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The Darlington Road
Of much we've learned in College
time
At last may leave us naught;
But the old road to Darling Town
Shall not be thus forgot:
For 'mongst the highways of the
earth
That boast a wide renown
there's no one like
That noble pike,
The road to Darling Town.
So, wish me now a winter's night,
A full moon in the sky,
And jewels sparkling in the white
0f snowdrift, sweeping by;
And let the good nags jingle gaily
Up the hills and down,
Along the road,
The good old road
That leads to Darling Town.
And those dear girls who rode with
us
Through valley, wood and farm;
How careful to a fault we were
T'o keep the darlings warm.
But, cheeks aglow and eyes alight
No girl knows how to frown
In a bob-sled load
On the old highroad,
On the road to Darling Town.
Full many a patient country wight
From his warm bed up rose.
We filled our lungs and cheered
again
For that dumfounded lown
While speeding, aye
More swift, away
To dreamy Darling Town.
And how we sang! The good old sorrgs
We sang them one and all,
From "Nut Brown Mayde"
to "Forty-nine
Blue Bottles on the Wall."
And if, the while, soft hands `were
held
And modest eyes looked down,
'T`was nothing wrong,
You know, along
The road to Darling Town.
You mind the house we reached at
last,
The coffee, cream and pies,-
When I but dream of that repast
The tears stand in mine eyes;-
Fried chicken, honey, home-made
bread
With bowls of cider brown,-
O, Epicures!
This way is yours,
That leads to Darling Town.
The road to dreamy Darling Town.
It keeps the upland ways
Until you reach the valley with
Its veil of frosty haze,
The valley and the old wood bridge
Where every care should drown
Within the stream
Whose waters dream
By dear old Darling Town.
'Tis all a fair enchanted land,
When clad in winter's snows,
'Tis fair when, from each harvest
field,
The meadow fragrance blows.
And always that full, golden moon
Its westward hills shall crown,
Ere we turn back
The homeward track
From drowsy Darlin Town.
This way of such enchantment is
Beset on every hand,
with magic spells and pitfalls,
as
In all enchanted lands;
It twists about among the hills
And turns so up and down,
You MUST provide
A proper guide
To go to Darling Town.
So take a pilot, if this way
You ever hope to find,
A pretty one, if that you may,
But faithful, sweet and kind;
And let her eyes be smiling eyes
Of azure blue or brown;
For smiling eyes
See farthest
On the road to Darling Town