Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-01-11

PAL l. u +
THE stirri7g ra'a ''''' r..c-..,n...
-. ,r--t5lr fr January. It Is from the T'
orrrof L9as.si'eF.
,.....- children. aud you shall hear
- L.'.'' 'iai-Lt ride of Paul ke7crc,
a. tFe ei-a.eenth Of April, in seventy Eve.
Hardly man is nov alive
NJ, remembers that famous day and year.
Heafd to bis fIiend.-.If the British march
Bv land or sea fr.m the town tonight
Hang lantern uloft Ia the belty-ar-1
The North-Church tower as signal light
One if by land and tT1 If by seai
Ard l on the opposite shore VIII be,
Ready 10 ride ali spread the alarm
Through every Midiiescx village a1d iariH'
For the couutry-f0iLs 60 be up ard arm.
Then he said good night and with nu1lei oar
Silently rowed 90 the Charl stoUu s-"re
Just as the moon rose over the bay,
Where swinging wide at her noor.ng' iay
The Somerset, British man-at-war-
4 phantom ship, with each mast ana spaf
Across Tho moon. like prison bar,
Z fr,e black hulk, that was magni6ei
Bv IFS own reflection in the tide.
Meanwhile bis friend. through alley and street,
NanIers and watches with eager ears
q
The muster Of men at the hsrrack-door,
The sound Of arms, and The tramp Of feet.
And the measured tread Of the g-cnadieJs
Marching down 90 their boats on the shore,
Then be climbed 20 the tower ef the church,
Up the wooden stairs, with steaithy tread
To the beifry chamber overhead,
And started the pigeons from their perch
On the sombre aite-s, that round him made
Masses and moving shapes cf shade
ptho light ladder, slender and tall,
70 the highest window ia the wall,
Where be paused TO listen and look down
A moment Oh the roofs of the town,
And the moonlight flowing over all.
Belelth, in the chgrehyarl, lay the dead
Ia their night encamrm5nt on the hill,
Wrapped in silence SO deep and still,
r1a, be- could hear like a sentiuel's tread,
The vl,chtul night-wind, as il went
Creeping lln- from tent TO tent
And -.emns TO whisper, "All is well 90
a moment only be feels the spell
~ the place aud The hour, the secret dread
0r tae loaely beitrv and the dead
--ailel.v all L.s thoughts are bent
U1 q -Ialowy something far away,
Where the river videus 20 meet the bay
a Hre II black, that bends aud floats
oa rho rising tide l.5e bridge of boats.
Meanwhile. inpatient to mount and ride.
B-.leiaal srurred, with a heavy stride,
90 tc1qPas.te shore walked Paul Revere.
Sew De rat-ol his horses side,
Now gazcl 90 the lludscapc far and near.
Thea impctu0us stam ped the earth,
s1i tlI1ei and Jgh'encj his saddle girth,
Ba. mostly De watched with eager search
The tclfry tower of tho old North Church,
AsItr0,e above the graves on the hill
p. aut spectral, and s0mbTc, and still.
tni 20 as he looks. on The beifrys heights
A giimmer and then O. CLEAN Of light2
He springs 70 the saddle, the bride he turns.
But fingers and gazes, ul full on his sight
A second lamp in the belfry burns
A hurry Of hoofs Ia a village street.
4 shape in the moonlight, bulk in the dark.
And beneath from the pebbles in passing, spark
struck out by a steed that flies fearless and fleet
That was all And yet, through the gloom auc
the light,
The fate Of a nation was riding that night
And the sparks struck out by that stecd In Bill
fight,
lindlea the land into fame with its heat.
L was twelve by the village cIocA,
W hen be crossed the bridge into Meilorl town.
lie heard the Growing ofthe cock.
And the barking Of the farmers dog,
And felt the damp Of the river fog,
That rises when the sun goes down.
It was one by the yiIlse cloch,
Then be rode into Lexington,
Is saw the gilded wcathcrcock
win in the moonlight as be passed,
Md the meeting-bouse Windows, blank and
bare,
iaze at him with a spectral glare,
~ if they already STOOD aghast
II the bloody work they would look npoa.
{ was two by the village clock,
When he came 20 the bridge in Concord town.
Ie heard the bleating Of the flock.
md the twittering OF birds among the trees,
Ind felt the breath Of the morning breeze
Blowing over the meadows brown,
4 nd one was safe and asleep iu his bed
Who at the bridge would be first TO fall,
Pierced by q British musket ball.
1cu know the rest in the books you have read
How the British regulars fred and fled
How the farmers gave them ball for ball,
From behind each fence and farmyard wall.
Chasing the red-coa;s down the lane,
Then crossing the fields to emerge again
Z nier the trees a the turn Of the road.
And only rausing to fire and load.
So through the night rode Paul Revere,
And SO through the night went his cry Of alarm
To every Middlesex village and farm
A cry Of defiance. and not of fear
voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,
And word that shall echo forevermoro
For borne on the night-wind Of the past
Through all our history, to the last,
Ia the hour of darkness, and peril, and need,
[ be people will waken and listen to hear
The hurrying hoof-beat Of that stced,
and the midnight message Of Paul Revere.