The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1861-03-27

4 ssw. rosr pr roxeyrnnow.

~ land Or sea from town se-night, f9ss
Hang lantern aloft in tire beffry arch
o. the North Church tower, as signal light
0ne1ff By land, and tRo II by sea;
And | on the opposite shore viii. be,
Ready ID ride and sprsad the alarm
thSoagh every Middlsssx village and farm,
ycs the eonntry-folk to be mp and arm"
fhsn he said goodnight, and with mu6fed oar
Silently rcwsd to the Charleston shore,
Just - the nosn rose over the bay, eis-43
Where swinging wide at her moorings iay
The Somerset, British man of-war;
A phantom ship, with each mast and spar
Assess the moon, like prison bar,
And hage black hulk, that was magnihed
Ry its own reflection in the tide. IS
Meanwhile, his friend, throu gh alley and street,
Wandsrs aud watches, with eager ears,
TIL in the silence around him he hears
The muster Of men at the barrack door,
The sound Of arms and the tramp of feet
And the measured tread Of the granadiers
Marching down to their boats on the shore.
Tksn he climbed to the tower of tle church,
Up the wooden stairs, with stealthy tread,
To the belfry chamber overhead,
And startisd the pigeons from their perch
On the sombre rafters, that round him made
Masses and moving shapes of shade
Up the light ladder, slender and tall,
Qthe highest window in the wall.
Where he paused to listen and lock down
A.moment on the roofs Of the town,
And the mocnlight flowing over all.
Beneath, in the churchyard, lay the dead,
In the night encampment on the hill,
Rrnv 1Ho1 II, he ell daa, \
That be could hear, like seutinsl's tread,
The watchful night wind as it went
Creeping along from tent to tent,
And seeming to whisper, "All is welll"
moAtnt only he feels the spell
OF. The place and the hour, the secret dread
OF the lonely bslfry and the dead,
Forssnddsnly all his thoughts are bent
On'a shzdowy something far away, =
where the river widens to meet the bay
4 iine Of black, that bsnds.and floats
On the rising tide, like bridge of boats,
Meanwhile, impatient to mount and ride,
Beeted and spurred; with heavy stride,
On the opposite side walked Paul Revere
Now Ne patted his horses side,
NSW he gaxed on the landscape far and nea
Thea imPetuous stamped the earth,
And turned and frightened his saddle -girth,
1ptnostly he watched with eager search
The belfry tower Of the old North Church,
Aait rose above the grave on the hill,
Lsnsly, and spectral, and sombre, and still.
And, lol - he looks, ON the. bslfry's height,
4 glinmer, and then CLEAN of light
he springs to the saddle, the bride he turns
Dut lingers aud gszes, till full on his sight
4 second lamp in the belfry burns!
r
a hurry Of the hoofs in the village street,
4 shape in the moonlight, = bulk in the dark
And beneath from the pebbles. in passing, 9
- spark
strnsk ont by stesd that dies fearless and
- ssdeet; Ss
That was all And yet, through the gloom
and the light,
The fate Of : nation was ridingthat night;
Ard The sparks struck out by that steed il
.sszahis fight 4
Kindlsd the land into fame with its heat.
Itawss twelve by the village clock -
when he crossed the bridge into Medfort
8 town. sss
as hsard the growing Of the cook,
Ard tho barking of the farmers dog,
Ard trthe damp of the rivers fog, ssz4
That rises when the sun goes down.
ttzwSs one By She village clock
when hesrode into Lexington,
Hosaw the siided weathercock -
sWimin the moonlight as he passed,
And the meeting house windows, bleak an,
befe.
da.s q hin with spectral glare,
Apsif they already stood aghast
Hthe blsody work they would look upon.