The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-03-27
To fhe Memory Of Henry Watkins Allen.


% the Memory Of Henry Watkins Allen
Inscribed to the Noble Women of Louisiana.
By COL. A. ". HOBBY
As sinks the sun along the Arctic skies,
And his last ray in purple twilight dies,
A silence deepens DER the lonely soul
OF those dark dwelers round the icy pole;
Eyes brim with tears the heart with sorrow thrllfs
As night descends upon their frozen hills
So went and felt we, when the saddened breeze
Sighed from the Exe's home beyond the seas.
And murmuIing whispered to his native shore
That her bright sun had set to rise no more
Why weeps that maiden? why in gloom she roTcs!
Nor needs the fragrance of her orange groves
Why rests sadness on fhat iron brow?
A tear-that eve has never known til now.
WHY stops the child at play? three Aprils old,
And earth aud air a solemn stiffness hold:
And why does grief extend its darkened pail
And universal sorrow sadden all:
What! weep not for him. whose deeds sublime
Are rolled with grand music on the breeze of time
Sun in Glory $ armament hath set,
But in its dying rays we llEger yet.
That splendid sun that lit the Southern sky,
Warmed every heart, and kndled every eye;
No spot appeared upon It's golden zone,
No borrowed light--its radiance all It's own:
Spread TO the distant worlds its piercing beam,
Or touched the modest violet on the stream;
Kissed every tear-drop from the tender Hover.
That bent its leaves beneath the storms rude power;
Unclasped the ice-bands from the SNOWY hills,
Called the luSlel music from LLe F0iCettSs THIS
AYak'd the spring-buGS from their sleep ct death,
To breathe the fragrance OF their SPICY breath;
To paint the cherries field and faded bowers,
In all the loneliness Of summer houTs0
Who would not feel, when such sun had SET
The deepest SORROWS OF long regret.
Oh, ALLEN! if within your lonely grave
Where summers troplc blooms forever wave
The sounds of Southern woe, that now we hear,
Could pierce its portals to thy spirit ear,
In one broad, deep, Confederate voice twoud rise,
And half repay thee for thy sacrifice.
If solemn grief be ours, how doubiy great
Thy grief Shall be our mourning sister State;
He was thy son, whose purity and fame
Gage splendid lustre to your own bright name.
But glorious deeda Ike his, not thine alone,
Fame proudly spreads them with her trumpet tone,
Till every pulse was fired and heart W Us stirred,
When ALIENS great and glorious name was heard.
Oh for some mighty hand that would aspire
To sweep the golden chords of Southern Tyre,
To breathe her own great names in martial song
And point the brave and true III Fame's proud
throng.
Oh. who shall estimate the greatness lost,
Or tell the virtues that adorned him most:
The civic Chicftain of q ruined State
Once proudly prosperous, and truly great
Now echoed but to hostile armies tread,
4 boundless waste, where desolation spread
One cherries shadow DER the land, aud there
Starvation 5 cries were mingled with despair.
The trembling ship that iercely storms assail,
And helpless staggerS to the rushing gale,
Turns boldly to the waves, that would o'erwheRl,
When the undauuted pilot takes the helm.
So with tremendous might this master hand
Stayed dread Distinctions march upon the land,
Touched the State corpse OF credit, and it
In smewed strength, giant on his foes:
The barren fields again were decked in bloom,
The anvil echoed to the whirring loom;
Ills sails ofcommerce whitened in the breeze,
Despite the watchful santries of the SEAS
Returned through dangers with their smiling store;
To clothe the naked and to feed the poor
And grateful tears in Borrowing eyes were born,
4 filled her
When hearts grew faint in dangers darkest hour,
A demand was made on Alien power
His wGrdr9us eloquence was deeply breathed,
And Hope, with confidence, her brow enwreathed
He swept with mighty hand on passions Tyre,
His words were edged with patriotic fire;
Though sunk in cowardce, or ribbed in steel,
No heart but answered to his great appeal;
His willing ear heard tales of deep distress,
His ready hand gave to the wronged redress.
True to the last--did all that man could dare
To shield the helpless was his latest care
True to the laSt-from heavens meridian height
Saw Glorys Southern Sun sink down in night!
True to the last-as sorrow teardrop fell
To broken hearts he bade last farewelll
True TO the last-he saw the last act close,
And sought in foreign lands long repose.
In foreign lands that lonely Exile sleeps
No eye Of lore its faithful vigil keeps.
By strangers hands alone his eyes were closed,
By strangers hands his mangled limbs composed
BY strangers hands his shroud of martial gray
That shown resplendentn the Southern fray
Was wrapped oh! warmly DER his noble breast !;
Within its fold more calmly will he rest
Meet type, to clothe in gray, his manly form,
Alike undaunted they had met the storm,
Alike their stainless purity had kept,
Alike will be remembered, loved, and wept,
Alike in tears and silence LAID away,
Alike immortal are their mouldering clay.
But noble louisiana on thy breast
Thy heros ashes shall at last find rest
Thy hands, in love, are reached beyond the wave
; That thy proud city shall contain his grave.
Oh let thy noble daughters tender care
\ fitting burial for their chief prepare,
And bear him lovingly, with penslYe tread.
To the dim city of the silent dead.
Where vines shall clasp, and fragrant flower
bloom,
In sweet profuson Ger great ALIENS Tomb
While raised on high the~marble pyramid
Shall tell, beneath the hero's dust is hid,
And on its polished surface richly spread
These God-llke virtues of the noble dead
Oh! Death, within thy halls of rest,
Receive this great and noble guest!
BY broken hearts was me- conveyed,
To hands Of thine, nober shade.
Affections hands have reared this trust,
To Guard HERDS sacred dust
Memorial of as pure a man
As blessed the earth since time began.
His Laurels bright, the honors claim
Of Christian, Statesman, Warriors name:
In halls of wisdom wisely grear,
A master in the grave debate;
In. battle field the first to lead
4 tower of strength in day of need.
On him did Justice never frown,
His brow wore Duty iron crown,
And Honor gave hin, from his birth,
\ mountainAInaiesty Of worth;
While mercy smiles, rec0unting Ter
His boundless blessings 10 the poor.
Sleep, Hero, sleep rest, Patriot rest
Among the hearts that loved thee best
Long as the sun on high shall burn
We'll bend with reverence DER thy urn,
And tears of love, till Times last day,
Shall cOusecrute thy haliowed clay.