The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-12-16
portital Selections.
Bingen on the Rhine.

las Mrs. Caroline Il. Norton's great ballad
whose pTthos has held the hearts OF two genera
tions. is very appropriate since the commence
ment of the Franco German war, W. reproduce
1t for tho beneft of our readers:l
A soldier OF the Legion lay dying In Algiers
There was lack of woman's nursing, there was
dearth of woinans tears;
But n comrade stood beside him while his liie-
blood ebbed away,
And bent with plying glances, to hear what ho
The dying soldier faltrred, as he took that COM
rade's hand,
And he said, II never more shall see my own,
my native land;
Take II ssage and token to some distant
friends OF mine,
For 1 was born ut Blngen-at Blngen on the
Roine,
"Tell my brothers and companions, when they
meet and crowd around,
To hear my mournful story, in the pleasant
vineyard ground,
That fought the battle bravely-and that
when the day was done,
Full many corpse lay ghastly pale. beneath
the setting sun,
And midst the dead and dying, were some
grown old in wars
The death wounds their gallant breasts, the
last of many sears;
But some were young and suddenly beheld life's
morn decline,
And one had come from Bingen-fair Eingen ON
the Rhinei
Tell my mother that her other sons shall COM
fort her OLD age.
For was still n truant bird that thought his
home II cage;
For my father was a soldier and oven when a
child
My heart leaped forth to hear him tell of strug-
giles fierce and wild;
And when he died, and lett Us to divide his
scanty hoard,
let them take whate'er they could, but kept
my fathers sword;
And with boyish love hung 1t where the bright
light used to shine,
On the cottage wall at Bingen-calm Blngen on
the Rhine.
"Tell my sister not to weep for me, and sob with
dropping head,
When the troops come marching home again
with glad and gallant tread,
But to look upon them p' oudly, with q calm and
steadfast eye,
For her brother was a solder, too, and not afraid
TO die;
And If a comrade seek her love, I ask her in my
name
To listen to him kindly, without regret or shame;
And TO hang the old sword in its place, my fa-
theirs sword and mine,
For the honor OF old Bingen-dear Bingen on
the Rhine.
"There's another--not a sister-in happy days
gone by,
You'd have known her by the merriment that
sparkled in her eye;
Too innocent for coquetry-too fond for idle
scorning;
| o, friend fear the llghtesl heart makes some-
times heaviest mourning.
Tell her the last night of my life (or ere this
moou be risen
| My body will be out OF pain, my soul be out OF
prison)
dreamed stood with her and saw the yellow
| sunlight shine
On the vine clad hills of Bingen-iair Bingen on
| the Rhine.
. I saw the blue Rhine sweep along-I heard oil
seemed to hear,
The German songs we used to sing, in chorus
| sweet and clear;
And down the pleaoant river, and up the slant
ing hill,
The echoing chorus sounded, through the eve
| ming calm and stil';
! And her glad blue eyes were on me, Rs we passed
with friendly talk,
Down many u path beloved of yore, and well
| remembered walk,
And her little hand lay lightly-confdinsy II
| mine
But wei meet no more at Bingen-loved Binger
| on the Rhiue!"
His voice grew faint and hoarse-hls grasp wa
! childish weak
| His eyes put on dying look-he sighed ant
| ceased to speak;
| His comrade bent to lift him. but tho spark o
| life had fled;
| The soldier of the Legion IN foreign land wa
| dead!
! And the soft moon rose up slowly, and calml,
| she looked down
| on the red sand of the battle field, with bloody
| corpses strown;
| Yes, calmly on that dreadful scene, her pail
| light seemed To shine,
As 1t shone on distant Bingen-far Bingen OF
| the Rlinet