The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-06-01
GFrom the London Puneh.I E5
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Eou,lv Assassinated. April I4th. 1865.


You lay wreath on murdered LincoIn's bier,
You. who with mocking pencil wont to trace,
Broad :or the self complacent British sneer,
His length Of shamblIng limb, his furrowed face,
His gaunt gnarled hands, his unk empt bristlins hair
His garb uncouth. his bearing IN At ease,
His lack OF al we prize - debonair,
or power or will to shine, Of art to please.
You, whose smart pen backed up the peacii's laugh
Judging each Eep, as though the way were plain
Reckless, SO II could psint Its paragraph,
OF chiefs perpiexlty, or peoples pain, .-.
Beside his corpse, that bears for windingsheet
The stars and Stripes no lived to rear anew,
Between the mourners ct his head and feet,
Say, scurril Jester, II there room for you!
Yes, he had lived 10 shame me from my sneer,
To lame my pencil and con flute my pen
To make nae own this kiad Of princes peer.
This ail.splitter true-born king Of men.
MY shallow judgment had learnt TO rue,
Noting how to occasions height he rose,
How his quaint wit made home-truth seem true,
How, iron-like, his temper grew by blows.
How humble, yet how hopeful he could be;
How In good fortune and In III the same;
Nor bitter In success, nor boastful he, ... .. I
Thirsty for gold, nor feverish for fame. r ..
lie VIC Mt about his work such work few
Ever had laid on head and heart and hand
A. one who knows where there's a task to do,
Mans honest will mus. Heavens good grace COM
mand; ....r..... ..r.....l...... .....
f. r
wo trusts the sire Myth will with the burden grow
That God makes instruments 10 work his Will,
II bu shat win we can arrive to know,
Nor tamper with the weights Of good and IN.
so he went forth 10 battle, on the side
That he felt clear was Liberty's and Rights,
As In his peasant boyhod he ha piled
Ills warfare with rude Nature IS thwxrtins nights
The unclearsd forest, the unbroken soil,
The iron bark that turns the lumbercr's axe.
The rapid, that o'erbears the BIO atmsn's toll, ...
The prairie. hiding the maI ell wand crers tracks.
The sinbushed Indian. and the proving bear
Such the deeds that helped his youth to train;
Eongi culture-but such trees large fruit may bear
II but their stocks be Of right girtl and grain.
So he grew up, a destined work 30 do,
ADd lived to do It; four long suffering years
Iiate, illfeeliag. iIl-repor., lived through,
And then lac heard tie misses turn to cheers,
The taunts to tribute, the abuse tn praise.
And took both with the same u,wavering mood;
TIL, as he light, from darkling days,
And seemed to touch the goal from where he Stood
A felnn had, between the goal and him, -.......
Reached from behind his back, "a trigger prest-
And those perplexed aad patient eyes were lim,
Those gaunt, iong-laboring limbs were laid t rest,
The words o I mercy were upon his lips,
Forgiveness In his heart and his pen,
When this vile murderer brought swr eclipse
To thoughts Of peace earth, goodwill to men.
The Old World snd the New fro n sea to sea,
Utter one voice Of sympathy aud shame,
Sore heart, SO stopped when t. at last beat high;
Sad life, cut short just as i,s triumph came.
A ed accurst! Strokes have been struck before
By the assassin's hand, whereof men doubt
II more Of horror disgrace they bore; . .-.
But thy foul crime, like Gains, stands darkiy out.
Vile hand, that prandest murder on a sirif',
whate'er Its grounds, stoutly and nobiy striven;
With nEch to praise, little to be forgiven. .r.--