Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1882-01-07
I i. awhile and nonder here

81. awhile and ponder here
Ancnt the slowly dying year,
Its strange el ents, its hopes and ieaTs,
lis merry smiles, its bitter tears
And thinking still the words fall from my pen
q may we never see its like again
Beyond our quiet Valley the throbhing centres
Where life and toll take on grander phase
Have known in truth some very noted days.
The year was Young: old Winter ; icy arms
Had not relaxed as yet their tight embrace
Upon the shiycring Garth
When 10 across the oceans vas,y depths
We're flashed the words: The Tsar of oil his race
4 Nihilist bomb few Kissing through the air.
And mid worlds alarms Death found him
there!
Anon.
And Washington is brave in gay attire:
It's streets and avenues. aiar and higher,
In " rmest colorings glow.
The laughing throngs ne'er tire
They come and 20, nor mind the ftful blast,
Wherewith proNerbial March makes windy
show
And now. the proud Inauguration pageant
Comucls admiring eyes:
The cyuic and the wise
Discard their method and their mcnts' d'caT-
Enthusiasm reigns supreme.
Mid Llare Of trumpet and roll Of drum
With heavy tread they come:
Grim-vi.aacd So!ticry in serTied ranks,
And cavalry and cannOncers with boards o.
brown.
On miles of cleaning bayonets,
And banners bG G'iicr,d in gold,
And fringing p,nnauts,
Its radiance warm and bold casts down.
And now the cir is rent with shouts and wild
huZZas
That drown the music Of hundred drums,
And hats and scarfs and 'kerchief. madiy WaY
ing
Proclaim the sating Of a peoples craving
Their conQuering hero comes!
The sun shone clear, no portent hoyeTed near
When GARFIELD registered his oath with solemn
The Fats looked down and claimed him foi
their own
" Too serious, By half"
hear you -ay-and laugh.
We'll. twas my mood, and moods you know
The lights and shadows Of musing mind
Are apt 20 he uukind
And lead you. willy nilly, to and fro
Much farther than YOU ever meant 10 70.
But now It's spent, nor tired out my pen,
So. if YOU please with lighter bent
I'll just push on again
The time and waiting types donot accede,
And crOwdiug matter urges q repression
So that the extra session I'll boil down a bit
Twas here the Stalwart git iomented party
strife
And made the split that on an early morrow
Should indirectly cause n nations sorrow.
The while it urged a son Of York
With little talk
To make the greatest effort OF his life.
The star Route Cases obtrude their ugly face
And claim a passing word.
Who has not heard Of this gigantic steal
And. from afar, the guilty squeal
OF those whom Justice hunted and with theil
deeds confronted?
lis past The eyes avertel and heads ben
down
Have given place to brazen look and speech,
And plans concerted will Justice overreach,
Stree JAMES. ofgrea. renoyn, the task has FOUND
The great and only Party Of ideas moral
Events eer show it,:
Viii never let stern Justice corral
Its thieves ana blatant knayes--not II thel
know il:
Their money saves, where stump persuasion
ceases.
This moral Party from falling all to pieces.
The memories Of the yecr pass slowly on,
-Four months are gone
Since proud display and glad ovation
Inaugurated the ruler of the nation.
! A dry and sultry Summer, on airy wing,
/ The wintry lingering in the lap Of Spring
Had followed quick.
I The air WAS thick with lsnguid influence
Midsummer quiet reigned
When 10
/ With no kind warning. one golden morning
/ Ere vet had daWned the birthday Of the Sta-e'
/ There rang out sharp and clear
{ Resembling far and near
/ 4 pistol shot that told, IN accent bold,
/ A horrid doom:
I A shot that, ere it pale blue smoke had upwar
curled
And melted into air, had echoed round IL
world.
- gloom spread DER the land,
An iron hand was graphing the heart Of hir
! Whom erstwhile we had crowned.
And now ensued the nation IS weary vigil