San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1880-01-03
A Dream Of Fame.
BY ISAAC H. JULIAN,

o say not Fame's an idle breath,
The simple heart from truth beguiling, =
A charm to be dissolved In death,
A false, deceptive siren smiling:
No, tits the gift Of God TO man.
For none but God could give the token,
That, far beyond life's narrow span,
The minds dominion 10 unbroken.
II 10 the master of the mind,
And spurs 1t on to deeds Of glory;
without it what were human kindf
A blank had been Earth's proudest storyl
cannot scorn this mighty power
Which her best sops have own'd, adoring;
'Tis present with me every hour,
NY spirit mid lifs's ills restoring.
But oh, my God may no false fire
Usurp this holy light Of Heavenl
Let not my soul by low desire.
Or vain or selfish aims be driven:
MOI be II mine to choose grave
BY all unhonored and forgotten,
Rather than make myself the slave
Of fame so false, delled. and rotten.
do not Gravel loaihe the wreath
All reeking from the field Of slaughter
The harvest field Of sin and death,
Where human blood's 2our'd out like waterl
Nor would 7 share the statesman's pride.
II deeds like these be all his glory
Baptized in wars fell purple tide
His hands with murder red ard CORY!
scorn alike the mob's applause
And those who are elated by H.;
The pride OF wealth, which folly draws,
I loathe II, and dare defy II.
The empty pomp Of worldly pride,
Devoid OF sense. or taste, or beauty.
Sinks into low contempt beside
The path Of virtue and Of duty.
For all I've thought, or said, or writ,
Or done, or that may yet attend me-,
I ask ne praise for sense or wit,
Or wealth or station to hefriend me;
But u. beyond life's narrow span,
My name be ever heard or spoken,
May It Of what was once MAN
Alone be honor'd as the token
A man, who labored for his kind.
And fearless spoke his souls convictions,
Despite OF those Who strive to bind
Their brothers in unjust restrictions
One who upheld the stern decree
That all men are condemned to labor
That, meath the laws OF industry.
No man is better than his neighbor-
Who strove to teach the laboring poor
To reverence nor rank nor station;
That virtues standard, firm and sure,
Alone affords TRUE ELEvArIoN.-
And by the partners Of my lot,
The sons of poverty and sorrow,
I trust shall not be forgot,
Like sunset clouds upon the morrow.
With them I've proved life's thorny maze,
For them my life is freely given;
And when my love for them decays.
May love for me decay / n Heaveni
And will trust my memory
Alone into their sacred eeping-
| Their true hearts will remember me,
When low within the dust I'm sleeping.
Then, round the rustic fireside,
When wintry blasts aloud are swelling
Even while tho tempest RACES wide,
And howls above my narrow dw elling- I
Perchance my name will then be heard,
Nor lightly, nor unhonor'd spoken,
But as a cherish'd household word,
In Honor and in Truth unbroken.
| Perchancs-no other fame I ask
| They'll'speak Of me as one, whose daring
Wrought steadfast ats weary task,
| Nor rashly scheming nor despairing;
As one who battled for the Right,
Nor faltered in his cause. though failing,
Who, vanquish' d, never ceas'd to fight,
In virtuous purpose still prevailing.
| Iowa, lSl7.