The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-02-27
IN SzEssoREU8E--D. =. e.


| by Father Abram J. Ryan, an q7seasoriuz,l Of
younger brother who fell fghting n the
war for Southern Independence. Never has
a iond mothers nobility OF suu1, when struo.
Cling with love aud duty, shone forth more
reSpIenOent han hers of whom our scy-
press-crowned poet speaks in the ffth stan
"a And never has fraternai affection been
enba'mcd IL language more beautifully sad
than in the opening Of this sublime poem.
AS we read the plaintive, words, we fancied
they were addressed not SO much TO the ears
Of the living as to the spirit cf the fallen
one who sleeps in his lonely battle grave
The mau who can read this ode without
emotion ought not to be envied :"
Thou art sleeping, brother. sleeping.
IL tLy lonely battle grave.
Shadows o'er the past are creeping
Death. the Reaper, still is reaping-
Years have swept. and years are sweeping
Many a memory from my keeping,
But Pun waiting still and weeping
For my Beautiful and Brave.
When the battle songs were chanted
And wars stirring tocsia pealed
BY whose songs thy heart was haunted
And thy spirit, proud, undaunted,
Clamored wildly-wiidiy painted
Mother let my wish be granted
l vii ~ne'er be mOcAed ana taunted
That I feared to meet our vaunted
Foemen on the bloody field"
'They are thronging. mother, thronging,
To thousand fields of fame!
Let me go-'tiS wrong-'tis wrCnging
God aud thee to crush this longing.
On the muster roll Of glory,
Ia my COuutry's future story,
On the field of battle CORY.
must consecrate my name.
Mother, grid my sword about me;
Kiss thy soldier boy 'gooc-bye.'"
In her arms she wildly wound thee,
To thy birthland's cause she bound thee.
With fond prayers and blessings cfUwu'd
thee,
And she sobb'd-'When foes surround
thee,
If you fall, III know they found thee
Where tic brayest love to die
0
At the altar of their nation
Stood that mother and her son
He the victim OF ob,ation,
Painting for HE innolation
She-'in uriestess' holy station,
Weeping words of conservation,
While God smiled His appreciation,
Blessed the boys seif-abuegation,
Cheered the mothers deso'ation,
When the sacrifice was done.
Forth like many noble other,
" ent he whispering soft and low
Good-bye-pray for me, my mother
Sister kiss me !-farewell brotheri"
And ne strove his grief to smother.
Forth, with spirit proud and peerless
Forth, with footsteps firm and fearless;
And his parting gaze was fearless,
Though his heart was lone aud cheerIess
Thus from all he loved to GO
Lo! yon flag offreelom flashing
Ia the sunny Southern Sky
Onto death and glory dashing-
On-where swords arc cians5u ug--ciashi2g-
Ou-where balls are crusAIng--cra
Cn-'ulil perils, dread. appalling!
On-thgy're iiEg-iallip g-la!Jjnzl
On-they're growing fewer--levrert
On-they're hearts beat ali the truor!
On-On-on--no fear--uo I.ter!
On-though round the Dattc-alta.
There are wounded victims groariug-
There we're dying victims meaning
On-righU observation-disclosures
Warning where their flag was waving,
And baptislnal blood was IaYing
With d tide OF crimson water
All that field of death and slaughter
Made them brave and made them braver ::
Ou-with never halt or waver-
On they re battling-bleeding
While the glorious shout is sounding
eve will win the fight or die!"
And thoy won it Routed-riven-
Reeled the foeman's proud array,
They had struggled long and striven,
Blood in torrents they had given.
n II l.. H. 7 !
Fled dissraoefuily away.
Many heart was loueIy lying
There that would not throb again
Some were dead and some were dying;
Some were silent, some were sighing;
Thus to die, lone, unattended,
Unwept and unbefriended,
On that bloody battle plain,
When the twilight, sadly. slowly
Wrapped It's mantle DER them ali !
Ger those thousands lying lowly,
flushed in silence deep and holy,
There vas one-his blood was flowing,
And his last Of life was going
And his pulse faint-fainter beating,
Told his hours were few and feetiug
And his brow grew white and whittier,
And his eyes shone bright and brighter
There he lay like infant dreaming,
w itH us sworn DSSidG uln SieaunnR;
For the hand in life that grasped it,
True to death still fondly clasped it.
There his comrades found him lying,
mid the heaps of dead and dying;
And the sternest there bent weeping.
O'er the lonely sleeper sleeping.
Twas the midnight; stars shone round
him
In a shroud of glory bound him;
And they told US how they found him,
Where the bravest 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, fair dawn was blending
With the stars now descending
There they mute and mournful bore him
With the stars and shadows DER him
There they laid him down Sc tender.
And the next days sun and splendor
Flashed upon my brothers tomb!