Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-03-31

men to the regimental flag as fast as this war
eagle of the Sth Wisconsin. Thousands flock
to see him, and his sharp, shrill cry is always
heard, at morning and evening, with the flies
and drums of the guard. The people of Wis
consin are determined that when the war is
over, and the eagle comes home again. he
shall be kept at the public expense, in the
Capitol grounds at Madison.
But the poets are most fruitful in stories of
the eagle. The Columbus CO., Gazette, gives
up nearly column and half to a poem by
G. W. HARRINGTON, wherein the early history
of this 'ierce gray bird with the bending
beak," is narrated. 1t opens with q descrip-
ton of our own beautiful city, which we
transfer entire, for the benefit of lot owners
and others interested in its fair fame:
In the broad doorway of the bright northwest,
Reposng like stately swan at rest,
Upon the sunny margin of stream,
The silver turrets of city CLEAN.
The gorgeous trappings that the summer brings
Throughout the fowery months-the thousand
things
That Beauty stole from generous Natures hand
And scattered broadcast Ger the smiling land
For leagues around-au these might well com.
For Madison, high and blazing name,
But more than this. IT'S sweet to Think at night,
That fiuttering angel-wings, just out of sight,
Ripple around an infants crib, and keep
wakeful watch Ger innocenc e at sleep.
just SO this city sleeps: and round it's heart,
Two lovely lakelets, mile apart,
Fold their fair arms, and with their radiant eyes,
Wink kisses at it, stolen from the skies.
The poet then goes on to inform us that
once upon a time " in this sweet garden grew
darling flower full of all graces." The name
of this floral wonder was Azile-a young
woman in short. One of her pecuiarities
was that &c a kind of trance stole over those
who dared confront her eyes," and that after
lettering them thus without surprise " she
was in the habit of "laughing them back in
to the world again." which we think must
have surprised them considerably. Well,
this young woman one fine June morning
with " fair train of companions "forth
wandered to the lake." and there they man
ned their frail boat to take the eagle tree
The poet pauses here and apostrophises Lake
Mendoza, conceding that Como and Loeb Kat
rne may be "some punkins," but averring
that
-
And sparkling wealth of waters, clear and pure,
Mayest laugh the world to and still rest sure
That, spite the witchery that earth puts on,
Thou'lt shine forever beautys paragon
Having accomplished this simple act of
justice to our principal lake, he put the ladies
ahoat and directs their course to the spot
where the bold shore throws up daring
bluff" where, he adds
t'The simple fact that here an eagles nest
Secure from access built, quite enough,
To tempt Azile to scale the dizzy crest.''
If it had been easy of access probably our
Madison girl would not have attempted such
feat of climbing but the simple fact that it
was "secure from access" made her deter
mined, with the characteristic ente rprise of
our young ladies, that she would reach it.
How she made short speech to her compan-
ions, how she pointed to the &c mountain top
where, in the summit of an old dry oak the
nest was built, and how she then began to
mount the "frightful crags," how she assembled
towards the " dreamy Clouds" how she clomb
until she hung with frenzied clutch upon an
overarching wall, and how, just as her attempt
threatened to result in complete failure, a
"baby eaglet"
&c Curious to know what demon sprite, ---..
Chung meath him on that mountains hideous
LEDGE"
ventured to peep over the edge of the nest,
lost his balance and fell, and dropped within
the reach of Azile, and how she seized him
and " like the rain dashed down that conquer
ed precipice with the old eagles shrieking
after her, are all related with due minuteness.
Azile reared the young eagle, and when
the war broke out gave him to her low
err, who had enlisted in the Sth, and who
persisted while charging with the eagle Gin
the very face of DEATH" Then we are told
how the eagle winged forth with warrior
eyes to scan the Rappahannock and the Rap
idan !" how he circled DER the plain at Fred
ericksburg, and then few back to the sth
and accompanied them in the conquest of
Vicksburg. Having brought the history of
the eagle down to this point, the writer, with
poetical license, dips boldly into the future,
and draws a picture Of the final battle in
which the rebellion is to be crushed, and in
which the eagle will play a most conspicuous
part This must be told in the writer's own
words, for he evidently put on full head of
steam in its production: #
Then, come we now, to that triumphant day,
When, after serious loss and long delay,
The north arose in all her majesty,
To crush rebellion with blow, and give
Back IN their teeth the lie, to those that live
In European bondage, and yet say
Your great Republic now has passed away.
Wild was the furious clan gor that arose,
From the inn umerable mass of those,
Who forming now with rash impetuous ire,
Loud cIamored for the signal word to fire.
1t came at last, and from that living wall
Blaz~d forth a stream of death, that aooiHd oppas
and shame the earring angels, hat Nth mid
And tender playfulness tore up the utld
And shaggy mountains bythesr roots, and threw
Upon the rebel hosts in Satan's crew
Enough of earth to keep them out OF view
All day the battle ragedl and hungry War,
Has swallo wed up the largest portion lar
Of those Pre- I'D armies, that at early morn
Sprang to the call of the stern bugle horn;
And yet, as if assured that this would be
The last blind fight, for human slavery,
He gorged himself, and, reaching out again,
Flung thousands more upon the groaplng plain.
The battle often wavered; but the oak
Stern and inspiring as the eagle croak $500
That rang along the foremost bleeding line
Still firmly FLASHED against the southern pine:
Aud the fierce cry that came ringing out
Fight for the Gag e, boys brought back the shout
God and the eagle from ten thousand m en-,
That now, like tigers fighting in their den,
sprang on the foe, and carved their bloody way