Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1868-01-16
POETICAL.
SIN Memoriam."
sr FATHER RYAs.

The following lines, says the Savannah Ner'
Ire by Rev. A. J. Ryan, the gifted Souther
,oet, On the death of his brother, Confeder
tie soldier, who died on one of the battlefield
# Kentucky. They cannot be read withou
motion by any capable of appreciating tb
ensation so POLITICALLY expressed:
Thou art sleeping, brother, sleeping
In the lonely battle grave;
Shadows Ger the path are creeping
Death, the Reaper, still is reaping-
Years are swept and years are sweeping
Manv a memory from my keeping,
But I'm waiting still and weeping
For my beautiful and brave.
When the battle songs were chanted,
And wars stirring tocsin pealed;
By whose songs their heart was haunted
And thy spirit. pro7ed. undaunted,
Clamoured wildly-wildly painted
"MOther let my wish be granted!
will ne'er b. Knocked and taunted
That feared to meet out vaunted
Foemen on the bloody field"
"They are thronging. Mother, thronging
To thousand fields Of fame;
Let me go-'tis wrong and wronging
God and thee to crush tins longing;
On the muster-roll of glory,
In nv cOuntry's future story,
On the field Of battle CORY,
/ must consecrate my name"
"Mother. gird my sword around me;
Kiss thy soldier-boy good bye
In her arms she wildly wound thee.
To thy birthland's cause she bound thee,
With fond prayers and blessings crowned thee,
I'D ha eohhad- whom foes surronnd thee
II YOU fall know they found thee
Where the bravest love to die"
At the altar Of their nation,
Stood that mother and her son;
He-ihe victim Of oblation,
Painting for his immolation;
She in priestess' holy station
Weeping words of consecration
While God smiled his appreciation
Blessed the bows self abnegation,
Cheered the mothers desolation
When the sacrifice was done.
Forth like many noble other,
Went he whispering soft and low
"Good -bye-pray for me, my motheri
Sister, kiss me-farewell brother;"
And he strove his grief 10 smother;
Forth. with spirit proud and peerless
Forth. with footsteps firm and fearless
And his parting gaze was fearless,
Though his heart was lnn- and cherries,
Thus from all he loved to go.
Lo! Won flag OF freedom flashing
In the sunny Southern sky
On-tn death and glory dashing-
On-where swords are clanging-clashing-
On-where balls are cru hing crashing
On-mid perils dread, appalling
On-they're falling-ialling-i
On-they're growing tewer-fewer-
On-their hearts beat all the tuer-
On-on-on--no fear-no fater-
On-though round the battle-altar,
There were wounded victims groaning--
There we're diving victims moaning
Outright n-death-danger braving-
Warning where their flag was waving,
And bapfi mol Dood was laving,
With tide of crimson water,
All that field of death and slaughter;
On-still on--the bloody Idrer
Made them brave and made them braver,
On-with never a halt or waver-
On-they're battling bleeding
while the glorious shout is sounding
We will win the day or die"
And they won it-routed-riven,
Reeled the fOrmen's proud arrav.
They had struggled long and striven,
Blood in torrents they had given.
But their ranks, dispersed and driVenI
Fled disgracefully away.
MANY hart was lonely lying
There that would not throb again;
Some were ad and some were dyingj
Some were silent. some were sighng;
Thus To die-lone-unattended-
Unbewept and unbririendrd-
On that bloody battle plain.
When the twilight. sadly, slowly
Wrapped its mantle Der them all
O'er these thousands lying lOwly-
flushed in silenc deep and holy
There was one-his blood was flowing,
And his last of lite was going
Aud his pulse faint-fanter beating
Told his hours were few aud heeting;
And his brow grew white and whiter,
And his ewes grew bright and brighter
TIL re- he lay. like infant dreaming,
With his sword beside him gleamingi
For the hand in life that grasped it.
True 20 d-ath-still fondly clasprd il,
There hi comrades found him living,
Mid the heaps Of dead and dying;
And the sternest there bent weeping,
Der that lonely sleeper sleeping,
Twas the uidnight-stars shone round him
In a shrOud Of glory bound MIN
And they tcld US how they found him
Where the brayest love to fall.
Where the woods like banners bending,
Dropped in glory and in gloom
There when that sad night was ending,
And the faint, far dawn was blending
With the stars now fast descrnding-
There-they mute ard mourniul bore him
With the stars and shadows DER him
There-they laid him down. 50 tender,
And the next DAYS sun and splendor
Flashed upon my brothers tomb.