Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-05-27
BIN G e n.
BY TIE HON. MRS. NORTON.

There was lack of womans nursing there was deartl
of .womans tears :;
But comrade stood beside him, while his life blood
And bent with plying glanoes, to hear what he
The dying soldier falter'd, and he took that COM
And he said, -"I never more shall see NV own nv
native land:
Take message, and token, to some distant friends
of mine,
For was born at Bngen-at Bingen on the Rhine.
"Iell my brothers and companions, when they
meet and crowd around,
10 hear my mournful story in the pleasant vine
yard ground,
That we fought the battle bravely, and when the
day was done,
Full many corpse lay CHASTITY pale, beneath the
And mid the dead and dying, were some grown
The death wound their gallant breasts, the last
OF many scars
And some were young, and suddenly beheld life's
morn decline,
And one had come from Bingen-fair Biugeu on the
Rhine.
"Tell my mother that her other son shall comfort
her old age;
And was still truant bird that thought his home
cage,
For my father was soldier, and even as child, :.
My heart eaped forth to hear him tell of struggles
fierce and wild;
And when he died. and left US to divide his scanty
hoard,
l let them take whsteer they would-but kept my
fathers sword;
And with boyish love I hung it where the bright
light used to shine, .
On the cottage wall at Bingen-calm Bingen on the
Rhine.
"Teil my sister not to weep for me, and sob with
dropping head,
When the troops are marching home again, with
glad and gallant tread;
But to look upon them proudly, with calm and
steadfast eye,
For her brother was q soldier, too and not afraid
to die:
And if comrade seek her love, ask her in my
To listen to him kindly, without regret or shame;
And to hang the old sword in its place. (my fathers
sword and mine,)
For the honor of old Bingen-dear B,ngen on the
Rhine.
"There's another-6ot sister-in the happy days
gone by,
You have known her BY. the merriment that spar
Killed. in her eye;
Too innocent for coquetry-too fond for idle scorn.
0, friend! fear the lghtest heart makes some
times heaviest mourning.
Tell her the last night of my life or ere this moon
be risen,
My body will be out of pain, my soul be out of
prison,)
dreamed stood with her, and saw the yellow
sunlight shine,
On the yne,clad bills of Bingen-fair Bingen on
the Rhine
81 saw the blue Rhine sweep along-I heard, or
seemed to hear, Z.
The German songs we used to sing, in chorus sweet
and clear;
And down the pleasant river, and up the slanting
hill,
That echoing chorus sounded through the evening
calm and still;
And her glad, nue eyes were on me, as we pass'd
with friendly talk,
Down many path beloved of yore and well-re-
memhered walk;
And her little hand lay lightly, confdngly in mine;
Blu: we'll meet no more in Bingen-loved Bingen
on the Rhine.
His voice grew faint and hoarser-his grasp was
childish weak
HIS eyes put on dying look-he sigh'd and ceased
to speak;
Ills co@rade bent to lift him, but the spark of life
had fed
The soldier Of the Legion in a foreign land was
deadl
And the soft moon rose up slowly and calmly she
looked down
On the red sand of the battlefield, with bloody
corses strewn;
Yes, calmly on that dreadful scene the pale light
seemed to shine,
As it shone on distant Bipgen-fair Bingen on the
Rhine