The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1876-02-25
POETRY. 1sb7ol5 rs
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THE HERO.
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BY JOHN G. WHITTIER.

"Oh, for knight like Bayard, aa
ha Without lreproach or fear;
My light glove on his casque of steel.
,' My love-knot on his spear! ~. 49, s.r7 =.
"Oh, for the white plume floating,
Sad Zutphen's field above
The lions heart in battle,
The woman's heart in love.
"Oh. that man once more were manly,
a13 ID Woman's pride and not her scornl
eHf That once more the pale young mother,
qs.sgf Dared boast a man is born ,!
T" But now life's slumbrous current
No sun-bowed cascade wakes;
No tail, heroic manhood
The level dullness breaks.
''oh, for knight like Bayard as -4ts
81 Without reproach or fear = -s.est sss=a e 2
4 EsaE MBaliglit gioNe0nshis casque of STEEL
F My loye-knot ON his spear"
Then ] said, my own heart throbbing,
To the tune her proud pulse beat
. Life hath its regal natures yet,
True, tender, brave and sweet
Smile not, fair unbeheyer-
One man at least know,
Who might wear the crest of Bayard,
Or Sidney's plume of snow.
Once, when over purple mountains
Died away the Grecian sun,
And the far Cyllenian ranges
Paled and darkened one by one,
=" Fell the Turk, bolt of thunder.
CleaVing all the quiet sky,
and against his sharp steel lightnings
Stood the Suliote but to die
. Woe for the weak and halting!
The crescent blazed behind
A curving line of sabers
Like fire before the wind
=" Last to fly and first to rally,
Rode ne of whom speak,
When groaning in his bride path,
Sank down a wounded Greek
" With the rich Albanian costume
Wet with many ghasty STAIN
Gazing on earth and sky as one
Who might not gaze again.
He looked forward to the mountains
Back on foes that never spare,
Then flung him from his saddle
And placed the stranger there
" Allah hu thro' flashing sabres,
Thro' stormy hail of lead,
The good Thessalian charger
Up the slopes of Olives spread.
Hot spurred the turbaned riders
He.almost felt their breath,
Where mountain stream rolled darky down
Between the hills and DEATH
One brave and manful struggle!
He gained the solid land,
And the cover of the mountains
And the Carbines of his band''
1t was very great and NOBLE"
Said the moist-eyed listener then;
But one brave deed makes no hero.
Tell me what he since hath been
Still braYe and generous manhood
Still an honor without stain,
In the prison of the Kaiser,
By the barricades of Seine
But dream not helm and harness
5ses see aPn sgR ct 3Rfff tests It's Of manhood
Than battle ever knew.
'Wouldst know him know Behold him
The Cadmus of the blind,
Giving the dumb lip language,
The idiot clay mind.
walking his round of duty
Serenely day by day,
With the strong mans hand of labor,
And the childhoods heart of play.
True as the knights of story,
Sir Launcelot and his peers:
Brave in his calm endurance
As they in tilt of spears. ......
''Aswayes in stillest waters,
AS stars in mondays skies,
All that wakes to noble action,
In his noon of calmness lies.
Wherever outraged nature
Asks word or action brave,
Wherever struggles labor,
Wherever groans slave,
wherever rise the peoples,
Wherever sinks a throne,
The throbbing heart of Freedom finds,
An answer in his own.
Knight of better era,
Without reproach or feaf,
Said not well that Bayards
And Sidneys still are here 2"