON 
 
 ES, I have fought amid 
 
 the palm-trec groves 
 And bamboo forests of the 
 
 Philippines, 
 And I have dodged the 
 
 Mauser's flying shot, 
 Eneountered fever in the 
 
 deadly swamps, 
 Risked life on transports 
 
 on the China sea, 
 Fared hard on contract 
 
 rations, lost my pay. 
 Found faithless, too, the 
 
 girl I left behind; 
 But, really, that was pleasant when com- 
 pared 
 To being ambushed in a drawmg-room 
 
 43 Hy 
 
A Comparison 
 
 By thin-faced nasal poets wlio rise safe 
 From some far corner, shuffle to the light 
 Untying ribbon from « Columbia's Brave," 
 And, wrapped in a self-glorifying smile, 
 ' Tis their occasion, stridently begin — 
 "Now blest Aurora greets the sacred 
 
 car 
 That bears our heroes from the savage 
 war," 
 Or in falsetto shrills his hero strain — 
 " Hail, heroes! Heroes hail I 
 Strengthen steam and crowd on sail. 
 Hasten with the favormg gale, 
 Let the beacon fh'cs be burning, 
 Hail the heroes home returning. 
 Muse, recount the awhil tale 
 That shall maKe our cheeks grow pale. 
 Hail, heroes ! Heroes hail." 
 I ain't so much a hero. What I did 
 You would have done yourself, if you'd 
 been there. 
 
 44 You'd 
 
 p 
 
A Comparison 
 
 You'd had to, or the nigj^ers would have 
 
 got— 
 There eomes that poet ! Let me find the 
 
 door. 
 
 45 Sun 
 
IN JUNE 
 
 r"j™lUN ashinin', weeds a 
 I ^^ grownm*, 
 
 H Corn needs plowin* bad; 
 
 Lots to do, ort be a 
 worKin', 
 Course I orter had. 
 Nice place here, though, by the gleamin* 
 
 Ripplm' waters of the creeK, 
 Sittm* fishm*, smokin', dreamm*, 
 Shadders all so cool and thicK. 
 Team a standin* out of sight of 
 House, and I'm a sittin* here, 
 Got three minnors, though I might of 
 
 Caught lots more 'spect if this yere 
 Fish-hooK was a little better 
 And dass't bring my fishin' pole. 
 
 46 
 
 Ortern't 
 
In June 
 
 Ortcrn*t do this, ortcrn't let er 
 Day like this jest taKe the whole 
 
 Sense and life right out a feller, 
 Wife can*t understand it 't all; 
 
 Ain't no use to try to tell her, 
 I can't he'p it, that's jest all. 
 
 47 The 
 
ON "INSPIRATION 
 
 H E other day I read it, I 
 
 don't jest 
 Remember where it was, 
 
 about a man 
 Who had a fit or some- 
 
 thin^ when he saw 
 The sunrise, and he writ 
 
 it down in verse 
 And had it printed in the 
 
 magazines. 
 
 I don't care a demnation 
 
 darn about 
 "Aurora's beams" or 
 " Phoebus' golden car ;" 
 I set here milkm' 'long side of ol' Spot, 
 The mornmg sun a soaKin' in my bacK, 
 
 48 
 
 The 
 
On << Inspiration" 
 
 The milK-pail 'tween my knees. I tell 
 
 you what, 
 I jest feel jjfood. 
 
 49 Bravest 
 
ENVOI 
 
 RAVEST and truest of 
 
 all brave and true, 
 
 Strongest in time o! trial, 
 
 jfricf or need, 
 Faithful while life en- 
 dures to those she 
 loves 
 Is she who lives her 
 
 simple, artless life 
 Where corn-fields are, 
 and waving golden 
 grain. 
 With shady groves and 
 pleasant pasture lands. 
 A face calm, placid, pure, untrained to try 
 Dissimulation's arts, or practice wiles; 
 The blue of heaven's m those quiet eyes, 
 
 50 
 
Envoi 
 
 A jfolden summer in her j^lorious hair, 
 And God's pure sunshine m her simple 
 souL 
 
 ^ 
 
 52 
 
" Here endeth A Gallery of Fzirmer 
 Girls as writ by Schuyler W. 
 
 , Miller; the pictures, mitials, and 
 other drawhi^s in this booK were 
 made by Mr. Herbert R. Johnson 
 
 Done into print for Schuyler W. Miller by Harry S. 
 Stuff at THE IVY PRESS, Lincoln, Nebraska. But 
 300 copies were printed after which the forms were 
 marked dead. •• ♦• •• «•♦••••••••»••♦'•• 
 
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