The mountain Democrat., 1865-02-18
Yrsa ~ LOuIsvins Journal
THE aEHO WITHOUT 4 NAME.
III col. WI. 9. hawkins, C. s.A.


NJ col. WI. .. HAWKINS, c. .. a.
Iloysd when = child to seek the page
M9:rs wars PrSsd tale: ~: ETs1dly told.
In the brave good days Of old,
when men f0g Virtue aud Honor fought
In serTied pride meath their banners bright,
By the fslry hands Of Beauty wrought
And bEOidsTed with NGud and Right"
And there read Of Sir LauncelOt true,
Whose deeds have been sung In . pobler strain,
And Of Boderiek the Bold who his fAlchion drew,
In the cause Of bis aativs Spain.
In thought beheid CAV Sidney ride,
His white plume d0tting the held's SxpAnse
And BayArd, who came like the swirl Of the tide,
Az he struck for the Lilies Of France.
X ::c,.-..- ~-tY>rSXtc1s,
with tne hair Of golden hue, Montr~ss, '|~
And SWarthy Douglas. whose name was awe
IN the home Of his EnRlish Eoes.
There was Wilkslried, In the eWissland famed,
And the mountatneOr'S boast, devoted Tell,
Who smiled a. before his Shait, well aimed,
His cOuntIJS tyrant fell.
Meath Erin's Gag, with its glad I" sunburst,"
was Emmett, who stands In the martyr van,
whose blood made sacred the gibbet aecurSed,
Where he died for the rights Of man.
There was Lighthouse Harry the 6rst inths fray
Ihese was Marion leading his cavaliers,
\ Warrington. too, whose grave to-day
ls the shrine Of the patriots tears.
These splendid forms were part Of the throng
0ThAt delighted me, moving In pageant grand,
Through the wastes Of Time and the fields Of Song.
From the legends Of every land.
But little hoped myself TO see
spirit akin to these stately men,
Nor thot that great hearts like theirs could be
In prisons crowded pen.
Yet I've seen in the wards Of the hospital there
A hero fancy, as peerless Of soul
pale-Iacsd boy, whose home is fair
Where the waters Of Cumberland roll
On mis- narrow cot, IN that narrow room,
"hers the music he hears iN the sigh and the
grOan.
He hes through the days long pain and gloom,
But be never makes moan.
They hewed him down with their blades Of steel
When the troopers charged from the camps Of
the foe;
But he was not kilIed-athough I feel
It would have been better so;
For my heart within me 10 very sad
As cit and hold his wasted hand,
And hear him tell Of the times that were glad
In our dear and sunny land.
There are hours again in his fever's heat
When his restless fancieS fy 70 his home,
When he talks Of the scythe in the falling wheat,
And the reapers that 60 and come
OF HIS boyish mates in their frolicsome gleo
Thro' the cedar glades and the WOODLANDS dim,
And how he carved there on many = tree
name that was dear to him;
OF the sweet wild roses that scatter the lights
Through the cottage door and the window paues,
And the October'e haze on the far-of heights,
Aud the quiet country lanes
or the rivulet'S plash, and the song Of birds,
And the eOrn-rOws standing like men with
OF his mothers prayer. and her loving wOrd',
And his cheeks are wet with teaTs,
And seem to see her, as Autumu's leaves
Fall eilently in the glen
And the swallows come back to the sheltSring
Where he shall not come again.
Then rejoice that she cannot see
How the blight has stained her faireSt bloom;
am glad thai her steps will never be
Beside his Northern tomb.
And think Of another who watches, too,
When the early stars are bright on the hill,
Nor knows that his heart, so cOnfding and true,
Will soon be forever still.
All, many in vain to their hopes shall cling,
ThTo' the dTeary morn aud mournful eve,
And memory alone shall its solace bring
10 thousand hears that prieVe.
Ny cOmrade will last but little while,
For see on every succeeding day
fainter flush, but sweeter emile,
Over his features play;
he knows that until he Is under the sod,
These walls-little better-4hAll shut him In
But his soul puts trust in the Lamb Of God,
That taketh away all sin.
And somehow, think when our lives are done,
That this humble hero without name
Will be greater up th:r" than many one
Ofthe high-boFn men of fame.
And know would rather have to-day
The crown he will wear with its fadelesS bloom,
Than Roderick's helm 90 golden and gay,
Or SydueyB snow-white plume.
o prisoner boy that were a. near
As you are now that shining Shore"
Where the waters Of love and life are clear,