Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-02-26
ERDSTOWN JEFFERSON COUNTY VIRGINIA. SATURDAY, FEB 6 1881
From the Winchester Times.
A GEM OF POETRY.

The following poem was written by
General Edwin g. Lee, OF Shepherds
town, and Published in the Southern
Metropolis, weekly paper issued st
Baltimore during the years 1869 and
1870. As the Metropolis is long since
dead, their republication will be almost
equivalent to first appearance. A
friend OF the deceased author speaking
of this exquisite gem, says: 81 have
read Thackersy's poem on the mocking
bird, ahd several other effusions by men
of note on the famous Southern songs
ter. / regard these liues of General
Lee as the most beautiful of them all.
Poor fellowl He wrote them during o
visit to Florida In October, 1869, when
he was stricken by consumption, and
had gone to the Everglades in quest OF
that health which he never got With
in a year or two after, he died. He
married in Lexington, Va, a daughter
Of Rev. Gen. VIM n Pendleton, who
survives him; his remains were inferred
there, where they still remain. He was
related 10 the great Confederate chief
tain, Gen. X. Z. Lee, and among the
members of o gifted family, who tor
generations in Virginia have been re-
markable for their talents, Gen. (. &.
Lee was a conspicuous ornament l
think his name should be known and
honored, and al! who read this little
gem Of his will no doubt agree with
me:
ToA MocKING BIRD.
DY B. O. LEE.
Hast ever heard the skylark's deathless note,
As with smhitions wing,
And more ambitious song, he seemed 70 Loaf
Almost where angels sing?
As though he sought IN steal some Heavenly sIain
To fill the measure OF his own refrain J
Hast thou bad teaching from the Nightingale,
Hymniug the listning moonf
| Or slyly covert 10 some secret vale,
| COINED DER the thrush's tunet
| And caught the rich full throated gush he fings
| Into the orchestra that April briDgsy
| To learn the bul-buls note. DER Persias sands
Hast though nnwearied flown
Or snstched thee from the fair Australian strands
| The bell-biIds vibrste tone,
With parodies OF jay and whippoorwillt
Do orioles from verdant Chesapeake,
| And crested cardinal,
With liunet. from the Severn, come to seek,
Ooedent to thy call
| II they can give thee one new music though,
Who ev'ry note from ev'ry land has csuehif
| Or hast thou been where musics fountain start
Meath mystic, mythic skies.
| And drank too deeply, that from out my heart
Such glorious melodies
Leao gusliag-ga ing-in tumultuous thronG
Uutil the quiyeriDg .ree-top drips with song
Metbinks the rarest choirs OF fairyland
A,tuned each choicest chord;
| Then cent the master songsters from each land,
| And babe them teach thee, bird
| Who, having taught, bewildered gathered round
And marveled where such wondrous cong va
| found.
God bless the Southland bird God bless thy lay
Like music 10 a dream,
| II floats from old Potcmac's clifs away
! To Colorado's stream;
From where Virginia's mountain torrents roar,
| To where the warm Gull laps the Texan shore.
Where Creole maids their loved and lost one
| weep
Among the cypress glsdes;
| Or CaroIina's blue-eyed daughters keep
| Beneath msgnolla's shades
| The dsrlirg graves where rest their darling dead
And lay camelias DER the sleeper's headf
And everywhere thy joyous medleys ring,
The weary mourner's smile,
And saddest hearts grow bright to hear thee sine
Sweet music-king, the while
They brea the. God bless thee" that thou dos
! belong
To us, o bird of universal songl