The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-09-28
ET RY. .
[From tie Charleston Daily News.
The Southern Cross.

The Southern Cross. n;
We publish below poem which We understand is
written by q young lady of this State. We think
our readers will find that she has clothed elevated
thou6ht in happy and harmonious language-GED.
NEws.]
Among those fine old Greek imaginations
Which will survive as long MS thought shall last,
There are none noblor than the constellation,
Those living memories Of the buried past.
They looked for some unchangcnbe material,
In everlasting characters to write ~
Their grand old myths, md chose the vault ethereal
And write in living hicroglyphs Of light. '.:,3
'Tis as the heroes of the ancient story,
Whose yulorous deeds those heavenly forms re-
veal,
Still looked down from the heights of glory
With the calm pity that immorals feel.
Oh bright reward of truth and bravo endeavor
Beyond the sphere of earthly change and chance
Caught up to live among the stars forever,
Forever free to roam the blue expanse
But vaguely drawn are those celestial pictures,
! Types of mans hope Of Immortality,
Ere yet the germ Of truth had burst its structures
Before the dawn Of Christianity
| We, with the light of after revolution
Trace no uncertain figures on the sky;
Only one beauteous far-famcd constellation,
| starry cross have Christians raised OIL hgh
Symbol of wel-bornc suffering, selfsubmssion
And brave endurance, raised to hcigl.s sublime,
OF faith unknown to any superstition
| OF cen the wiscst happicst hcnthcn time
Ilepletc with meaning, full of loftiest teaching,
/ That sign seemed chosen with phophetic eye
| BY those who, token Of al aim far-rcachimg,
| Fixed on our flag emblem of the sky
For i'll its form the key long denied us
| To lifes dark mysteries and failures lies,
The clue through nature labrinth to guile u.s.
| The Inv Of compensated sacrfcc
That law by which the vnnquishcd prove victorious,
| And ocr their naughty conqucrors oft prevail,
Defeated. gain immortal honors glorious.
And win in Heaven, although on earth they fail.
For there they NOT asked dAnt trophies bear sc
| From off the field Of your successful misht1
But on lifes battle ground on which side were &c
In the great conflict between wrong and right.
Who stcadfast keep life's purpose true and holy,
! Who nobly live or nobly lay life down;
Whether in lofty station in lowly,
| Famed or forgotton wear the victor crown.
Therefore ye who tic martyr dead arc gricving
| That in our country's fallen cause were slain,
Grievc not dcspairing, but in hope believing
| Thnt they have neither lived nor died in vain
| But 0s the ensign of our warrior logions,
The Southern Cross, though hidden from our
:" view,
Still CLOVIS in the clenr sky of other regions,
Still wave aiC.ft in heavens banner blue.
So those true heroes, no;y no longer lying
Low with their aag, but l.esting from their wars,
Have reached the land where STU that flag is flying
Yes, through defeat have mounted to the stars
Changing for Heaven their hard, stern patti Of duty
Their css for with dcathlcss glory br,A h
And their fame lives, shine in quenchlcss beauty,
The undying fires that form that cross Of light.