Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-07-21
p O e try.
GETTYSBURG, JULY 4th. 1865.
OF THE TINE AND FLAcE

wIsE KNOWN As PRIVATE MILES RILEY.
As men beneath some load or grief
O- sudden JOY will dumbly stand.
Finding 10 word, 10 give relief
C7esr passion-warn, complete, and brief
To thoughts with which their souls expand;
= here fo-isy-these trophies nigh
Our TT milling lips no fitting words can reach
The hills around, the graves, he sky,
m, silent Ioem Of the eve
Surpasses al the arts Of speech
T-isy. Il Nat on meets 10 build
Nations trophy to the dead
Vf. lying, Ermed he' sword and shield
In, arms she sadly learned to WELD
T-r other hope # peace had fed
All alone for tho Sc who lie
z nored graves before Us blent,
- Ir proud column, broad and high,
liz upward to the blessing sky,
B-, he for all a monument.
A. smflem OF our gri,f, as well
For others for these, we raise;
Fr those beneath our feet who dwell,
aud Al. WHO IN the good cause fell
DO elmer fields, in other trays.
To . tnr sel;-same love we bear
Which here Tor marbled memory strives;
N,slier for a wreath would care
Which I'll true comrades might not share
Brothers IN death as in their lives
On Southern hill-siies, parched and brown.
To tangled swamp, on yerdant edge,
Where pines snd broadening oaks look down,
And Jasmine weaves iis yellow crown.
And trumpet-creepers elothe the hedge;
Along the shores Of endless sand,
Beneath the palms Of Southern plains,
Sleep every where hand locked in hand,
The brothers Of the gallant band
Who here poured life through throbbing veins
Around the closing ewes uf all
The same red glories glared and few
The hurrying isgs, the bugle-call,
The whistle Of the angry ball,
The elbow touch Of comrades true
The skrmsh-frC-a scattering spray;
Tie suarling growl Of fire by file,
The fbickeniug fury Of the fray
When opening batteries get in play,
And the lines form Ger many mile.
The fcemnn's yell, our answering cheer,
Red flashes through the gathering smoks.
Swift orders, resonant and clear,
Biihe cries from comrades tried and dear,
The shell-scream and the sahre-stroke:
The rolling fire from left to right,
From right 10 lef We hear it swell;
The hesdlOng charges, swif, and bright,
The ihickeung tumut Of the fight
And bursting thuuders Of the shell.
Now denser, desdler grows the strife.
And here yield, and there We gain;
The air with hurting missiles rife,
loiley for volley, life for life
No time to heed the cries of pain
Painting up the hills We charge,
Or down them az We broken roll
Life never felt so high, so large,
aud never Ger 20 vide marge
10 triumph swept the kinding soul
Nev raptur,s waken in the breast (
Amid Tins hell Of scene and sound;
The barking batteries never rest,
AMI tnken foot. by horsemen pressed,
sill ,tubh,rnly contest their ground.
Fiesh waves Of battle rolling in
i nke the pace Of shattered waves;
1.r Ines thai grow more bent and thin
AtIir. cloud, a maddening din
Iva. nus were filed these very graves
Aeli iasst length with plying vail
4 nCanl.t silence deep and fresh;
lte upuHsd faces, stained and raie
'auly the chill night dews assail-
fr colder than the dews their flesh
A1i dcher!ng far through brush and wood
g. searching parties, torch in hand
- .ze : Gu can some rest and food,
Al dsWn The fight will be renewed,
Siop ca your arms - the hushed command
They talk in whispers as they lie
In lIe-these rough and weary men;
dead OF but wouudedg' then sigh;
''No coffee either - Guess we'll try
To get n Sc two guns back again. y
I've re five flags to their one Ohio -
That hridge-'twas hot there as We passed."
' The eol,Ilel dead, 1t can't he so.
v ounded and badly-that know
But he kept saddle TO the last"
BE sure and send It if / fall"
Any tobacco. Bill, have your
- A brown haired. blue-eyed, laughing doll
q ''Good-nght, boys, and God keep you all,''
What souud aleepl Guess III sleep too"
Yes, just about this hour they pray
For Dad Stop talking! pass the word!''
And soon as quiet AS the clay
Which thousands Will be but next day
The long-drawn signs of sleep are heard.
On men, to whom this sketch. though rude,
Calls back some scene of pain and pride;
Jh, widow hugging close your brood,
Oh, wife. with happiness renewed,
Since be again is at our side;
This trophy that to-day We raise
Should be monument for all;
]
oufne a generous Nation praise
T. those who here have chanced TO fall
But let US all to-day coI.bine
SIN other monuments to raise;
Here for the Dead We build a shrine;
And Dow TO those who, crippled, pine
Le' Us give hope of happier days!
Let Homes for these sad wrecks of war
through all the land with speed arise;
l.nsues cry from every gaping scar,
'-e' not our brothers tomb debar
he wounded living from our eyes,
Alfs day, a deed as good.
t,cs scene IN which tits done,
ne b7iisy of our Nationhood;
All bsfs again the Nation stood
" ihs same day-its life re-woni
: l-'1- Of banners in the air,
H--1Fhal chant and bugle blare,
Al. green fields, spreading bright and fair,
8hle Heavenward our HOsannas roll.
hosaunss Tor a land redeemed, j
- he baYonet sheathed. the cannon dumb; S
: -ssstd, as some horror we have dreamed. Q
ne hrey meteors that here streamed G
threatening within our homes TO come, &
aEsin our banner floats abroad,
zone the one stain that on il fell
ana aetiered by his Christening rod, d
IN L, streaming eyes uplitt to God, Il
We say, liz DoETH ALL THINGS WE'LL"
Miscellaneous. n
:, -
a DIALOGUE BEHIND THE ScENEs.-Enter a :
ea'rical manager and an aspirant for =
hespian honors :,
w hat is YOUR pleasure?'- inouireS the :,