Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1849-05-25
Volume 15--,Number %.
Select 11ortrp.
BINGEN ON THE RHINE.

ON THE RHINE.
BY HON. MRS. NORTON.
A soldier of the Legion
Lay dying at Algiers;
There was lack Of woman's nursing,
There was dearth Of woman's tears.
But comrade stood before him,
While his life-blood ebbed away,
And bent with plying gances,
70 hear what he might say.
The dying soldier faltered,
As he took his compade's hand,
And he said, 81 never more shall see
My own, my native land;
Take a message, and token,
To some distant friends Of mine,
For Twas born at Bingen,-
At Bingen on the Rhine,
Tell my brothers and companions,
When they meet and crowd around,
To hear my mournful story,
In the pleasant vineyard ground,
That we fought the battle brayey-
And when the day was done,
Full many a corse lay ghastly pale,
Beneath the setting sun.
And midst the dead and dying
Were some grown old in wars
The death wound on their gallant breasts.
The last of many scars;
But some were young, and suddenly
Beheld life S morn declne,-
And some had come from Bingen-
Fair Bingen on the Rhine
Tell my mother that her other sons
Shall comfort her old age,
And was still tenant bird,
That thought his home cage;
For my father was a soldier,
And evenas a child,
My heart leaped forth to hear himtell;
Of struggles fierce and wild;
And when he died and left us,
To divide his scanty hoard,
! let them take whate'er they would;
But kept my fathers sword;
And with boyish love Ihung it
Where the bright light used to shine
On the cottage wall at Bingen-
Calm Bingen on the Rhine.
Tell my sister not to PfOr me,
And sob with dropping head,
When the troops are marching home again
With glad and gallant tread;
But to look upon them proudly,
With calm and steadfast eye,
For her brother was soldier too,
And not afraid to die.
And if a comrade seek her love,
Iask her in my name,
To listen to him kindly,
Without regret or shame;
And to hang the old sword in its place,
(My fathers sword and mineD
For the honor of old Bingen,
Dear Bingen on the Rhine!
There's another-not sister
In the happy days gone by....
You'd have known her by the merriment
That sparkled in her eye;
Too innocent for coquet-y-
Too fond for idle scorning,-
Oh! friend, fear the brightest heart
Makes, metimes, heaviest mourning;-
Tell her the last night of my life
(For ere this moon be risen,
My body will be out of pain,
My soul be out of prison.
dreamed stood with her, and saw
The yellow sunlight shine,
On the vine-clad hills of Bingen,-
Fair Bingen on the Rhine!
l saw the blue Rhine sweep along
heard or seemed to hear,
The German songs we used to sing,
In chorus sweet and clear;
And down the pleasant river,
And up the slanting hill,
The echoing chorus sounded,
Through the evening calm and still;
Andher glad blue eyes were on me,
AS we passed with friendly talk,
Down many path beloved of yore,
And we'll remembered walk;
And her little hand lay lightly,
COnfdingly in mine;
But we'll meet no more at Bingen-
Loved Bingen on the Rhine!"
His voice grew faint and hoarser-
His gasp was childish weak
His eyes put on a dying look
He sighed, and ceased to speak;
His comrade bent to lift him,
But the spark of life had fled;
The soldier of the Legion
In foreign land was dead.
And the soft moon rose up slowly,
And calmly she looked down
On the red sand of the battle field,