The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1864-05-14
THE VIRGINIA MOTHER.
By EDNA DEAN PROCTOR.

Ny home is dreGr and still tonight.
When Shenandoah, murmuring, flows;
The Blue Ridge towers in the pale moonlight,
And Galmily the south wind blows
But my fire burns dim, while athwart the wall
Black the pines the shadows fall;
And the only friend within my door
Is the sleeping hound on the noonlit floor.
Roll back, o weary years and bring
Again the gay and cloudless morn
When every bird on the wing,
And my blithe, summer boys were born
My Courtney fair, my Philip bold
With his laughing eyes and his locks Of gold
No nested bird in the valley wide
Sang my heart, that eventide.
Our laurels blush when MAJ winds call;
Our pines shoot high through mellow showers;
So rosy flushed, so slender-tall.
My boys grew up from childhood's hours.
Glad IN the breaze, the sun, the rain,
They climbed tile nights or they raamed the plain
And found where the fox lay hid at noon,
And the shy fawn drank by the rising moon.
What drew our hunters from the hills
They heard the stormy trumpets blow;
And leapt adowu like April riils
When Shenandoah rOars below.
One, to the feld where the old flag shines;
And one, alas to the traitor lines
My tears-their fond arms round me thrown
And the house vas hushed and the hill side lone
But oh to feel my boys were foes
Was more than loss or battles steel
In every shifting cloud that rose
saw their hostile squadrons wheel;
And heard in the waves, as they hurried by,
Their hasty tread when the fight was nigh
And, deep in the wall which the night-winds bore
Their dying moan when the fgh5 was DER.
So time went on-the skies were blue;
Our wheat-felds yellow in the sun;
When down the vale rider flew:
"Ho! neighbors, Gettysburg is won
Hors. and foot, a. the cannon mouth
We hurled them back to the hungry South -
! The North il safe; and the vile mGrauder
! Curses the hour he crossed the border.
Ny boys were there IL nearer prest-
And Phillip, Courtney, what of them :"
| His voice dropped low 90 madam, rest
Fails sweet when battles tide we stem.
Your Philip was first of the brave that day
! With his colors grasped az in death he lay;
! And CoRrtney-well, only knew
Not man was left If his rebel crew p
My home is drear and still tonight
! Where Shenoudoah, mur"uring, flows;
The Blue Ride towers in the pale moonlight,
And balmiiy the south wind blows;
! But my fire burns dim, while athwart the wall
| Black rs the pines tho shadows fall:
And the only friend within my door
l. Il the sleeping hound on the mOonlit floor.
Yet still in dreams my boys own;
They chase the deer Ger dewy hills.
Their hair by mountain winds is blown,
Their shout the cchoing valley fills
Watts from the woodland. spring sunshine
Come as they open this door of mine;
And l hear them sing by the evening blaze
The aorgs they sang in the vanished days.
I cannot part their lives ard say.
This was the traitor, this the rue
God only knows why one should stray,
And one go pure deaths portals through.
They have passed from their mothers clasp anc
care;
But my heart ascends in the yearning prayer
/ That His larger love will the two enfold-
My Courtney fair and my Philip bold