the sinking of the titanic oh, titan was her gorgeous a rmamen t and titan was her sail and crew ! a...
TRANSCRIPT
the Sinking of the (titanic
AND OTHER POEMS
B!
C. ! ICTOR §TAHLAuthor of
“Zorabella , etc .
BOSTON
SHERMAN, FRENCH COMPAN !
1 9 1 5
CONTENTS
THE S INK ING OF THE T ITANI C
IN SP IRATION
SPRING BALLAD
THE SP IRIT OF WAR
THE FLOWERETS’
COMMUNION
THE RIDDLE OF LIFE
COLUMBIA’
S FLAG
THE BAR OF SC IENCE
THE CHORD ! NSUNG
THE OASI SP
’
USH ONWARDS ING IT
THE ORIOLESM I LES AND TEARS
BE STRONG
THE CHILDREN’
S DREAM
TO POPE PIU S !
ENM ITY
WH ! GRIE! E !
THE TO LL OF MA ! E STY
AMBITION
KNOW THYSELF
BLESSINGS IN D ISGUI SE
DECEI ! ING MAIDEN S
THE SOLUTION
A WOMAN ’
S HEARTLIFE
’
S MISSION
THE MAGNET
THE SWALLOW’
S FLIGHT
THE POET’
S REWARD
THE LO ! ER’
S BENEDICTION
NATURE ’
S CHEER
THE WAR ETERNAL
ANGEL MUSI C
THREE NAMESTHE SM I LES OF TRUTH
A T OK EN
THE PIRATE AN T
SK INK ER ROAD
H ! MOR
HIS LEGACY
THE WORD MISSPELLED
THE NABOR ’
S PRIDE
HUERTA ’ S DRINK ING SON G
Hoc h der K a ise r
A MASH IN COURT
HIS SEARCH FOR GOLD
THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC
AND OTHER POEMS
THE SINK ING OF THE TITANIC
OH, Titan was her gorgeous a rmament
And Titan was her sail and c rew !A thing of pride to sweep the surging tideAnd laugh to s corn the pe rilous blue .
Yet let us weep not for her treasured hulkThat sank leagues deep into the sea ,
But for the toll o f ill! starred voyagersWho rode her to eternity .
I see the glory o f that primal hourWhen first her beams did breast the wave,Yea, owner, builder, seaman
’s eyes did sparkleAs did the sea her huge side lave
How zealously the elite madly rushedT O trust thei r passage in her care,
To boast their presence on the maiden tripOf that leviathan so rare .
She sailed . The Sky gleamed bright andazure clear,
The waves lashed gently at her S ide,The moon that night shone down auspiciouslyUpon that ship Of gorgeous pride .
Her engines to re in frenzy o ’er and o’er,Her powerful shafts did heave and quake,
As loud and clear her captain ’s voice rang outSpeed on ! Fear not the iceberg’s brake .
[ 1 ]
Ahead there floun dered in the chilly sea
A huge and bri stl ing wall Of ice .“What shall we do ! ! her helmsman tremu
lously c ried .
Word came, Let’s cleave i t in a trice,Whereat the mighty engines creaked and
s trainedAnd madly sped the Titan hulk .
Ne’er moved nor stirred the ocean ’s i cy berg,But braced against her speeding bulk .
Dos t thou defy me, master Of the sea ,Thou untried artifice Of man !
I’ll show thee, then, whose is the stronger hand,F
'
Or mine was here e’er thine began .
!
Crash ! Crash ! The waters rushed . T h e ship ’sside heaved .
The ponderous engines ceased to throb,And th ere above the darkening drawbridge
c riedA thousand souls in fear to God .
From peaceful slumbers wildly they uprose,From games Of whist, from dance and wine .Can it be so ! they cried in angui shed
prideSo s inking in the icy brine ! !
But ah ! alas ! the hand of death hung o ’er.Ala s for captain, ship and crew !
[2]
In headstrong haste they ’d left the boats behind
That save men from the watery blue .
Let there be women saved, and they alone !!
Rose up like s teel the chivalrous cry,While gallant men stood on the Sl ippery deckAnd brave resolved themselves to die .
Then solemn strains rose from the engulfingmain,
Nearer my God,! they sang, to Thee,
T il l all that wa s left o f the T itan’s envied hulkWa s a billowy gurgle in the sea .
Alas fo r man ! Alas for vaunting boast !Which seek s to conquer the fate of the sea ,
E s says to ra i s e proud hulks o f iron and steelAnd laugh to scorn God’ s mastery !
Thus from their watery grave he lifts hi s voice !None tempt my power by craft malign .
Lo ! all shall cleave unto the common endAnd none shall s tand but I, divine !
!
[3]
INSPIRATION
PRO ! D child of fortune, smile on thy betterhope !
Let not thine a rm swerve from thy great de a
s i re !Stand not abashed, no r fear the tow
’rin g steep
Which thou woulds t!
cl imb, but bend thy willThat magic wand of every earthly deedThe power that peopleth worlds and
thronesAnd upwards mount . Thou hast thy heart’s
want now,If thou but c la im’
st it !
[4 ]
SPRING BALLAD
SPRING, Spring, 0 gentle Spring, where has tthou been so long !
Why hast thou not come sooner to me ! “
Goddes s of mirth,Gay queen o f the earth,
I am faint for thy smile, as I watched the longwhile
Thy merry, roll icksome face to see .
Spring, Spring,0 gentle Spring,why wast thous ilent so long !
Why didst thou not answer my reverent call !Goddess of mirth,Gay queen of the earth,
Come forth, from glade or glen, from vale orhill, from bog or fen,
And flutter thy magi cal wand high over all .
But 10 ! now thou art come, with thy wonderfultrain,
Never so bright and never so gay .
Goddess of mirth,Gay queen of the earth,
Thy throne they prepare in the heights of theair
For thine inauguration day .
Thy wonderful reign has begun with the ri seo f the sun,
All heaven and e arth but wait on thee now,Goddess of mirth,Gay queen of the earth,
I smell thy sweet flowers and thy Odorousbowers
And see the green trees before thee to bow .
The robins have come from their faraway home,And I hear their sweet songs to burs t forth
a gain .
Goddess o f mirth,Gay queen o f the earth,
Thou mak ’st their tones rise up to the azuresk ies
That they may encore thine orchestral train .
March spreads her boi sterous clouds like Autumn
’s s ilvery shrouds,
And whistles her winds through thy soft, balmyhair,
Goddess of m irth,Gay queen of the earth,
Then soon thy soft April showers mak e wayfor May ’s bowers
And nature but waits fo r June t ime so fair.
[6]
Spring, Spring,0 gentle Spring, thou art deare st of all to me,
A subj ect of thine, I kneel a t thy shrine,! Goddes s of mirth,Gay queen of the earth,
I shal l wai t for thy smile, as I watch the longWh ile
To see thee return when again I shall call .
[7]
THE SPIRIT OF WAR
Ho ! ho ! I come in fury as the stormAnd seek earth’s nations east and west .
I b reathe the breath of fire wi thin them all,And lure to arms the proud
’st and bes t.
I swoop down on thei r gilded palaces,And shake the monarchs o f the world !
I rouse them from their cots o f peace and easeAnd set their boasting flags unfurled .
Upon the doors of happy homes I knock,And men of valo r do I call
To take the s tand against their fellowmen,To spill their blood and spill it all .
I wend my fl ight to peaceful, quiet fieldsWhere tillers ever tireless to il !
I bid them leave thei r plows and homes behind,And steel themselves with arm s o f spoil .
Then nurs ing babes at mothers’ breasts I touch,For loud their fathers do I call !
I reck not o f thei r mo thers ’ tear ! s ta ined eyesWhen those do in the battle fall .
I sweep o ’er peaceful c ities great and strong,Whose towers outtop the blue—ribbed sky
I give the wo rd to grind out sho t and shellUnti l they lowly, humble l ie .
[8]
The mighty nations to my wings I call,A hundred mill ion men of war
To struggle helples s ’gainst the sword ofdeath,
Beneath my spell they fallen are .
O’er Asia’ s st rand I Spread m ine eaglet wings,O ’er Austria, England, France and Spain !
Then do I touch Japan and Me! ico,Then back to Europe ’ s soil again .
My maw i s ever empty for thei r blood,On ! on ! ! I cry fo r newer prey !
My master Mars doth urge me take the fieldMyself to slaughter an d to slay .
Away w ith peace and arbitrat ion’ s hand,’Neath whose pale spell I envious quake
They only dare to cros s my bo ist’rous path !Them can I never bend nor break .
But on I go, and when my wreak i s o’er
And Mars requ ites me for my pain,To war’ s dead corps and sepulchres I cryGreat God, what fool s have mortals been !
[9 ]
THE FLOWERETS ’ COMMUNION
THERE i s a Sol itary hil ls ide,Where flow’
rets, blooming gay,Have watched the sky with eager prideFrom dawn till close of day .
No wan d ’r in g st ranger do they see,Who treads tha t s ilent place,
T O look upon thei r maj es tyOr view thei r radiant face .
But yet, unpla intive, do they bloomAnd smile out ’gainst the sky,
From them the birds do take their songAnd bees their honey ply .
Then come the li ttle sunbeams fair,Leaping o ’er the cr umbled wall,
And gayly dancing here and thereSpring at the flow’
rets’ call .
Then sweet communion do they hold,The flowers and sunbeams there !
The sunbeams stoop ! to plant thei r l ipsUpon the flow’
rets fai r.
They breathe into the sunbeams l ifeTo trip athwart the plain,
To sparkl e in their dazzl ing revelriesAnd round and round again .
[ 10]
THE RIDDLE OF LIFE
OH,what a weak, sporadi c thing is man !Burs t forth upon li fe’ s troublou s sea !
Unasked he comes, unwished therefrom he
goes,Oh, whither i s his des tiny !
I put my riddle to the flying breezeThat flurried pas t with a iry w ing !
My words were borne back on the fleecy cloudsWho laughed to s corn my ques tioning.
I asked it o f the lordful mountain peakWho lays h is hoar face to the sky !
He only shrugge d h is Atlan shoulders bare,And answered me a mournful s igh .
I plied i t to the deep and surging se a
Where myriads slep t in her watery grave !She roared and spurned, and splashed her
surges h igher,And answer none to me she gave .
Then to the heavens w ith upturn ed face Igazed,
And reverent ask ed my God in prayer !A s till, small vo ice breathed back to me in love,Wai t, c hild ! thou shal t know bette r there . !
[ 1 2]
COLUMBIA ’S FLAG
LET ’
S rais e Columbia’s banner to the cloudsAnd hois t her colo rs in the skies !
Let every patrio t ’neath her azure stand !Let never a fo e upon her rise !
Let’s wear her emblem proudly on our breast s !Let’s steel ou r hea rts with valo r true .
As long as she doth guard our l ibertyWith the tin t s o f the red, white and blue !
Whether in peace or in the battle ’ s roar,Be she the guardian o f our soil !
Spare no t our l ives to save our country shearth !
Shi rk not the havoc and the to il !
Dear flag, thou emblem o f a nation’s pride,
Sail proudly o ’e r the s cattered main,And gather all Columbia ’s sons to thee,That never may our freedom wane !
Go raise Columbia ’s banner to the clouds,And hoist her colors in the sk ies !
Let every patriot ’neath her azure s tand !Let neve r a foe upon her rise !
[ 13]
THE BAR OF SCIENCE
WHO thwarts thy will !
0 Science, who can s top th ine onward sweep,Or lay a bar ’ fo re thine ambitious ways !Oh, who will fl ing the gauntlet down to theeAnd dare es top thee in thy feats of skillThat thou so bold perform ’s t ! ! None, none o f
man,But God alone . He knows what mysteriesTo scuttle from thy sight .
We re’t not for Him,
Thou would ’s t unm in e the whole great globe ofman !
Draw figures o’er th e moon ’ s frail, verdantmap !
Bind all the planets to our earth ’ s great orb !And, cooling, freeze the sun
’ s mos t torrid heat,Or give it greater fire . T hou
’d’st chain the
thunderboltCatch heaven ’ s lightning in thine own great
leashFo r man ’s devi sing smiths .
But let u s prai se theeFor what thy dare—all, do ! all skil l hath wroughtOn earth alone . Thou
’st buil t the flying
planesThe heaving ships dark instruments o f war !
[ 1 4 ]
Thou’st wrought the grafting of man ’s heart sand brains,
The coinage o f bright pearl s and rubies rare,T he speeding trains, the horseles s vehicles,But naught ’gains t God ’s great will .
For thou’st not reached
Where thou can ’s t scorn our great Creator’sskill,
For thou kn ow’st not the essence of the soul,
That which ’bove all he holds firm in his mightyhand .
Yea, yea, with all thy vaunted boast o f power,Thou canst not His g reat
’st handiwork out
do,Thou canst not e ’er make man !
[ 1 5 ]
THE CHORD UNSUNG
O LET me on some mystic height aboveCompose, my soul, a perfect lay !
0 le t me rise and ever onward ri seUnto the faires t, perfect day !
My heart doth swell with sweet, concordanttones,
And I would fain burs t out in song !But my weak soul can never ri se the heightWhere such Aflolia n s tra ins belong .
Oft have I sat upon the seashore ’ s s trandAnd strung my proud harp to th e wave,
While the billows rolled in splendor at my feetAnd the sal t sea did my cushion lave !
Then struck I ou t upon the surging tideMy sweetest notes o f harp and wand,
But my weak themes fell mos t far short themins trelsy
Of those celestial s t rains beyond .
[ 1 6]
THE OASIS
0 WHAT mild ease these shadowy palm s a f
ford,The lu scious fig s, the palate tempting nuts,The babbl ing ri ll, from whose unending sourceSuch cool ing water gushes forth that i t would
quenchTen thousand Stygian thirs ts . What rarest
j oy !What soft retreat i s here ! No fla tt’rin g court,No vain and idle pomp beneath whose flow’
ry
handThe vip
’rous serpent creeps unseen !
[ 1 7 ]
PUSH ONWARD
No matter i f your heart be weary,No matte r i f you r hopes be dreary !Through an avalanche o f hopes, and fears, and
ills,And stubborn c ritic s, and harsh oppos ing
Push onward ! you will win at last !
No use to say you are defeated,You ’ve fought too fa r to be retreated !For you ahead a rose wreathed laurel l ies,Accomplished hopes and victory ’s val iant
prize,Push onward ! you will win at la s t !
0 soul o f man, most burden laden,Know thou that fortune stands, a coyi sh
maidenWho hides benea th her frowns that w ished
for smileShe wai ts to shower on you j us t all the while,Push onward ! you wil l win at las t !
[ 1 8]
B IRD o f thy pretty plumage, thouArt thou no prouder than the crow!
But ’t i s much bette r as thou art !
Thou feel’st pain, nor aching heart !Thou has t want, nor bl inding pride .
[20]
SMILES AND TEARS
0 THAT these prec ious sm iles we sm il e to ! dayWere always sm iles, could las t fo r aye and
aye !But ah ! too soon the golden bowl will break,And erst glad hearts shall then with sorrow
quake .
Alas ! that such dark clouds hide ’neath the sunT
’obscure him e ’en before hi s race i s done !
But ’t i s mo st true, a truth too sad to say,
That we who smile, shall never smile alway .
[21 ]
BE s trong, 0 man of earth, be strong !And rise to triumph through thy will !
Yea, drive the conquering tempter from thysoul
That he may do to thee no ill .
Be strong, 0 man of earth, be strong !Let vi rtue ’s sceptre guide thy hand !
From morn t ill night, from night till morn ,
do thouUndaunted ’gainst brute evil s tand .
Be strong, 0 man o f earth, be s trong !Grip s teadily to that noble task
To fight the want that argues in thy soulTo let each sinning be the las t .
Be strong, 0 man o f earth, be strong !Not for thysel f alone posses s
,
But let thy valian t trophies be a S ignBreathing valor in thy brother’s b reast .
Be strong, 0 man o f earth, be strong !In mind and soul, in heart an d bra in .
Thou hast no lo ss, brave man, in combating,But 10 ! thou hast the world to gain .
THE CHILDREN ’S DREAM
FAST, fas t asleep, done are their earthlycares !
To realms o f dreamland now they go,Where sprightly elves and long beard gobl ins
gayDo dance around on light tiptoe .
Anon an el f do th stretch her silvery wand,Made of the moonbeams bright and fai r,
And 10 ! they ’gin thei r dreams of beauteousthings
As she touches their soft downy ha ir .
The curta ins o f Nod are drawn as ideAnd there i s the fairies ’ room,
Gold tinseled Chris tmas trees, and dolls andtoys,
Bright picture book s and flowers in bloom .
Ca ses o f delight ! O blis s ful hours !0 happy, w ished ! for fai ryland,
Where they may live in dreams the whole n ightlong,
And hold communion w ith the elfish band .
[93]
From realms of dreams to realms o f play .
0 feasts o f j oys ! Fairie s ’ fancies charm bynight,
And real toys ’rapture them by day .
0 to be a laughing child again tonightForever is the grown folk ’s prayer,
That our dreams be all o f pleasures a nd o fj oys,
And our waking hours s ti ll them there !
[9 4 ]
TO POPE PIUS !
0 ILL! STARRED Pope ! From thee all power wasreft
To quell the slaughter of earth ’s men .
Alone thou g r ieved’st their needles s suff erings,
An' d racking qualms beyond a ll mortal ken .
Pontifl'
Supreme ! Blest be thy reverent nameWho wroughtst great task s mos t hol ily,
But coulds t no t make men think the thoughtso f peace
When they in blood were steeped so m ight ily .
In ancient days thy predeces so rs swayedThe power earth ’ s horrid wars to quell,
But ah, alas ! their might i s but remembrancedim,
And now brute arms thei r triumphs tell .
O mighty monarchs ! Yours, yours i s theblame
Tha t we have holy Pius los t,For ye have s tirred the wa rs that racked his
frame,And his great l i fe i s now th ’aton in g co st .
[25 ]
ENMITY
SAY, o f what mortal use is enmity !Hast thou no t seen two midget ants in strife,Contending o ’er the petal in the vale,See how they toil and sweat, and struggle long,And tumble z ig ! zag down the hil ly slope,And e ’en do totter on the s treamlet’ s edge,Until at length one Lillipu t do th winBy one great s troke, when 10 ! a sudden galeDoth whisk it s great no se down the h illtop ’s
side,And puff s the victor and the pr ize awaySo oft the giant world wrests from our graspThe things we seek in tediou s r ival ry !And like the fool i sh l ittle ants a ! tilt,Great Jus tice ’bove, who loathes such no ! ious
s tri fe,Doth make us lo se the prize we s trove to gain,And to defeat doth add disc omfiture .
[26]
THE TOLL OF MAJESTY
! POOR suff ering k ing !His m isery 1 8 hi s friend . Him doth he gues tThe whole day long . His subj ec ts want no t
ease,Nor eat their messes j oyle ss round thei r boardsWhile he do th thrus t aside the daint ies t d ish,Whos e hardnes s doth the peasant’s c ru s t e !
c eed,
Or bolts i t down in t remulous haste and fea r,Eyes trained fo r secret enemies . Who knows !Some sneak assass in ’s s teel may strike h is heart,Or some rude bomb may rend the ca stle ’s baseBut to attempt hi s l i fe . God, save the king,That he may use hi s throne and s ceptre right,And be not thus the nation ’s trembling slave,But be its stronges t power !
[98 ]
AMBITION
AMBITION i s a man —o f ! war,And constant will her battery,
Hard pres s ing down upon the foeUpon li fe’s wide and roll ing sea .
No sturdy coils no r clanking chainsCan ever b ind her to the shore !
Through storm and tempest, wind and wave,She plows the waters o ’er.
There i s no c raft she’ll no t engage,Nor cares how broad her bulk or mast,
For sh e w ill buckle to her s ideAnd in the S truggle win at last .
[9 9 ]
THERE i s a key to every human life,A door to every human heart !
And those who would our mysteries unbarDo but es say the locksmith ’s art .
Wise i s the man who holds the keys that opeWhat hidden thoughts ou r soul s po sses s,
But he is still the wiser, nobler smithWho unlock his own heart be s t .
[30]
BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE
How can misfortune but a blessmg beAnd Sl ight mishaps be called unkind !
O 'ft the lessons we learn in a single evil turnAre more than all succes s combined .
I f only we knew the lordly beni sonsThat come from the tempest, the winds and
the ra in,We would not curse the cloud—reft heavens so
Nor the cavernous depths o f earth profane .
[31 ]
AH ! triumph i s a summ er’s flower,
The faires t ofSo sk illed in the a rt of a lover’s ruse
woo them,
[32]
THE SOLUTION
To be, or n otto be, tha t is the ! ues t ion . SHAK ESPEARE.
WH ! should man struggle here !Is ’t not the hope o f something yet in l ife,Some great achievement, s ome hero ic featWhich worth ’ly succo rs to human i ty,That l ights the dimmed, e ! piring spark o f lifeAnd bids u s s til l seek in advers ityThe means to atone for all our erring pastAnd s trive to gain the haven of the blest,The soul ’s mos t glorious p rize, that thing
eterne !Cut o ff by one weak, frail,
’gainst ! nature act,By use of sword, or gun, o r poisoned vial,What hope e ! i s ts the priz e o f l ife to win,When every means therefor is wrested ’way,And ou r l i fe ’s strength ebbs out in the warping
[33]
A WOMAN ’S HEART
WHAT mystery !It i s to me a most s trange ques tioning,That man would hold what hearts he captivatesBut for a little whi le, then puff s them off,
AS one by one they in his estimation wane,And turns his mind to other victo ries,Nor ever ca res how infinite they are,Yea, l ike the proud Atilla doth he s tand,Who counts hi s v ic tims captured by the sword,And then, with conques t filled, whets o
’er hi ssteel
And, never sated, s ighs for subj ects moreYet woman , with her heart so guileles s true,Would hold but one, and him thereto she
’d clingThrough l i fe or death, and keep her virgin soul,In memory o f him, e
’er spotles s uns tainedBy taint foreign love .
[34 ]
THE MAGNET
THE good alone are to be loved, adored,
And purity rather draws the eye of man
And blacker grows until i t doth beseemGrim Pluto ’s loathsome pit,
driveGods that dug
’t
[36]
THE SWALLOW ’S FLIGHT
0 FOR swift wings !0 let me fly a s are the swa llows, freeFree from the toil and turmo il of the world !Let me away to some Elysian fields,Where I may s ing the swallow ’s lay . 0 j oy !How heavenly to be fl i tting, nestl ing there,Where one might s ing unto the ambrosial sun !Or stride her chari ot, l ined with flee cy clouds !Taste such delights as ne’er hath mortal known,From Hebe ’s cup or Juno ’s flowing bowl,For all eterni ty !
THE POET ’S REWARD
A POOR, neglected poet once there l ived,Who to the soul s o f mill ions sang !
He cheered thei r hearts and eased the ir restlessm inds
With ne ’er dis cordant note no r twang .
Yet little o f this world’s great goods he ask ed,And littler still thereof did gain .
He left the world with j oy and pleasure filled,But took its s orrow and its pain .
Yet I do know he labored not in vain,Though his reward to win was long,
For God above, in His great charity,Did make His angel s s ing his song .
[38]
THE LO! ER’S BENEDICTION
! O! to you, my pretty On e !F luflie s, ruffles, all aglow,Heart a ! beating two ! four time,Joy be yours, an d j oy be mineTo see you j oyous so .
Life to you be full o f cheerIn the love that you have found,Every smile that he doth shewHath a meaning deep to youAs it sheds i ts radiance ’round .
May long annal s bles s your li feMay you never fret or fume !May your j oys be ever full,And his love no les ser dullThan its now most perfect bloom !
[39 ]
NATURE ’S CHEER
OH, when I s igh and melancholy grow,And all my hopes turn brown and sere,
I t sends a thrill o f gladnes s in my heartTo think that we have nature here .
Then in the fields I go a —roaming,And in the high topped woods a ! play
Away with cares and melan choly now,I know I ’d lik e to l ive alway .
The birds do sing me sweet songs from thetrees,
The bees and lo custs hum the ir best .Oh, can high heaven top these pure Elys ian
charm s,Can i t be happier and more bles t !
Then do I thank my dear RedeemerThat he hath g iv
’n thi s world o f ours,
Where we may seek our souls ’ full consolationIn realms o f b irds, and trees, and flowers .
THE WAR ETERNAL
THE s tri fe of man will ne’er be over,Though all earth’ s wars be gone
And countles s soldiers have departedUnto the farther on,
For li fe ’s array must e’er be pos ingAga in st the wiles o f s in,
The devil and his mighty legionsWho strive the world to win .
Fight on ! fight on ! ’T i s only valor
Which wins the c ov’ted pri ! e !
’T i s only love an d perfect serviceThat crowns us in the skies .
W ithin the distance arms are cla shingAnd fresh blood mars the sod,
’T i s but the war o f good and evi lOn battlefields o f God .
Oh, there i s comfort in the struggle,For Ch ris t ’s ou r aide ! de ! camp !
W ith hos ts o f God ’s own sa ints and angels,We battle not alone .
Go pres s amids t the foremost legionWhich marches on befo re !
Go draw thy sword against the evil one !Prove thou a vi cto r in the war !
ANGEL MUSIC
OH, I hear the sweetes t mus icF loating on the l iquid air,
And my mind i s lost in fancy’T i s my loved one s itting there .
Then I gaze upon her tres ses,Dream of fa iry lands,
’Neath the spell of angel mus icPlayed by angel hands .
Joyous thoughts dispel my sadnes sAll i s j oy and mirthsome glee
As her fingers touch the heart notesW i th enraptured mins trelsy !
And the earth i s mo re a heavenThan a barren, s truggling strand,
’Neath the s trains o f angel musicPlayed by angel hands .
Then she glides to notes o f sadness,And my heart i s struck with pain
As sh e plays some touching balladOr o ’e r “some pathetic strain .
Yet the tears I shed are glad onesAnd I know she understands
That I am happy in the musi cPlayed by an gel hands .
THREE NAMES
A BIRD, a ch ild, and a bed o f purple flowers,I found in a garden so green and so bright .
With gentle s tep to them I moved and spoke,All three did tremble a t my sight .
Oh, come to me, my pretty littl e flowers !And please, please breathe you r name to me .
I wan t to know you better than I do !I think we should not s trangers be .
Oh, come to me, my pretty blue—eyed child,And li sp thine own sweet name to me !
Thy golden ringlets and thine angel smile sDeserve a greater blazonry .
Oh, come to me, my pretty caged bird,And sing thy name in thy song to me !
Thou s ing’s t the sweetes t songs I ever heard,But I ’d know more than that o f thee .
So one by one each gave her secret upWith a confidence I fel t was true .
The flowers b reathed violet ! the child spokesame !
And the b ird thereat sang violet too .
THE SMILES OF TRUTH
OH, give to me the s imple heartWhere there i s meaning in its smile
,
The heart that proves ’twould do me goodWithout a thought of fraud or guile .
Those are the smiles that glad my soul’Bove a ll glad things on earth I know !
They give me fa ith in friendship yet,When all the world seems fal se in Show.
Oh, give to me the s imple heartWhose smiles have depth without an end,
Those are the smiles that beam from GodAnd make our souls to heaven tend .
[4 5 ]
A TOKEN
O! R land ’s firs t lady ’s in her grave . She livesFar from the tumult o f the world
Where thos e great deeds o f love wreck not thehealth,
But a re in tomes o f gold impearled .
A noble sacrifice to li fe she made,Wh erein her tasks outdid her s trength .
What pity, then, that sh e must leave so soon,Ere that her life had reached i ts length .
A graciou s mother and a loyal wife,Cherished by al l both fa r and near,
Let her rare l i fe shine o ’er our weeping land !Let her great name be ever dear !
Dear Pres ident ! With thee a nat ion mournsAnd sheds kind tea rdrops on her bier
,
F'
o r thou hast lo s t the goodlies t wife o f earthAnd art left ’lone, dis consolate, here .
[4 6]
THE PIRATE ANT
OH, see her hea r her heavy burden,Undaunted ’gains t the stirring breeze !
The c ordlet quakes and tremulous shakesAs the antlet quivers with the trees .
Yet still she keep s on plodding onward,So light in heart and free o f l imb !
Muscling in her arms a captured fly,She sa il s, a p irate mari time .
O toil mos t great, 0 dis tance infinite !From tree to tree the cord i s s trung,
But naught dissuades the plucky antWho rides the rope the trees among .
Heave ho ! the wind i s ri s ing higher,And thief and prey are almost gone !
But stark she c lin g eth to the mastAnd bears her priceles s booty home .
Thus let men lesson from the tiny antWho doth unwearied to her task bend !No toil too great, no task too long,But she doth nobly bring’t to end !
SK INKER ROAD
Skink er Road was chosen a s th e M idway o f the World’
s
F a ir held in St. Louis, M issour i, in 1 904 .
O SK INKER Road, thou road of roads,Thou way of wondrous ways,
The highway of the pioneers,
The Midway o f the World’s Fa irpla ce,
The choices t o f the cho sen few,B
'
y thy rustic beauty wast thou crowned !But now I hear th e beat o f toil ing feetThat raise thy fabric s round.
0 Skinker Road, thou road o f roads,Thou way of wondrous ways,
Great mighty men have passed thee o ’e rIn old Mis souri ’s earl ier days .
Thy name be of the pioneer
Who first thy charming highway laid,
And gave thy name to be known of fameBy a world ’s unparalleled parade .
O Skinker Road, thou road o f roads,Thou way o f wondrous ways,
How soon shal l all thy beauty fadeTo fi t thee for thy coming days !
The hand o f progres s soon shall snatchThe trees that hang thy grasses o ’er,
And thy winding lane shall bear in trainAdvancement’s fru itful s tore .
[4 8]
O Sk inker Road, thou road of roads,Thou way of wondrous ways,
Al l tongues on earth shall Speak thy name,All races there meet face to face .
Once was t thou highway of the pioneersIn the rugged days of toil and war,
But now the lane o f a world ! wide fame,The of the Fai r .
[4 9 ]
HIS LEGACY
THE lavi sh legacy of Frank LegreeNo doubt i s sorrowing him yet !
Fo r once he owned a million francs in gold,
But now he owes a million debt .
When firs t he eyed h is huge inheritanceHis uncle left to him in fee,
He smiled to see himself a millionaire,
And moved in best society .
He buil t a tomb fo r his dear uncle then,
And epitaphed him grand old man,
!
Though in his l i fe he had ne ’er thought ofhim
And l iked him bette r dead than
Alive . So then he called h is friendsaround,
Patron s o f wine and song and ea s e !Mild drink s did make him thirst for stronger
gins,And !small j ags grew protracted sprees .
He squandered thousands on the race course !In dice he los t at every throw !
He scattered change l ike oatmeal fed toch ickens !
His pile soon melted down like snow
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No doubt is so rrowing him! yet !Lieu o f an earthly mill ion franc s in gold,He
’s lo s t
[5 4 ]
THE WORD MISSPELLED
WHENE ’ER you m i ssA field of bl is s,
I t i s no t ha l f so badAs to presumeYour words are known,
When you but thought you had .
When you ’ve planned upA good stand up,
And fall to the other end,It brings aroun ’
A funny frownWhich j udgment cannot mend .
Your playmates ’ laughIs only hal f
The ugl ines s you feelYou ’d kick yoursel fL ike the Ghib the Guel f
If that the pang would heal .
So boys, I say,
Study awayAnd ever strive your best,So you ’ll be gladInstead of sad,
And keep you r level with the rest.
[ 5 5 ]
THE NABOB ’S PRIDE
I PASSED him'
in his high ! born mansion oft,An d 10 ! he would not speak to me,
For I was born o f humble parentageAnd my fortune lacked his dignity .
The days rolled by . We often met in faceUpon the highway of our town !
I hoped to see him cast a smile on me,But only reaped a scowling frown .
I clenched my fi st, and s ilent passed him byWith words — perhaps revenge or spite !
But they breathed inspiration to my soulTo strive and set our s cores aright .
With such thought buried in mine achingbreast,
I labo red ceaseless at my task !And saw my fortunes no t unenvied ris eUntil no greater could I a sk .
But what o f him ! In some far distan t place,Again as o ft we chanced to meet .
His wealth had flown, while mine tenfold hadgrown,
Foul luck had made him indis creet .
[56]
I picked him from the gutter, a so rry s ight,Reel ing with win e, and sick and sore !
And as I passed a snug goldpiece, he said,Beg pard’, that I knew you not before .
[5 7]
HUERT!
A’S DRINKING SONG
On the day Of the siege of ! era Cru! .
BE merry, let u s drink wineAnd S ip, Sip, sip !Full soon the days shal l S l ip,Gray hai rs shall catch us,
Grim death will dispatch u sLong e re our pleasures be full .Let not the soul b e dull,
Therefore be merry ! let u s drink wine .
Be merry, let u s drink wine,And quaff
'
, quaff, quaff !Loud ring your cheering laugh,Care we for Gringos !Let ’em come, by Jingo s !Ne’er fear that al l wil l be well,We’ll l i ck ’em !
Spite o f hell,Therefore be merry ! let us drink wine .
[5 8]
A MASH IN COURT
A RASHF ! L, blushing ma iden fai r i t wasWho to the altar bent her way,
A ! trembling on her future spouse’ s arm,
To Justi ce Rome ! a n Ren n sler Day .
The j udge looked through his nose—pinchedSpecs an d smiled,
Ah, ha ! Two dollars fo r a fee .Then when the ceremony was over, rose,I gues s I ’ll k is s the bride,
! says he .
The groom was game, and led the j ustice downTo where the wedding party sat!
But law ! the j udge was really so e ! ci tedHe didn ’t know j ust where he was at .
But on he stumbled, and the groom cried out,“You ’re mak ing it fine,
'
so hurry on .
!
The bride j us t fl in ch ed and turned her prettyhead,
While the j udge picked ou t a dress o f lawn .
Our blushing bride had worn a crepe de chene,The bride ’s maid a lawn did grace,
But the j udge seized on the firs t he came tothere,
And planted a smack on her ruby face .
[60]
Why, what’s the matter ! all the guests d id
cry,As the lawn flew through the questioning
throng.
Alas ! the j udge had kis sed the ma id insteadAnd the dad—blamed kiss went wrong.
Now what could the poo r e ! ci ted j us tice do !The firs t k is s fo r the bride was los tImpe rtinence ! How dare you !
! the maiddid s cream .
I ’ll get you arres ted at any cos t . !
The bride got angry, too, at such a muddl e,And said she ’d aid the maid fo r !
SpiteBut what was the legal remedy, I a sk !
For the j udge couldn ’t pull h imsel f by right !
[61 ]
HIS SEARCH FOR GOLD
HE c ame down from the Klond ikeBrief days ago,
Bowed down by tribulations,Weighted with human woe,
Where he had cas t his fo rtune’Mid fields o f i ce and snow .
He left h is friends and k in smenAnd a happy home
To fill hi s l i fe w ith that adventureTold o f in a Wild West tome
But wandered unsucces s fullyFrom Yukon to Cape Nome .
He searched the fields o f YukonWith few supplies,
And camped beside i ts shallowsWhere l ittl e Yukons rise,
But m is sed that mine o f nuggetsWh ich in that gold field lies .
He tramped am id the mounta insFrom Spring til l Fall,
He strode the great crevas se sAnd crossed the r ivers all,
The wealth he sought was Spac ious,But what he got was small .
[62]
He drank the wines of DawsonAnd Behring’s Strait,
And stronger drink s did capture himIn camp on White Horse Lake !
He cursed the luck that sent him thitherA deep inebriate .
He fel t the pangs of hungerAnd northern cold,
AS o ft his comrades perishedAround the camp fires ’ mold
And false guides led them to destructionIn their search for Yukon gold .
He came down from the KlondikeBrief days before,
Bearing the resolution,Tested and tried of yore,
To earn a humble l iv ingAnd search for gold no more .
[63]