Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-09-09
LA FAyETTE.
From the Baltimore Patriot.
THE sTANGER GUEST:

III IL
1.-THE scene opens on Sullivan's Island,
near Charleston, S. c.. January, l777,
and closes in Baltimore, Sept. l824,l
The winds were high, and the oceans
roar
Was fearful on The Island shore;
The sea bird screeched portentously,
As il flute red in the foam on high;
A storm more dreadful, drear, and dark,
Meier yet beset fragile hsrque
| The planters house, the fishers hut,
That night with bolt and bar were shut;
Nor rest. nor slumber's downy bed,
That night might sooth the watchers beao;
For twas time OF direfu note,
To sea grit isle and land remote;
A time in which the shepherd saw
His lambkin meath the lions paw;
When war. with all its dire alarms,
Kept man and master under arms;
When our torefa,hers rose, and swofe,.
We aU,V be free, end slaOes no more.
What ho! within the tempest dire
Hath bid me ask for food and flre
Open thy mansion, dry and warm
And give one shelter from the storm.
~ ho thus demands I? first let me know.
Tn freedom art thou friend or toe 2
Pm moi the one -wouId be the other;
If thou'rt her son, am thy brother
Thu. spoke some victim OF the storm,
A. he presents bis shivering form;
And thus, as through chnk be spyed,
The Waterman OF The house replied.
Quick dew the bolt and quick the bar,
A 4 Ii tb.,D
A youth was rescued, dry and warm.
sIn foreign garb, and with mein
OF noble port as e'er was seen,
The youth might well misrust awaken,
And Cor toeman be mistaken.
Young man, twas thus the hos ADDRESSED
iE language hrm, bis stranger guest,
You're welcome +, my food and fire,
And couch OF rest--wnat you require,
To speed you On your journeys way,
II tair the sky, al break OF day.
But must know who eats my food,
Or foe or friend; this understood,
The couch that waits the stranger guest,
Shall sOoth your wearied limits to rest.
: dwell beyond the ocean far;
| came 10 fight in freedoms war!
Ask not my name, till have won
name beside your Washington
The day has dawn'd the youths away,
And mingled IN the bloody Tray!
Behold yon legion, chilly, sad!
Behold again, they're fed and clad
The stranger guest had heard their cries,
And quickly furnished them supplies.
Behold yon bloody tray! they fall,
GrappIed IN desperation, all {:
Now freedoms flag begins 10 lower,
To wave DER US perhaps no more
Behold again aioft it waves!
The stranger guest the foeman brave.
Once more the reenan's flag IS set,
In triumph DER the parapet!
Thus years rolled on, till all the work
Of war was at an end at York.
Who there compelled the tyiant lord
To yield the proud invaders sword
The work was done, by all confessed,
By him the young, the stranger guest!
Peace strews her olive chaplets round,
No csnnons roar, nor bugies sound:
Again in loves embrace is press'd
The youthful hero, stranger guest.
For whom is yon triumphal arch
Who comes, with glory III bis march
For whom's nations love express'd-
To whom it's gratitude confessed,
In all the forms the human heart
Fer yet devised its love t'impart!
For HIM you arch is made 10 rise,
He comes to greet again our eyes,
The youthful STRANGER GUEST confessed
The friend OF man. the NATIONS GUEST =