Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1883-12-27

And seeking. found-Jut i;aporf,alcd m rgia 2
Lol Indiscrction was thy only blame
/ No deeper blenish threats thy honored name.
/ Thy childrcn's love thy footsteps shall illumc,
I lrsfbin their herrts Thy pristine throne rcs,nnsi
I From dappled vale to yerdure dotted hill
! Their voices hail thee rs their mother still
| pray you. Masters lift your curious eyes
Where gems ofgold bestrew the wintry skies,
And note Won stranger, flashing forth light
Whose brillance pales the sentinelso Of night.
4 comet It's whose orbit, known OF men.
Minute describes Just 3-Score years and ten.
Qnite small. compared 10 one a summer old
Whose matchlcss spiendor knoekd Its rivals
cold
Il facks no. vet portentous vigor. Nay,
Already 'thwart their whilom way
Its shadows now have fallen. Well
The paragraph that follows more can tell.
It's not for me, Village carrier-lad-
Whose rhymes, II humble, are not really bad
To speak in language other than Sc,iate
or men whom place and power render great.
In this regard however you must see,
4 bit of license should be granted me.
The spiral BILLY and the spanking BEN,
"A pair of very eXccrable mem,
Have found their level Isn't his cause
For deep Thanksgiving and Wild hurras
Will these twin Bosses take their costly toll.
The wave of Democratic strength, It's true,
That swept last year the quivoring country thrO
Was but spasmodic MARK the recent fray.
When Democratic virtue fell away.
And yet. the breaking OF Nirginia's thrall
To Southern men was surely worth II all
Nor breath'da "Rcb " who had not long inn
plOrd
The favoring gods that BUTLER should be fioor'd;
E'entho' ike Samson. the temple porch within,
Democracy was buried in the awful din
The man and brother, thanks to Court decree,
Has fallen from the top branch Of tlic tree.
Twas real uncivil 10 inyalidoto
The civil status of the potcntate.
But when the Fathers pcrpctratc law
To spite the conquered in a civil war,
Ii needs mu toe that when their passions cool
They want no more 20 play the legal foot.
Thus, Sanbo tnsblos from his mighty seat
Aud, most surprising lands upon his feet.
To find. the farther downward that lac tends.
That Rebel Bourbons' are his only friends
One moment, Masters. let my scrabby pen
Turn loving back To Valley themes again
To CHARIRsrowN. garb'd in robe ofvernal green,
Where 'erst q churchly gathering was seen
Amounted shepherds of Faith sublime
Whose starward spires rise in every cline,
And Law adhercnts-bulwarks of the Fold,
Whose clean. strong hands HIS ministry uphold
\ hallow'd picture marrd 10y naughi Of strife,
Athwart whose canvass-tcnse with spirit life
There stray'd thro' rifed cloud. asunight beam
And merged the real into q santcd Dream.
All woe is me, good Masters Yondor, there's
Within that pleasant home two vacant chair
An angusl'd truth bctokcns Hope ha- Hell
And left MS orphaned-the SENIOR aud his WIPE
are dead.
Ifpmycrful thought their spirits could have
stay'd
They had not left US lonely and dismayd.
We sorrow still-yet tears are unayailing,
Those thin white hands are folded and ut rest
Those eyes are closd in slunibcrs, dccp-uniril-
ing,
--God knoweth best.
It's finished, now. My lyric strain is done,
One word remains for me to write-ycs, only
one
I've tried to make the record full. Old 'Sl
Can tell but little more, | hope 50 LEI itbcV'
And Mastcrs-kindcst friends in need-l pray
Give me n thought-and something else-this
Christmas Day
So may, Of happiness, n trimming store,
Wait round about each old familiar door
What more, indeed, need lyrics ask for -?