Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-01-08
g THE gAXOY GRIT.u

REV, ROBERT ooLLyERs STIRRING REPLY TO
Z EaA . TOAST. Ek &8&F
4" The Saxon Grit-Which, in New Englan
las ia Old England, has made a race of men
be hOnored, feared and respected. Ii is as pos
tive as the earth is hrm."
SAXON GRIT.
WArn with the battle, by Stamford town,
Fighting the Norman, by Hastings Bay,
Harold, the 5axOn's, sun went down,
While che acorns were falling one autum
Then the Norman said +" am lord Of the land
By, tenor Of conquest, here aiti n
Twill rule you now with the iron hand;'
But he had net thought Of the Saxon grit
He took theland, ana he took the men,
And burnt the homesteads from Trent 70 lyme
Made the freenen serfs by the stroke Of the pen
Ate up the corn, and drank the VINE,
And said to the maiden, pure and fair.
YOu shall be my leInan, as IS most ht,
Your Saxon churl may rot in his lair;'
But he had not measured the Saxon grit.
To the merry green wood went bold Robin Hood
With his strong-hearted yeomanry ripe for thu
fray,
Driving the arrow into the marrow,
OF all the proud Normans who came in his way
ScOrning the fetter, fearless and free,
Winning by Valor or f0iiing by wit,
Dear to our Saxon folk ever is he,
This merry old rogue, with the Saxon grit.
And Kent, the tanner, whipt out his knife,
And Watt. the smith, his hammer brought
For Ruth, the maid he loved better than life,
And by breaking head made hole IN the
From the Saxon heart rose mighty roar,
" Our life shall not be blythe kings permltj
We will tight for the night, we Want no more
Then theNorman found the Saxon grit.
sHtAMa aNl. .F - -
For slow and sure as the oaks had grown
From the acorns falling that autumn day,
So the Saxon manhood IN thorpe and town
To a pObler stature grew alWay.
Winning by inches, holding by elinches,
Standing by law and the human right.
MANY times falling; never once qualllng,
So the new day came out Of the night.
Then rising afar in the Western sea-.
new world stood in the morn OF the day,
Ready to welcome the brave and the free,
Who could wrench out the heart and march
From 'ths narrow, contracted, dear old land, e.
Where the poor are held by cruel bit,
To ampleT spaces for heart and hand
And here was chance for the Saxon grit.
Steadily steering, eagerly peerlng, t.I M
Trusting in God your fathers came,
Pilgrims and strangers, fronting all dangers,
. C0ol-headed SaXOns, with hearts atames
Bound by. the letter, but free from THE fetter,
And hiding their freedom IN Holy WRIT, 81
They gave Deuteronomy hints IN economy, .
And made a new Moses Of Saxon grit. Fl ''
They eywhittled andwaded through forest and fen;
Fearless as ever of what might betall;
Pouring out life for the nurture OF men; &
In faith that by manhood the world vans all.
Gnventing baked beans and no end to Inachines;
Great with the rifle and great with the ak
Sending their notions over the oceans,
To fill empty stOmachs and straighten bent
backs.
Swift to take chances that end in the dollar,
Yet open Of hand when the dollar is made,
Maintaining the meetin', exalting the scholar,
But little too anxious about good trade;
This is young Jonathan, son Of old John, ,
3 Positive. peaceahle, firm in the right,
Saxon men all OF us, may we be one.
Steady for freedom, and strong in her migtfto
Then slow and sure, as the oaks have grown
From the acOrns that fell on that old dim day,
50 this new manhood. in city and town,
To q nobler stature will grow away;
Winning by inches, holding by clinches, Il
Slow to contention, and slower to quit;
Now and then failing, but never once quailing
Let us thank God for the Saxon grit.