The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-07-09

Written for the FREEMAN.l
THE NOBLEST MAN OF ALL.


l.
BY the city's feet flows onward
Mississippi, broad and grand
Mighty timbers, floating downward,
Rats. hewn out by woodman's hand.
Rests the mighty length OF timber
At the crty's quiet feet
Flows the river on in slumber-
Currents eddy, strong and deep.
Sporting OF the floating timbers,
See yon boy, so full of glee;
Glide his hours in golden numbers
Life to him is minstrelsy.
".
BY the raft dark flows the river
Bears the current deep and strong;
Little whirlpools, forming over,
Waiting as they glide along.
Hark that shout from fifty voices
See the boy will surely drown
For the driving eddies seize him,
And vindictive drag him down.
VI.
stand the raftsmen, mute and paling,
While the boy sinks meath the tide;
Every heart Of courage falling
Every soul seems petrifed.
But a laborer near is toiling
In his coarse and soiled attire;
Though his time was spent in moiling,
In his soul burned heavenly fire.
Heaven, the boy is drowning sinking
Not helping hand to save!
Little is a mother thinking
That her child has found grave.
Not moments time to ponder
Ere he plunged into the deepi
Five times now the boy is under
Surely now in death he'll sleep!
Cumbered in his wet apparel,
See the stalwart swimmer cleave,
Through the sweeping, rolling current.
Like a dolphin through the wave.
XI
Where the boys last breath up-bubbled,
Rising from the silent deep;
There the gallant swimmer struggled
With a strong. o-ermastering sweep.
XII.
And down. down into the river
To the cool and silent bed
Comes he up again, OF never?
Comes he up but with the deade
XIII.
LoI at length far down the current,
There appears a human head;
-Tis the diver with his burthcn,
But the youthful life is fed.
Slow and heavily he presses
Through the turbid, rolling wave;
Slow, so slow the minute passes!
Yet around him yawns the grave
Xv.
Ha at last the shore he's gaining
with his burthcn limp and still;
Every eve on him is straining-
Hearts with anxious feelings thrill.
XVI
Swift the deadly current sweeps
All the lonely waters 'roand him
Yet his shoreward course he keeps.
XVII.
Calmly stepped he from the river
Calmly laid his burthen down;
Noblcr deed was noted never
In the annals of renown
XVII.
Back he's gone to patient moiling-
Back to labor all the day;
Ne'er impatient. ne'er recoiIfng
From the sweat, and dust, and clay.
Some men could be raised no higher
Did We seat them on a throne,
For their lofty souls aspire
To things higher than a crown.
Though in clothes beclayed with labor
Though unknown to high renown-
Like the Man who stood on Tabor.
Stand they high 'bove earthly frown.
XXI.
Yes, a workingman--a stranger
One who tOllcd for daily bread,
And was cradled in manger.-
Without a place to lay his head;
Scorned he all earth's hosts and treasure,
Profered by the evil one,
Kingdoms, powers, all earth's pleasures
All the splcndor meath the sun
Were accounted less than bubbles,
Less than ripples on the wave;
For by death, through tribulation,
Humble souls He came to save
Came He not august and mighty,
Glittering as 4 monarch grand
But, behold Him, meek and lowly,
Followed by an humble band.
xxi.
So. toll on, thou son of labor,
For thou hast mighty Friend:
If thou patient be, and sober,
Joy will greet thee at the end.
LoRETTO, June, 1880. AD