Daily globe., 1879-09-21
100 YEARS AGO.
From Bryant's Centennial Poem at Cum
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100 YEARS AGO.
From Bryant's Centennial Poem at Cum
A century since, unbroken wood
Ger all these hills and valleys stood,
Save here and there sunny spot.
Where the first settlers hands had made
An opening in the boundless shade,
And reared his solitary cot,
Soon changed the scene; soon opened wide
Green pastures on the mountain side;
Where the fierce panther, wolf and bear,
Through countless years had kept their lair,
Sleek herds of klne and flocks of sheep
Cropped the fresh herbage of the steep,
AND tasseled maize and wheat and rye
Grew rank beneath the kindly sky,
Where once slow creeping glaciers passed
Resistless DER frozen waste.
Deep-rooted in the virgin mould,
The dover of centuries untold.
Broad orchards clothed in radent bloom,
Filled the wide air with rich perfume
And when the genial Autumn came,
And maple boughs were red like flame,
And oil the giants of the wood,
In robes of princely beauty stood,
Earth's plenteous fruits were gathered in,
With grateful hearts and joyous din.'
All, what intrepid souls were they
Who cleared those trackless woods away!
What tlreless sinews, bone and Drawn,
That smote the trees from early dawn
Till daylighCs latest rays were gone!
No whining eight-hour men were they.
Who feared the chill of early day;
They kept the pinch of want away
With industry and watchful care
iii these had brought them generous fare
Else had those mighty forest trees
Still stood to buffet storm and breeze.
Ah, those were jolly registering days,
When strong men piled the logs on high,
And billowy smoke and towering blaze
shone grandly on the evening sky.
And jibes went round and merry Jest,
AS the sWart laborers took their rest
Al lunch hour, in some shady nook
Hard by q fountain or a brook;
And where, within an eddying pool,
Brown Bet was laid to keep her COOL
And when ,arou, the cabin door.
They gathered at the twilight hour,
what Wonderous tales those woodmen told.
~ lights with bears and panthers bold
Al in strain of reckless glee,
Well garnished with hyperbole:
Each one the hero of his story,
self-crowned with daring deeds and qlory.
On holidays the boys and men
Had games and sports athletic then:
Our wrestlers did not fear to meet
" tneighboring towns their picked athlete,
And, by superior strength and knack.
Oft laid the champion Oh his back. .,..
Our youth were agile, 1.-the and tall,
Could catch with skill the flying ball.
And clear the circle round, as feet
Almost as wild deer's nimble feet,
Then, when the seventh days setting sun
Told that the long weeks toll was done,
flushed in deep stillne. was the hour.
AS II some overruling power
Had sent through all the waiting land.
stern and absolute command.
That worldly toll and noise should cease
ana man and beast find rest and peace.
And when the first days morning rose
The solemn silence and repose
Still brooded on till daylight's close
The law OF stern opinion then
HE'D IN firm grasp the ways Of men:
1t kept in check the restless bows
VINO Sundays long. d for play and noise.
And keenly felt the close restraint,
But dared not to make complaint.
lad once, bolder than the rest,
.iI ihus to his mate his thought confessed:
You know Fast day; well, that is one day
That is almost as bad as Sunday"
For Sundays then to children here
We're days of weariness and fear.
Yet those old sires were of the stock
That landed upon Plymouth Rock:
Who deep and broad foundations laid
And anted here the tree, whose shade
oneltereo people great and free
Whose branches stretch from sea to sea
Those were not days Of lace and silk.
i silver spoons and dainties rare,
But homespun clothes, brown bread an
milk,
In pewter dish and wooden ware:
And pork and beans for Sunday fare:
Bean porrldge hot, bean porr. dye,
Zen sometimes more than nine daps old
Waited the tiller Of the soil
Returning from his daily toll,
Rude were the dwellings of that dav.-
Log cabins daubed with moisteneI CLAW
The scanty roof with many a chink.
Through which the stars are seen to blink
And whence, in winter storms. the snow
Was slfted on the floor below: -
The broad, deep fireplace, rough and rude
Was piled with logs of maple wood.
When the keen frosts of winter came.
SLOW climbed at first the smoke wreath's blue
Ihen, bursting into tongues of flame
Went roaring up the chimney fiue.
And, through long, drear Winter night
Eneer the DULL hours with warmth and light.
Round their proud mothers fair to see.
Like saplings meath shcltering tree.
Stood ruddy children, nine or ten.
Soon to be maidens. DANES and men.
Examples worthy Of all praise.
But rarely followed in these days.
And shall the race Of Saxon blood.
That hardship, cold and storm withstood
And tanned the wilderness, now melt
Away before the advancing Celt?
These fe DIS, subdued by hands so free
Pay tribute to the Roman See?
Kind heaven forbid that this should be.