The song-birds sing to her sweetly,
And she's rocked by the gentle breeze;
And she hides from the storms of Winter
'Midst the roots of the giant trees.
She peeps in the crystal streamlet,
As she nods in the breezes light:
And she knows not her own fair beauty,
But is glad that she's pure and white.[7]
By May, 1872, Cheshire and Annie Huske Webb were engaged; but it was not until 1874 that he felt he was financially able to marry. On December 17 of that year they were married in St. Matthew's Church, Hillsboro. They had a simple wedding with Richard Lewis as his best man. The following day Cheshire and his wife went to Tarboro, where for the next four years they made their home with his family.
With this, the greatest event in his life up to that time, we close the first phase of Cheshire's career. During the period he had grown to manhood, received his scholastic and collegiate education, taught for two years, studied law and practiced it for six years, and had some little part in the business world. All of this training and varied experience gave him a rich background for the great work which lay ahead of him.