The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-01-11
a1rerN ON THE RHINE.

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By REQUEST Va reprint this beautiful and touching poem
bJ Ma HEkAss II has found many echo on our own
batls-nelda. .-.-
A Soldier Of the Legion lay dying in Algiers'
There was lack Of woman's nursing, 'neFe
was desrth Of Woman's tears; :.
But . comrade stood before him, while his
life-blood ebbed away,
And bent with plying Slanees 70 near what
he might say.
Tho dying soldier fsltered, as he took that
comrades hand,
And said: al never more shall see my own,
my native land;
Take = message and 8 token to some distant
friends Of mine,
For was born at Bingen, fair Bipgen on the
Rhine.
Tell my brothers and companions when they
meet and crowd around
To hear my nournful story in the pleasant
vineyard ground,
That We fought the battle bravely; and when
the day wus done,
Full many corpse lay CHASTITY pale beneath
the setting sun;
And midst the dead and dying were some
grown old in wars,
The death-weund on their gallant breast, the
last Of many scars.
But some were young, and suddenly beheld
life's morn decline,
. And ono had como from Bingcn, from Blngen
on the Rhine.
Tell my mother that her other son shall COM
fort her old ego,
That I was still truant bird who thought
his home cage;
For nv father was o soldier, and even as
child,
Ny heart leaped forth to hear him tell Of
struggles fierce aud wild;
And when he died and left US to divide his
scanty horde,
I let them take rhsteer they would, but kept
my fathers sword,
And With boyish love hung it where the
bright light used to shine
On the cottage WALL at Bingen, fair BinScn
on tho Rhine.
Tell my sister not to weep for me, or sob NTH
dropping head,
When the troops are marching home again
with glad and gallant tread;
But look upon them proudly, with calm and
steadfast eye,
For her brother was soldier who did not fear
to die.
And il . comrade seek her love, ask her in
my name,
To listen to him kindly without regret or
shame;
And hang the old sword in its place-my
fathers sword or mine
For the honor Of old Birgcn, loved Bingen on
the Rhine.
There's another-not a sister-in the happy
days gene By,
You'd have known her By tho merrimcnt that
sparkled in her ego;
Too Innocent for coquctry-too fond for Idle
Oh, friend fenr the lightest hear. makes
sometimes heaviest mourning.
Toll her the last night Of my life-(for ere
the morn be risen,
My body will be out Of pain, my soul be out
Of PRISON.
dreamed stood with her, and saw the yell
low sunlight shine
On the riuc.clad hills of Bingeu, loved Bingen
on the Rhine.
saw tho blue Rhine sweep along-1 heard,
or seemed to hear,
The German songs VIC used to sing in chorus
sweet and clear;
A, down tho pleasau. river, and up the slant
ing hill,
Tho echoing chorus sounded through the owe.
ming calm and still;
And her glad blue eyes were on me, as We
passed with friendly talk
Down many path beloved Of yorc and we'll
remembered walk;
And her little hand lay lightly, con6dingly
in mine,-
But we'll meet no more at Binsen, fair Bingen
on the Rhine"
His voice grew faint and hoarscr-his grasp
was childish weak,
His Dyes pu. on dingy loOk-hc sighed and
ceased to speak;
His comrades bent to lift him, but the spark
of life had fed,
The soldier Of the legion in foreign land
- had died.
The pale moon rose up slowly, and calmly she
looked down
On tho red sands Of tho battlefield with
bloody corses strcwn;-
Yes, calmly on that dreadful scene her pale
light seemed 10 shine,
As shone on distan. Bingep, fair Bingen on
tho Rhine.