The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-06-01
OUR CENTENNIAL.
RI z. NORMAN oUNSIsoN.

RI z. NORMAN oUSSIsoN.
When Freedom first her flag unfurled
Across the land which now is free,
And shook itE bright folds % the world,
A new born glory for the sea,
Her sons were faint, her ranks were few,
Feeble her power and weak her hand;
The nurselng up 70 manhood grew,
And strobe a giant Ger the land.
And now hundred years have fed
since first that banner on the sky
Its glorious taTs and stripes outepread,
A sign Of hope and triumph nigh,
Its constellation. burning bright
Has gained new stars from other spheres
And caught the dawniBg of the light
Which flames along the endless years.
lts sons have brought the lightning down,
And harnessed il 70 do their will;
lts ferts in every harbor frOwn
Its thunders sleep on every hill:
It's power Is felt ON lana and sra.
It's commerce sweeps across the tide
And millions OF the brave and free
Nestle beneath its shelter wide
The weary centuries efete
Had grown through ye OF suffered wrong;
Before the march Of Freedoms feet
The Western world broke into song.
Art reared her temples in the land,
The hristian's cross. the tapercd spire
Rose meath the urh 81 LabOr's hand,
Ana giImmercd iu the sunset fire.
The desert waste a esrieu grew
In prairie laui in tangled fen;
The world, astonished, pausei 10 view
The grand creative power Of men,
Three millions saw the CawDing light
That bles-'d the land with Freedoms raw
And forty millions hail tho sight
That breaks upon our c! es 90 day.
The Old World brings her tribute here
To iay beiOr. the New Worlds shrine;
The tropics offering sincere
lts wealth of olives and of wine
Is laid before our feet % day.
. happy omen, ble- sd slghti
W here shone but dimly Freedoms ray,
7 he world transdgured lies in light,
One hundred years of Freedoms reign!
One hundred years OF war and peace!
a golden century gain,
bpurgcOns and blossoms with increase.
Swift rs the wInd our cOuriers 6y
Across tlc land. from sen n sea;
In northern air, on tropic sky,
streams Ous the banner OF the free.
And nesting meath each stripe and star,
Atlantic waves. Pacific foam,
Viewing the nations from far,
Shouts to their coming: Welcome hOmel"
Welcome! Columb,a's arms spread wide,
she stands beside each busy mart,
And, thrilled with JOY and touched with pride,
She folds the whole worl to her heart.
No bond Of sect, no tie Of creed,
Can make lr mar her generous plan;
The only plea that al must plead
he common broth rhJOd Of man.
The 'iiamOn4 lTum Brazilian mines
blediur mere tN AIric'. Wcalln OF gold,
And silver from the long uclines
Where COiOraa0's wealth is told.
Aud Asia lays her treasures down,
Japan AMI India appear.
Bearing their offerings TO crown
The iullneS- "f our huutrcdih year.
q Orieut LAID! where through the palms,
Nlih CeaEeiess taBe, from morn TIL night,
The spicy hrcczes hymn ileir psalms,
God give % you our boon Of light,
And make You free we are free,
That, al TIE years shalt disappear,
The West NAV reach across the rea
To join Ia your Centennial year.
Your hundred years Of freedom past,
1odr IN usard years of peaCe to come,
JnbrOken by the warlike blast
Of trumpet, ol the rolling drum.
. land Centennial 10 -dayi
God guard Jnee until time shall cease!
He blessings bJv7~ DER thy way,
And crown thee with HIS perfect peace
O blood bought landi Thy rocks and hills
Are Freedoms birthplace; and the arch
OF heaven, thai bends above thy rills,
Is vocal with Times grandest march,
For down the coming hundred years
hundred million unborn men
Close up each gap, where now appears
vacant spot by bin or glen.
dundred thousand homes shall rise,
With mIrts OF trade, with lifted spires,
And n the light of FrcedOm's eyes
Forever burn thy altar hresl
-Neg York Clipper.