 I've been sitting reviewing the past, dear wife, from the time when a toddling child, through my boyish days with their joys and strife, through my youth with its passions wild, through my manhood with all its triumph and fret, to the presence so tranquil and free, and the years of the past that I most regret, or the years that I passed without thee. It was best we should meet as we did, dear wife, it was best we had trouble to face, for it bound us more closely together through life, and it nervous us for running the race. We are nearing the end where the goal is set, and we fear not our destiny, and the only years that I now regret are the years that I passed without thee. T'was thy beauty attracted my eye, dear wife, but thy goodness that kept me true, t'was thy sympathy sooth me when cares were rife, t'was thy smile gave me courage anew, thy bloom may be faded by time, but yet thou hast still the same beauty to me, and no part of my past do I now regret, save the years that I passed without thee. We have struggled and suffered our share, dear wife, but our joys have been many and sweet, and our trust in each other has taken from life, the heartaches and pains others meet. I still blessed the day long ago when we met, and my prayer for the future shall be that when the call comes and thy life's sun has set, I may never be parted from thee. In a poem this recording is in the public domain. I've been sitting reviewing the past, dear wife, from the time when a toddling child, through my boyish days with their joys and strife, through my youth with its passions wild, through my manhood, with all its triumph and fret, to the present so tranquil and free, and the years of the past that I most regret are the years that I passed without thee. It was best we should meet as we did, dear wife, it was best we had trouble to face, for it bound us more closely together through life, and it nerv'd us for running the race. We are nearing the end where the goal is set, and we fear not our destiny, and the only years that I now regret are the years that I passed without thee. Twas thy beauty attracted my eye, dear wife, but thy goodness that kept me true. Twas thy sympathy soothed me when cares were rife, twas thy smile gave me courage anew. Thy bloom may be faded by time, but yet thou hast still the same beauty to me, and no part of my past do I now regret save the years that I passed without thee. We have struggled and suffered our share, dear wife, but our joys have been many and sweet, and our trust in each other has taken from life the heartaches and pangs others meet. I still bless the day, long ago, when we met, and my prayer for the future shall be, that when the call comes, and thy life's son has set, I may never be parted from thee. I've been sitting reviewing the past, dear wife, from the time when a toddling child, through my boyish days with her joys and strife, through my youth with its passions wild, through my manhood with all its triumph and fret, to the present so tranquil and free, and the years of the past the time most regret, or the years that I passed without thee. It was best we should meet as we did, dear wife, it was best we had trouble to face, for it bound us more closely together through life, and it nerv'd us for running the race. We are nearing the end where the goal is set, and we fear not our destiny, and the only years that I now regret are the years that I passed without thee. It was thy beauty attracted my eye, dear wife, but thy goodness that kept me true. Twas thy sympathy soothed me when cares were rife, twas thy smile gave me courage anew. Thy bloom may be faded by time, but yet thou hast still the same beauty to me, and no part of my past do I now regret, save the years that I passed without thee. We have struggled and suffered our share, dear wife, but our joys have been many and sweet, and our trust in each other has taken from life the heartaches and pangs others meet. I still bless the day long ago when we met, and my prayer for the future shall be that when the call comes and thy life's sun has set, I may never be parted from thee. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. and strife through my youth with its passions wild, through my manhood with all its triumph and fret to the present so tranquil and free, and the years of the past that I most regret are the years that I passed without thee. It was best we should meet as we did, dear wife, it was best we had trouble to face, for it bound us more closely together through life, and it nerved us for running the race. We are nearing the end where the goal is set, and we fear not our destiny, and the only years that I now regret are the years that I passed without thee. It was thy beauty attracted my eye, dear wife, but thy goodness that kept me true. It was thy sympathy soothed me when cares were rife, it was thy smile gave me courage anew. Thy bloom may be faded by time, but yet there has still the same beauty to me, and no part of my past do I now regret save the years that I passed without thee. We have struggled and suffered our share, dear wife, but our joys have been many and sweet, and our trust in each other has taken from life the heartaches and pangs others meet. I still bless the day long ago when we met, and my prayer for the future shall be that when the call comes and thy life's sun has set, I may never be parted from thee. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. Looking Back by John Hartley Read for LibriVox.org by Garth Burton I've been sitting reviewing the past, dear wife, from the time when a toddling child threw my boyish days with their joys and strife, through my youth with its passions wild, through my manhood with all its triumph and fret, to the present so tranquil and free, and the years of the past that I most regret are the years that I passed without thee. It was best we should meet as we did, dear wife. It was best we had trouble to face, for it bound us more closely together through life, and it nerve'd us for running the race. We are nearing the end where the goal is set, and we fear not our destiny, and the only years that I now regret are the years that I passed without thee. Twas thy beauty attracted my eye, dear wife, but thy goodness that kept me true. Twas thy sympathy soothed me when cares were rife. Twas thy smile gave me courage anew. Thy bloom may be faded by time, but yet thou hast still the same beauty to me, and no part of my past do I now regret save the years that I passed without thee. We have struggled and suffered our share, dear wife, but our joys have been many and sweet, and our trust in each other has taken from life the heartaches and pangs others meet. I still bless the day long ago when we met, and my prayer for the future shall be that when the call comes and thy life's sun has set, I may never be parted from thee. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. I've been sitting reviewing the pasts, dear wife, from the time when a toddling child, through my boyish days with their joys and strife, through my youth with its passions wild, through my manhood with all its triumph and fret, to the present so tranquil and free, and the years of the past that I most regret are the years that I passed without thee. It was best we should meet as we did, dear wife, it was best we had trouble to face, for it bound us more closely together through life, and it nerfed us for running the race. We are nearing the end where the goal is set, and we fear not our destiny, and the only years that I now regret are the years that I passed without thee. It was thy beauty attracted my idea, wife, but thy goodness that kept me true. It was thy sympathy soothed me when cares were rife, it was thy smile gave me courage anew. Thy bloom may be faded by time, but yet thou hast still the same beauty to me, and no part of my past do I now regret. Save the years that I passed without thee. We have struggled and suffered our share, dear wife, but our joys have been many and sweet, and our trust in each other has taken from life the heartaches and pangs others meet. I still bless the day long ago when we met, and my prayer for the future shall be, that when the call comes and thy life's sun has set, I may never be parted from thee. I've been sitting reviewing the past, your wife, from the time when a toddling child, through my boyish days with her joys and strife, through my youth with its passions wild, through my manhood with all its triumph and fret, to the presence of tranquil and free, and the years of the past that I most regret are the years that I passed without thee. It was best we should meet as we did, dear wife, it was best we had trouble to face, for it bound us more closely together through life, and it nerv'd us for running the race. We are nearing the end where the goal is set, and we fear not our destiny. And the only years that I now regret are the years that I passed without thee. To as thy beauty attracted my eye, dear wife, but thy goodness that kept me true, to as thy sympathy soothed me when cares were rife, to as thy smile gave me courage anew, thy bloom may be faded by time, but yet, though has still the same beauty to me, and no part of my past do I now regret save the years that I passed without thee. We have struggled and suffered our share, dear wife, but our joys have been many and sweet, and our trust in each other has taken from life the heartaches and pangs others meet. I still bless the day long ago when we met, and my prayer for the future shall be, that when the call comes and thy life's son has set, I may never be parted from thee. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. Through my manhood, with all its triumph and fret, to the present so tranquil and free, and the years of the past that I most regret, are the years that I passed without thee. It was best we should meet as we did, dear wife, it was best we had trouble to face, for it bound us more closely together through life, and it nerved us for running the race. We are nearing the end where the goal is set, and we fear not our destiny. And the only years that I now regret are the years that I passed without thee. Twas thy beauty attracted my eye, dear wife, but thy goodness they kept me true. Twas thy sympathy soothed me when cares were rife. Twas thy smile gave me courage anew. Thy bloom may be faded by time, but yet thou hast still the same beauty to me, and no part of my past do I now regret save the years that I passed without thee. We have struggled and suffered our share, dear wife, but our joys have been many and sweet, and our trust in each other has taken from life the heartaches and pangs others meet. I still blessed the day long ago when we met, and my prayer for the future shall be that when the call comes and thy life's sun has set, I may never be parted from thee. In the poem this recording is in the public domain. Looking back by John Hartley, read for LibriVox.org by NEMA, I've been sitting reviewing the past, dear wife, from the time when a toddling child, through my boyish days with her joys and strife, through my youth with its passions wild, through my manhood with all its triumph and fret to the present so tranquil and free, and the years of the past that I most regret are the years that I passed without thee. It was best we should meet as we did, dear wife. It was best we had trouble to face, for it bound us more closely together through life, and it nerved us for running the race. We are nearing the end where the goal is set, and we fear not our destiny, and the only years that I now regret are the years that I passed without thee. Twas thy beauty attracted my eye, dear wife, but thy goodness that kept me true. Twas thy sympathy soothed me when cares were rife. Twas thy smile gave me courage anew. Thy bloom may be faded by time, but yet thou hast still the same beauty to me. And no part of my past do I now regret, save the years that I passed without thee. We have struggled and suffered our share, dear wife, but our joys have been many and sweet, and our trust in each other has taken from life the heartaches and pains others meet. I still bless the day, long ago when we met, and my prayer for the future shall be, that when the call comes and thy life's sun has set, I may never be parted from thee. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain. I've been sitting, reviewing the past, dear wife, from the time when a toddling child, through my boyish days with their joys and strife, through my youth with its passions wild, through my manhood with all its triumph and fret, to the present so tranquil and free, and the years of the past that I most regret are the years that I passed without thee. It was best we should meet as we did, dear wife. It was best we had trouble to face, for it bound us more closely together through life, and it nerved us for running the race. We are nearing the end where the goal is set, and we fear not our destiny, and the only years that I now regret are the years that I passed without thee. Twas thy beauty attracted my eye, dear wife, but thy goodness that kept me true. Twas thy sympathy soothed me when cares were rife. Twas thy smile gave me courage anew. Thy bloom may be faded by time, but yet thou hast still the same beauty to me. And no part of my past do I now regret save the years that I passed without thee. We have struggled and suffered our share, dear wife, but our joys have been many and sweet, and our trust in each other has taken from life the heartaches and pangs others meet. I still blessed the day long ago when we met, and my prayer for the future shall be, that when the call comes and thy life's sun has set, I may never be parted from thee. The end of poem, this recording is in the public domain. I've been sitting here reviewing the past, dear wife, from a time when a toddling child, through my boyish days with their joys and strife, through my youth with its passions wild, through my manhood with all its triumph and fret, to the present so tranquil and free. And the years of the past that I most regret are the years that I passed without thee. It was best we should meet as we did, dear wife. It was best we had trouble to face, for it bound us more closely together through life, and it nerved us for running the race. We are nearing the end where the goal is set, and we fear not our destiny. And the only years that I now regret are the years that I passed without thee. Twas thy beauty attracted my eye, dear wife, but thy goodness that kept me true. Twas thy sympathy soothed me when cares were rife. Twas thy smile gave me courage anew. Thy bloom may be faded by time, but yet thou hast still the same beauty to me. And no part of my past do I now regret, save the years that I passed without thee. We have struggled and suffered our share. Dear wife, but our joys have been many and sweet, and our trust in each other has taken from life the heartaches and pangs others meet. I still bless the day long ago when we met. And my prayer for the future shall be that when the call comes and thy life's sun has set, I may never be parted from the end of poem. This recording is in the public domain. I've been sitting reviewing the past, dear wife, from the time when a totaling child through my boyish days with their joys and strife, through my youth with its passions wild, through my manhood with all its triumph and fret, to the present so tranquil and free, and the years of the past that I most regret are the years that I passed without thee. It was best we should meet as we did, dear wife, it was best we had trouble to face, for it bound us more closely together through life, and it nerved us for running the race. We are nearing the end where the goal is set, and we fear not our destiny, and the only years that I now regret are the years that I passed without thee. Towards thy beauty attracted my eye, dear wife, but thy goodness that kept me true, towards thy sympathy soothed me when cares were rife, towards thy smile gave me courage and new, thy bloom may be faded by time, but yet thou hast still the same beauty to me, and no part of my past do I now regret, save the years that I passed without thee. We have struggled and suffered our share, dear wife, but our joys have been many and sweet, and our trust in each other has taken from life the heartaches and pangs others meet. I still blessed the day long ago when we met, and my prayer for the future shall be that when the call comes and thy life's sun has set, I may never be parted from thee. End of poem. This recording is in the public domain.