Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-01-06

AL Cuc ueiplcSS living L0rODg.
RAISING, passing, see the millions,
On each wave top mounted high
Now descending for moment
Helpless struggle, sink and die.
Such is life, and such its lessons,
Each succeeding year wave,
Bearing mortals on life's voyage.
From the cradle to the grave.
Thus again We pause moment,
AS shadow disappears,
And at midnight fades for ever,
From the dial plate of years:
Slowly, slowly, see it fading,
In the distance from our view,
While the muffied church bells slowly
Toll the death of EIGHTY Two.
Night winds chanting, star lamps lighted,
And like waxen tapers glow,
Dove the dead year cold and icy
In winding sheet of snow.
It's moment for reflection,
Proper moment for review;
Of events and scenes and seasons,
That the vanished Old Year knew.
SO, as backward turn the shadows,
On the dial plate of Time,
Gathers up my muse the fragments
Measured in trochaic rhyme.
Kingdoms, nations, towns and cities
Vices, crimes and cruel hate,
Make the Old Years fitful Story,
That we briefly here relate.
First, It's ancient Alexandria:
Where once Pharo's friendly form,
Warned the old Egyptian seamen,
Of the fierce approaching storm
Now the lurid blaze of cannon,
And the shrek of bursting shell,
Mark the spot where Turk and Christian,
In a fearful conflict fell
But the arms of Albion conquer
IT'S christian kind OF work
For John Bull TO shoot the gospel,
Into Infidel and Turk.
Far away where spicy breezes,
Softly watt Per Ceylon's isle,
Banished lives the fearless chieftain
Arab Pasha, in exile.
Thus while England proves the master
'Mong the Mummies of the Nile.
Nearer home her statesmen s plumbers
Have stirred up st. Patrick's bile.
But we leave those foreign nations
Hasten to Columbia's shore,
Watch her rushing, teeming millions,
AS they crowd her valleys DER.
Such growth and such progress,
Such nation ne'er was known,
That from baby to giant
In hundred years had grown;
For moment here are gathered
Broken fragments of the past,
Trace them lightly on the canvas,
While the tickle shadows last.
Spring and Summer, Autumn, Winter,
Summer sun shine, heat and rain,
Blessed the land with peace and plenty,
Fruitful fields of golden grain.
From Atlantic's stormy waters,
To the Eldorado West,
Every section of the Union,
With abundance has been blessed
While our people will make money,
Yet moment they can pause,
When they come to make their rulers,
Who in turn must make their laws.
So we have our politicians,
And We have our statesmen too,
And our people train in parties,
As it is their right to do.
Then behold the rage of battle,
In convention at the polls,
Hear the slanging of the stumper,
AS his voice like fog-horn rolls.
Strangely, strangely, parties mingle,
In the war of politics =
Is it true that lyes (?) will only,
Make the oil and water mix ?
In New York, itself nation
Ballots like the snow flakes fall,
And the peoples choice is Cleveland,
Not mistaken is the call,
Busy are the late defeated,
In accounting for their loss,
But no matter how they figure
Still it comes out too much "bosS."
Likewise, too, in Pennsylvania,
Rides the fearless Stewart Clan,
And the Chieftain makes the fur fly,
When he strikes Beaver man.
Well this independent voting,
For the present time may do,
But for tactics such bush whacking
Soon will put a party through.
In Ohio, what a slaughter,
Without any kind of "boss; !"
Twas the fight twixt schnapps and water
Brought republicans their loss.
Well, the Buckeys are people,
In their tastes so very queer
Never for moment fater
'Twixt republicans and beer.
Also on the plains of Kansas,
That so often suffered drouth,
People could not suffer famine,
That kept whskey from their mouth.
So the voters madly voted,
Both st. John and temperance down,
And by thousands deeply buried,
Prohibition in the ground.
Turning to our State of mountains,
Somewhat different is the view,
And both politics and leaders,
Beat the ancient witches stew.