The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-02-12
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The Death-lay Of William Court
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land Prentice. 49,
BY GEO. d. PRENTICE. ttfa 4taf
Once more come at set of sun
To sit beside thee, long-lost one; h..
To muse upon thy joyous prime ffr5r 81.
In that dear, a,nforgotten time, IL MN#
When thou ,lidst bound DER hills and
plains, '' ''p' 40 '''.'
Life running wild in all thy veins, "
And thou in manhoQd's young estate =.
Did'st almost seem to challenge fate.
Thine eagle-spirit ever scared ,ssr
Where thunders broke and tempest roared,
Through battles fame and smoke at
dashed, 2 i'iiisi3 F,as ame} "a
Where bayonets cleaned and sabres
,,A. g biz ,-i}D,lA3s sIESf yE1sa
But alb, fatal shaft was sped 4s5iifa .;d
And thou vast with the stricken dead; g.a
Now thou art here beneath those elods,!inf
Struck by mans lightning, not by Gods.
jaa .r9fEs3so44 h ssaGt
Dear Courtland, thou. the strong the
brave. ea 'gfE i1u -t'HuE .19gi
Fullest warriors bloody grave; wa. w..
The soil above thee, wet with showers, .a
Gives birth to sweet and ,beaateous flow.
ers ;qga st5t - i-..iaaa s91F9I
But cen the white rose to my view aaa
Bears In it veins a crimson hue, ;"
AS if it's mournful essence came '.5 III
From the red death-wounds of thy fame.
Thou sleepest we'll The bugle-note 10
Of battle may above thee float, % -yg Ell
The tramp of charging hosts. around Is 4. .ls
May like an earthquake shake the ground,
The lannon's voice. the victOrs' shout g
May through the sulphurous air peal out,
But thou wilt sleep amid the roar FL
No power bnt Gods can wake thee more,
Perchance, when fallen in the strife
Thy young lips breathed q prayer for life,
Perchance thy heart heayed one deep sigh
To think that thou so soon mustd die, atn;
But, had il been thy lot to know
The coming triumph of thy foe,
Hadst thou foreseen all rent and riven,
The cause to which thy soul was given,
Foreseen the flag, thy guide, thy star, "a
Traied low behind the conqueror's car,
Foreseen fierce dessolation's stride,
Der the bright land that was thy pride, /
Foreseen hill, plain, and vale. and wood,
Swept as by storms of fire and blood, j, -
The cline where Heavens best blessings
Changed by mans passions to hell, a2iHl
It's homes where joy and love erst met,
BY hnnger's bowling wolves beset,
It's human forms like skeletons,
It's streams ike ghostly Phlegethons, 5'''''
Thou would'st have blest with latest breath
A kind God for his Angel, Death. ~
.iEt ass 1. HHHt 8lQtGaI sisb Or i
Thy form is in this sacred spot, sfadtn 3
Thy memory and thy soul are noti;' F17'l
Thyname high hearts will love to keep
Through all thy lone and solemn sleep. II
Oft bards have strung and bards will
string r. l5ste aais sglH 80 81
Their sweet and holy lyreslto fling dj
Pure song-wreaths evermore to bloom
Like amaranths upon thy tomb ~ % 3a2i
And thoughts Of, thee in deep souls lie
Like golden clouds in Autnmn's sky. ~. 80
Bright ones will sigh-the young, the old
When thy young destiny, istold,
Thy laurels, with soft heart-dews wet, &
Brighten as suns shall rise and sat.g3 u lgIE
And tear-founts heave andiswell to thee 39.E
AS to yon moon the heaving sea. 4,t,c 4
-o~~oo~-~sAr~u-e~----
THE DYING MOTHER. 'o39
We were weeping round her pillow, j
For we knew that she must die: ltIs
1t was night within our bosums- 7sea
1T wasnight upon the SKYE gag ~
lHt&i5aH 9at ,E.ai1 9SGs Ias,-fa II
Three were seven of US Children, Il "a
In the oldest one of ALL 41ia9(
So tried to whisper comfort,
But the binding tears would fall, 4
On my knees my little brother
Leaned his aching brow and wept,
And my sisters long black tresses
Der my heaying bosom swept,
The shadow of an awful fear
Came DER me as I trod, e'}!'>a -
70 lay the burden Of our grief hS'i',73
Before the throne of God. fiilt3 9s
"Oh, be kind to one another. qzfas IN |
Mas the mothers pleading prayer ~
Asher hand lay like snowflake, Z III
0n8he baby's golden hair.a@ ~ J ! ~
la l9tileuHb ~ itI1S .ssfk II
Then a playground her forehead, nm II
Like the glory ,ofacrown,, 8, 753t,
And in the sleht sea Of death q is's'i
The star of life went down.
aEA 2.HHRE33k ZIP y U3tl3h i |
Herlatest breath borne away 1la
Upon that Toying prayeF;s pe ,ts.sn |
And Che hand grew heavier -paler,
Ia the baby's golden hair.
-s>Cc1 -ap---.o-----~~~-
THE GREATNESS OF LOVE. !