The Labor enquirer., 1883-09-29
Written for The Enquirer.
THE TOURNAMENT.
BY 7. F. ROWLAND.

Breathless and still the people stand
Behind the appointed bar,
While over the sky and over the land
Sweep shadows of clouds afar.
The earth shall tremble to-day beneath
The champions of wide renown,
Whose natures differ as life from death,
Or falchion from crown.
Two powerful knights will fight to-day
In the armOr each loves best,
And bury deep in the cold, cold clay
A feud that the demons blest.
A hush as solemn as evenings hour
Falls over the watching crowd,
AS the king in his purple robes of power
Stands up in his bearing proud,
And sweeps his hand with regal sweep
And the barrier closed so long,
Is opened wide; and with nimble leap
Spurs the first knight, bold and strong
His armour is wrought of purest gold,
With the lustre of pearls aglow,
And scarlet plume waving high and bolG
Showers blood stains on his brow.
The bugles peal DER the surging crowd
And the herald bows askance.
"Who art thou, like a moparch so proud,
With thy glittering shield and lance?"
"I am King Mammon, said he, "and reign
AS king over riches untold.
The beggars who plead my love to gain
spurn from my throne of gold"
Then sharply the bugle pealed once mors
Clear as the thrill of song,
And the second knight o'er the railing tore
Grimly before the throng.
No knight in purple and gold is he;
His armor is gray and bare,
And cleaning ak swings at his knee,
His eyes have stony. starel
With a sneering look in his lifted eyes,
The herald advances near,
Saying, "Who art thou in homely guise
Sir Knight it is mine to hear ?"
Then wheeled the knight, speaking high
"I dwell both in country and town,
My title "King Hunger, ,"my children die,
By ravenous Mammon cut down.
He cast their lives in wailings and woes
For bread he has given them stones;
His Golfers filled with their dying throes
Yea! taken the flesh from their bones'
Then the rule er and judge of the contest,
Arose on his lofty throne,
With aspect high, from heaving breast
Spoke he in a naughty tone:
81, who am lord of the times and spirit,
Have summoned you here to-day
And he whose valor deem of merit
Shall spurn his worthless clay.
My spouse is bright and fine as the air,
And will rule in every land; ~
She holds all lands in her fingers fair,
A prize for the victor's hand"
Then Mammon sale, ,and spurred his steed
81 fight for earth's golden store"
"And l." said his foe, 'detest thy greed
fight for the trodden poor"
Again sYelled the notes of bugle sweet,
Gaunt Hunger in his saddle rose,
A tremor shook him from head to feet
AS trees quiver when the storm blows.
Then wheeling sped, with cry of woe,
His battle-ax raised in hand,
And cleft full length on the sward below
Lay the knight of the Golden Hand.
But the moment his weapon Glove the air
And pierced his enemy's crest,
King Mammon thrust, with CHASTITY glare,
" The lance through his naked breast.
Then reeling he fell on the crimson grass,
The knight Of the lowly poor,
And a piercing cry from the surging mass
Swept over the stretching moor.
Then he cried out withhot blood welling
From the open wound in his breast;
Freedom look from thy regal dwelling
Shield the injured, wronged, oppressed
1 leave to them all the golden treasure,
The worlds wealth, but none for spoil.
Let my children mingle in decent pleasure
They are those who suffer and toll"
Ny story speaks with truthful tongue
OF the tournament of our time;
Not here have men on its accents hung,
But in every land and cline,
The story tells plainly its moral,
Important both far and nigh,
Hunger and Mammon may quarrel, ;.
Yet together must live or die.
Twin demons begot of one parent,
Together the wide world through,
The blow that demolishes Mammon
Annihilates hunger too.
The voice of the people in every land
Tells that the end is near, Il .
And soon the Knight of the Golden Hand
Will reel beneath Hunger's spear,