The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1860-12-18
Death of Young Henry Clay.

Bu' the sal ana yet most glorious oi III
was the death OF the second Henry Clay
Iou should have seen him, with his back Il.
-ainst Wonder rock, his sword grasped firmly,
rs the consciDu-ness that he bore a name that
must not die inglorolsly, seem9l to ill hi,
every vein, AMI dart dealIy fire from nis
eyes.
A. this moment he looked ike the Old man.
For his brow, high and rctreatng with the
blood clotted hair waving back from lis ouL.
line, was swo len in every vein as though his
soul shone through it, ere it had fled forever,
Lips set, brow knit, hard firm--a circle Of his
men fighting around him--ho dashed into the
Mexicans until his sword was wet with blood,
and his arm weary
AZ last, his thig splin,crcd with Lall,
he gathered his proud form to its fnll height
and fell. His face was ashy with intense az
ony, he babe his companions to leave him
there to die. That ravino should be the bed
of his glory.
But gathering around him a guard of brest
and steol--while two Of them bore him ten
derly along-those men of Kentucky fought
around their fallen hero, and as retreating
step by step they launched their swords and
with every blow, Henry Clay
1t was wonderful to see how that name
nerycd their arms, and called a smile TO the
face Of the dying hero. How it should have
made the heart of the old man of Ashland
throb, to have heard his name yelled as q
battle cry, down the shadows of that lonely
pass.
Along that ravne and up the narrow path,
the hero blceds as they bear him on and
tracks the way with his blood. Faster and
thicker the Mexicans swarm-they see the
circle round the fallen man, even his pale face
uplifted, as a smile crosses its faded Inca.
ments, and like a pack of wolves scenting the
frozen traveller at the dead Of night, they come
bowling up the rock and charge on the devo.
ted band with one dense mast Of bayonets.
Up and on! The light shines yonler on
the topmost rocks Of the rayine. 1t is the
light Of setting sun. Oh Taylor's eye is on
that rock, and there we will fight our way, or
die in the old mans sight.
1t was murlerous way, that path up the
steep bank Of the rayine. Uttered with dead,
slippery with blood, it grew Nackcr every mo.
ment with Meycan9 and the defenders Of the
wounded hero fell one by one into the clIasm
yawning all around.
At last they reached tho li2ht the swords
and bayonc,s glitter in sightof the contenllng
arms and the bloody contest roars toward the
lopm18t rock.
Then it was that, gathering up his dying
irame-armei with supernatural vig,r- Clay
started from the arms # his supporters, ani
stool with outstretchel hand in The light oi
the setting sun. 1t was gori,u, sight
which q saw amid tho rolling battle cl u f.,
Santa Anna's formidable array hurled back
into the ravine and gorg, by Tayofs LITTLE
banl. Bat more glorious thing it was To
$50 that dying man for the last tims in the
light or the sun, which shall never ri,e for
him again.
leave me! he shreked, as he fell back on
the sod; i must die, anI will die hero!
Peril your lN's for me no lou, ,er. TO, there
is work for you yonIer.'
The MexjcanS crovdng on, hungry Tor
blood. Even Us he spoke their D,yonol, w.
Ieyelul at the thtoi,~ Of the devoted band
BY the mrr" fJrc4 of their overwhelming nuu.
bcrs they crushed them back from the .ide q
the dying Clay.
Ooly one hugrrei--, brave man VIII, ina
known the chWaluc soldier, AMI lived hiu
long; he stood, and GOV rcd ~ he was wit
blood, heard these last worJ>:
"TeH my tdtter ho,o / died, md gioe hi
Mesc pistols"
Lifting his a,by face into the lisu
turned bis face upon hi, c)mrai's, placed IL
pistols in his hand, and fell back in death.
That comrade with the pistols in h, GRASP
fought his way along to tue topmost rock
the Path, and only once looked back. II
saw quiveriug form canopied by bayonets-
be saw those outstretched hands grapplinc
with points of steel--he saw pale face lfted
once in the light, and then darkness rushe,
upon the life Of young Henry Clay.