The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1860-10-30
BALDRED.
BYs.c c. coFFINBERKY. EsQ.

Bys,c. coFFIsBERKY, ESQ
On far Kentncky's distant northern shore.
Where erst the red man sought the balmy shade
Or seIt his shalop dancing lightly DER
The waves that on the proud Ohio played Trays
The fercest August sun poured down his ,corchinl
Parching the forest Wild ard peaceful glade
farming the clear blue stream INTO liquid blaze
Twas noon and the deep shade of many vine
And tree vas cast along that lonely shore
And many n lovely flower did gently twme
Around the trunks of the tall oaks that bore
Them aloft To drink The passing breath
Ofthe soft breeze ia at WOO d them from the heath
Black Baidred stood amid that greatful shade,
Upon the rivers bank and gaZed aiar,
With wshful eye, 10 that fair land that laid
Beyond that rapid stream, his eye with care
Was dim; wasted his form, and sunk his check
And in his soul were thoughts that, even there
He scarcely dared TO trust his soul TO speak
The big dark drops of blood oozing fresh
From his torn limbs. and lacerated feet
And many a wound within his mangled flesh;
For. like a fry coarser, swift and heet
He had dashed through the forest from the lash
OF an inhuman feRd, who calld him Stare,
To seek atar lor d freedom or grave,
A breeze across the stream from Jreedam's shore
Fans the dark ceeek Of that pnor tamished slave
At the frst breah of freedom, gushing DER.
His wasted form (ft only for the grave
A new snetgy nerves his soul, hisrye,
LII Dy u new IRE glll ces y eT tue wave,
Bursts from his lips wild, load Joyous cry.
A whisper heard among the sighing trees,
As their bright shlvering leaflets gently turn
Their silver edges TO that greatful breeze,
Is III TIN, answers IIadreds cry, when stern
tie spre ads his nostrils widely to inhale,
The breath Of freedom from the distant vale,
While thus he tells his Ihelencholy tale;
"Fraedom was never mne--I was born slave.
Sorrow hung dark Der my devoted head.
No. 4 E.rr - t.stth in
While toiling Tor the white mans daily brea!1'
''But | have torn from th1t.lpng hated place:
Yes, Ihave torn from fellow saves-from home,
Have torn those ties that bound me to my race,
Der this wild forest happily to rome"
"Pe hapa to live-perh ,ps to ind a grave
But ir IN my soul I've broken slaverys chain;
To die better than - be a starei
Yes may die, III never be slave again"
How have suffered How my flesh been torn.
Since from the tyrants lash swiftly spell
How have these wasted limbs nobly born
Poor Badrel on without one crumb OF breadr'
"Oh, how I've ngush'd when I've wildly th,t
OF freedoms distaI 1t shore which now sect
Wecom the sight however dearly bought!
One struggle more aud Il ItldrcI shall he free."
Free from the proud mans beck tn. CALLING chain,
The tyrant,s mlnd ,te-the oppressnr iash
The aching. bursting heart-the madlen'd brain
The thots that seattle like light nng as they flash.
"But hark what cry was that family heard,
Ger the far distant, like the mountain flute,
Twas the wild scream Of some strange forest bird
Aga nj What is i'll Harkl My soul be mute.
The cry ofthe fierce Bloodhound or my track
II is but freedom peaceful shores in view;
aste haste thee Badred or they ldrag thee back
Plunge in the stream let freedom nerve thee thro"
he plnnges, and strikes out to save his life.
While in his teeth gances the keen bowie-knife
He nObly breasts the current; as he speeds
Each effort nerves his SON for desperate deeds;
For now the loud bay Of the pursuing hound,
Doubling his rage at each successive bound,
Is bursting fercely from the shore behind,
As if he rode the piniOns of the wind,
The man hunter led onward by the sound,
Like fell tiger follows up the hound
Ho. Baldredl speed theel Freedom or the grave
Awaits the now; the dog has ta'en the wave,
And his white teeth are gnashlne ior his prey
As in thy wake he swiftly glides away.
Ho. speed thee Baldredl when yon shore attaind,
Not only life but freedom will be galn'd
Onl on! for now the hound doth gain apace,
Ia the unequal ani unholy chase.
His efforts slacken. he is almnst gone.
While a ours Il fend urges the bloodhound on;
'On on, brave Ponto, seize the graceless slave|
|, hoarsely heard across the trembling wave.
On. on, brave BaIdredi yield thee not so near
The goal Of all thy hopes. but even there
Ths dog has seized and born him meath the wave!
Mark the red s,,eak Of blood upon the stream.
The end Of Badreds bright and Il erious dream
OF freedom. oh how my heart doth bleed for him!
Alas that hs bright dream should end thus dim!
Butsee, Behold Again doth Baldrel rise,
And freedom hushes from the victors sey"s;
And Badred shakes aoft the cohq ring knife.
Huzzah, brave Baldred now huZZah for thee!
lie answers back, "liuzzih, Hnzzah | IN lree!"
Again he turns To free ON = hoped for shore,
And molly struggles for It's brink once more.
lie nears it, Yet one efbrt-yet one throe,
And freedoms sweet repose shall Baldred kno".
But bark the shrill rifle doth interpose
Her fat gainst his dream Of peace, and flows
The warm fe-blood from his very he IT.
lie gains the bank nnd with one effort more
Turns his llazed eyes upon the distant shore
or bondage vile. and with dying start
Shrieks "Adieu. Adeu to bondage and to thee
Land of the slave. Huzzah, I'm free, I'm Free.
With that wild shrek poor Baldreds life was sped,
His spirit freed the conqueror lay there dead.
The victor coming from the field OF war,
Is hailed with shouts and booming from afnr
OF the brazen cannon, while the tumpets sound
Welcome the hero home with laurels crownd.
The monument and richly sculptor'd stone,
Points out to generations yet unknown,
Thsspot where doth tho lllustrons ashes lie,
And whispers that It's glorious To die.
Bnldred was q hero. and his blood was split
In f'eed0m,s cause battling To the hit,
And to the death martyr did he fall
To freedom gave his bloOd-his lIie-hs oil.
No wreath Of fame awaits brave Badred's deed
No poets Tyre pours forth his we'll earn'd need
: OF glory, and NJ monumental stone,
Or sculptOrd marble makes the h ro known,
Mankind allo,s to him (althUugh 50 brave,I
No tame--nO hOnOr.-no, not even grave