The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1879-09-26
A GEN OF POETRY.

The following poem was written by Ger
Edwin G.. Lee, of Virginia, and publshe
in the Southern Metropolis, weekly pape
issted at Baltimore during the years ls6
and 1870. As the Metropolis Is long sine
dead, and the poem, which ! cannot bu
regard us an exquisite gem, is entombe'
In the perished paper, have copied tn
lines and enclose them to you. Their re
publication will be almost equivalent to
first appearance. Ihave read Thackeray'
poem on the tnoCking bird, and severa
other effusions by met of note on the ia
nous Southern songster. I regard thes'
lines of Gen. Lee as the most beautiful
of them all. Poor fellow! He wrote then
daring voyage to Florida in October
1869, when he was stricken by consump
tion, and had gone to the Everglades il
quest of that health which he never got
Within year OF two after he died. HI
was related to the great Confederate chief
tain, Gen. r. E. Lee, and among the mem
bers of a gifted family, who for genera.
tions in Virginia have been remarkable
for their talents, Gen. E. G. Lee was a
conspicuous ornament. think his name
should be known and honored, and all
who read this little gem Of his will NO
doubt agree with me: .. M.
TO A MOCKING BIRD.
Hal n,,ou honrJ Aha ob ~ n rG,o daot thlaoo q
note,
As with ambitious wing,
And more ambitious song, he seemed to
float
Almost where angels singf
As though he sought to steal some heav-
emily strain
To fill the measure of his own refrainf
Hast thou had teaching from the nightin-
gale,
Hymning the list'ning moonf
Or slyly covert in some secret vale,
Conned DER the thrushs tunei
And caught the rich, full throated gush he
filings
Into the orchestra that April bringsf
To learn the bul-buls note, DER Persia's
sands
Hast thou unwearied flown.
Or snatched thee from the fair Australian
strands,
The bell birds vibrate tone,
That thou can'st blend its lingering silver
thrill
With parodies of jay and whippoorwill'
Do orioles from verdant Chesapeake,
And crested cardinal,
With linnets from the Severn, come to seek,
Obedient to thy call 7
f they can give thee one new music
thought,
Who ev'ry note from ev'ry land hast
caughti
)r hast thou been where music fountains
, start,
Meath mystic, mythic skies'
md drank too deeply, that from out thy |
heart
Such glorious melodies
.eap gushing-gurgling-in tumultuous |
throng
Until the quivering tree top drips with
songf
fethinks the rarest choirs of fairyland
Attuned each choicest chordj
hen sent the master sougsters from each
land,
And bade them teach thee, bird
Tho, having taught, bewildered gathered
round
nd maryeled where such wondrous song
was found.
cd bless the Southland bird! God bless
thy lay;
Like music in dream,
floats from old Potomac's cliffs away
To Colorado's stream;
rom where virginia's mountain torrents
roar,
y where the warm Gulf laps the Texas
shore;
here Creole maids their loved and lost
ones weep II
Among the cypress glades; II
T Carolina's blue-eyed daughters keep
Beneath magnolia's shades
he darling graves where rest their darl- ,
ing dead, II
nd Ilay camelias DER the sleepers head
nd everywhere the joyous medleys ring,
The weary mourners smile,
I'd ssddest hearts grow bright to hear
thee sing, .......
Sweet music-king the while
icy breathe, "God bless the" thou that
dost belong
us, o bird of universal song!
Internal Revenue Taxation.
ckson Clarion. Q
For the fiscal year ending June
n