Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-10-03
THE RISING OF THE PEOPLE.
Poem Delivered before the Pal Beta Ka-
pa Society of Havard University.
BY ETHRIDGE JEFFERSON CUTLER.

BY ETHRIDGE JEFFERSON CUTLER.
The drums wild roar awakes the land the fife
is callang shrill
Ten thousand starry banners bluze on town, and
bay and hills
Our crowded streets are throbbing with the SOL
diers measured tramp;
Among our bladed C ornfelds CLEAN the white
tents of the camp.
The thunders of the rising war hush labor's drow-
sy hum,
And heavy to the ground the first dark drops of
battle come.
The souls of men fame up anew the narrow heart
expands
And woman brings her patient faith to nerve her
eager hands.
Thank God we are nat buried yet, though long
in trance we lay.
! Thank God the fathers need not blush to own
their sons to day.
| Oh sad and slow the weeks went by each held
his anxious breath,
| Like who waits in helpless fear for some
sorrow great as death.
Oh ! scarce ly there faith in God, nor any
trust in man,
| While fast aloug the Southern sky the blighting
| shadow ran.
| It yelled the stars, after one it hushed the
| patriots song.
And stole from men the sacred sense that parteth
right from wrong
Then a red flash, the lightning across the dark
ness broke,
And with vaice that shook the land the guns of
Sumpter spoke;
! Wake, sons of heroes, wake The age of heroes
dawns again.
Truth takes in hand her ancient sword, and calls
her loyal men,
Lo ! brightly Ger the breaking day shines free
dom's holy star.
Peace cannot cure the sickly time. All hail, the
healer, war
Tbs calling was heard by Plymouth Rock twas
heard iu Boston Bay
Then up the Piny streams ef Maine sped on its
ringing way.
New Hampshire's rocks, Vermont's Green Lills.
it kindled into flame
Rhode Island felt her mighty soul bursting her
little frame;
The Empire City started up, her golden fetters
rent,
And meteor like across the North, the fiery mes
sage sent;
Over the the breezy prarie land, by bluff and lake
| it ran.
Till Kansas bent his arm, and laughed to find him
self
Then on by cabin and by camp, by stony wastes
| and sands,
1t rang exultant down the sea where the Golden
City stands.
| And wheresoe'r the summons eame there rese an
angry din,
As when upon a rocky coast stormy tide comes
in.
Straightway the fathers gathered voice, straight
| way the arose,
With flushing cheek, as when the East with days
red current flows.
Hurrah the long despair is past; our fading
hopes renew;
The fog is liftirg from the llnt.. and To- the II.
cent blue
We learn the secret of the deeds the sires hive
To fire the youthful soldiers zeal, and tend his
green renown.
Who lives for country, through his arm feels all
hir forces flow,
IT'S easy to be brave for TRUTH as for the to
blow.
Oh Law, fair form of Liberty, Gods light is on
thy brow.
Oh Liberty, thou soul of Law, Gods very self
| art thou
One the c,ea rivers sparkling food that clothes
the bank with green
| And one the line of stubborn rock that toes the
water in
Friends, whom cannot think apsrt, seeming
| each others foe:
Twined flowers upon a single stock with equal
| grace taat grow.
| Oh ! fair ideas, we write your name
| banners fold;
For you the sluggard's brain is fire, for you tn I,
! coward bold.
On ! daughter of the bleeding past Oh hope
the prophets saw
God gives us law Liberty, and Liberty in ls W.
Full many a heart is aching with mingled joy
and pain,
For those who go SO proudly forth and may not
come again
| And many heart is aching for those it leaves
behind,
As thousand tender histories throRg In upon
the mind.
their bearing high
The women in tIe doorway stands: 20 wave them
bravely by.
One threw her arms about her boy, and said
'Good bye, my son,
God help hee do the valiant deeds thy fat her
would have done."
One held up to a bearded man little child to
kiss,
And said "I shall not be alone for thy dear love
and this
And one rosebud in her hand, leant at sold>
ier's side E;
"Thy country weds the first" she said, 'be I thy
second BRIDE"
! Oh mothers. when around your hearts ye count
] y
!! And miss from the enchanted ring the flower of
| your sons
| Oh wives, when, Ger the Graded child ye bend
at evenings fall,
And veices which the heart can hear across the
| distance CALI
Oh maids, when, in the sleepless nights ye ope
the little case
And look till ye can look no more upon the proud
young face,
Not only pray tbs Lord OF Life, who measures
mortal breath,
To bring the absent back unscathed out of the
fire of death
| Oh pray with that divine content which Gods
best favor draws,
| That whosoever lives dies, he safe his holy
cause
So out shop and farmhouse, from shore and in
land glen,
! Thick as the bees in clover time, are swarming
armed men;
Along the dusty roads in haste the eager columns
| come,
With flash of sword and muskets geam, the bu-
| gle and the drum
| Ho comrades, see the starry flag, broad-waving
at our head.
| Ho comrades, mark the tender light on the dear
embems spread
| Our fathers blood has hallowed it; 'tis part of
their renown;
| Al IL L. Al Il -,