Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-11-01

our young c0untyman, -. Is. LUCAS, ESQ.,, read the
following exquisite poem, which closed the exerei-
ses at the cemetery: ~
What time the people felt the breath of War
Hot as the Titan's struggling for release,
Thro' Etna's flames Virginia afar
Flung forth her voice loud crying peace!
Twas not for this our Fathers CLEFT the main "
Twas not for this their blood flowed out, n sea
Whose tides bound to the planet Liberty
Would not return till she arose again
"Twas not for this that Glory clap'd her hands,
When !, impregned by Mars. bore Washington,
While Fame, her sister, shouted to the lands
His name so loud twas heard up to the sun
Twas not for this my Henry from his lair
Arousing bin, outroared the Numean King!
Twas not for this, as but too light thing
To weigh gainst love, gave an empire up TO share!
''Nol No! twas not Tor this Be not too fasti ,
Come sit with me! recount our present good
So heavy that itleans against the past,
And presses ON the future with its load:
Be patient, compromise, give up, agreed ~
The star that saw our birth shall grow to be
Large as the continent from sea TO sea,
And brighten all the globe with liberty"
Her prayers in vain, the State put on her mail,
And wearing armOr as bride her gems,
Sent forth her warriors in their glittering steel
Chanting, erst the gods their battle-hymns:
"Fiing wide the port of War let Slaughter slip
Mother! thine affairs are again at stake.
Thy locks Of strength, does his name the deepr'
Then on her breast our Mother bore the tramp
OF thousands, and her Sisters no less brave,
Sent many golden youth to camp,
To hospital, TO battle, and the gravel
And all that skill could do or courage dare
Was wrought and dared upon the battle-plain !;
BOYS veterans grew, grey men grew boys again,
And tender maids smoothed down the brow Of w ar!
And 10 | there gailoped thro' the gate of War
Two brothers, riding side BY side, with spurs,
And nodding pumes, and swords that CLEAN in air,
And eyes like day when first the sun appearsi
They strobe their steeds Neptune strides the sea-
And name TO name, they bounded thro' the Vale,
Like music or like laughter the gale,
And smiled at Danger as more brave than he
Their long black locks did court our Southern wind
Which left the orauge-buds, and citron-groye
To follow them, tho often left behind,
planning in soft olian signs oflove.
One fatal morning laid the younger low
No more by rafting hoof Of his the fawn
Was startled as she browsed the bill at dawn
No more his bugle-blast struck terror to the foe
His Brother dead, like Leda's Jove-born SON
On milk white steed among the Argiye youth,
TheAsHBy mid his Southern comrades shone,
Craving one Immortality for both
Full oft at dawn Potomac saw him nigh,
His beard upon his charger flowing free
"a black-swan's wing upon the frothy sea y
The war-gazc filing all his dark romantic eye;
By eve the fount far up some Hampshire dell
Laughed in the snowy fetlocks Of his steed!
But off the edge of War the Ashby fell
Dropt like star, and went out with the dead =
Here lie the Twain their epitaph be this:
''These Brothers struggling one just cause to gain
One Immortality achieved in vain;
And now together sleepin one sweet dream ofpeace!
"They are not Death'sl Relinquished all his claim!
Their deeds to Histry, and immortal song,
Their souls to God. their memories to Fame,
Their ashes to Virginia belong
Sleep Heroes with no weight but flowers, sleep!
Your Mother, like the Osprey makes her nest
For you with feathers pluek'd from her own
breast,
Until the trumpet sound then a-birds! wing the
deep! -..f 500 -