The National tribune., 1883-12-27

ing Cd, he spent great deal of time with the
army in connection with the Sanitary Commits
sion and in the hospitals. He was favorite at
the headquarters of many generals, and wit
messed great deal of the inner features Of army
life
The story of Sheridan's ride, above written,
was but q 1.-THE of the good things he told me.
The recital of this matter naturally led up to
all the incidents connected with it.
L was not with Sheridan" he said, at this
time, but was at the headquarters of the Array
of the Cumberland. Soon after the battle of
Cedar Creek ! came up to Cincinnati and was
| visiting MIR. Cyrus Garrett, whom we called
| cod Cyclops' He was T. Buchanan Reads
brother-in-law, and with him the poet made
his home. heladics ofCineinnati had arranged
to give me a reception, that finally turned into
an ovation. had given great many readings
| to raise funds to assist their Soldiers Aid So
ciety, and they were going TO present me with
a silk flag. Pixies Opera House had been Sc
cured, the largest place Of amusement in the
| city, and they had Liade every arrangement to
have the reception very dramatic event. The
morning of the day it was to take place Read
and were as usual taking cur breakfast late
| We had just finished, but were still sitting at
the table chatting Mr.. Garrett, the brother
| in-law, who was business man and guided by
business habits, came in while we were thus
/ longing He wore an air of impatience and
carried paper in his hand. He walked d.
rectly up to Read, unfolded a copy of Harper's
! Weekly and held it up before the manso singu-
larry gifted as both poet and painter.
| The whole front of the paper was covered
| with q striking picture representing Sheridan
! seated his black horse, just emerging frcn a
cloud of dust that rolled up from the highway
as he dashed along, followed by few troopers.
"'There, said Mr.. Garrett, addressing Read.
see what you have missed. You ought to have
n hat Nd ha
credit of it; it is just in your line. The first
thing you know somebody will write poem
on that event, and then you viii be beaten all
around
Read looked at the picture rather quizzi-
cally, look which / interrupted by saying
Old Cyclops is right, Read, the subject and
| the circumstance are worth a poem
| ":Oh, no. said Read: that theme has been
written to death. There is Paul Revere's
Ride {" Lochinvar," Tom Hoods "Wild Steed
OF the Plains" and half a dozen other poems OF
like character"
"FiIled with the idea that this was good
chance for the gifted man, said: Read, you
are losing great opportunity. Ii had such
poem to read at my reception tonight, II
would make great hit
go But, Murdoch, you can't order poem as
you would coat. | can't write anything in q
few hours that will do either you or me any
credit he replied rather sharply.
I" turned TO him and said: Read, two Of
three thousand of the warmest hearts in Gin
cinnati viii be in Pixies Opera House tonight
at that presentation. 1t will be very sig
nifeant affair. Now. you go and give me any
thing in rhyme, and will give it deliverance
before that splendid audience and you car
then revise and polish it before it goes into
print This view seemed to strike him favor.
ably; he finally said: Well Well Wen sec
what can be DONE and he went up stairs to hi
ROOM
q half hour later Hattie, his wife, a brilliant
woman, who is now residing in Philadelphia
came down andssaid:
He wants pot of strong tea. He told ms
to get it for him, and then ne would lock the
door, and must not be disturbed unless tbs
house was afire.'
thine wore on, and in our talk on othe1
matters in the family circle we had almost for
gotten the poet at work upstairs. Dinner haG
been announced, and we were about TO 81
down when Read came in and beckencd me {,
come. When I reached the room he said:
Murdoch, think / have about what yol
want He read it to me, and with an enthusi
asn that surprised him, l said it is just TIT
thing
"We dined, and at the proper time Read ant
/, with the family, went to Pixies Opera House
The building was crowded in every part. Upor
the stage were sitting 200 manned soldiers
each with an arm or a leg off. General Jo
Hooker was to present me with the flag tn
ladies had made, and at the time appointed VI
marched down the stage toward the footlights
General Hooker bearing the flag, and / witt
my arm in bis. Such storm of applause a
greeted the appearance never heard befor
. or since. Behind and on each side of Us wer
the rows of crippled soldiers, in front the vas
Z audience, cheering to the echo. Hooker quaile'
before the warm reception, and, growing nery
GUS, said to me in an undertone:
sfa nd str nf haiti la Init hf1
too much for me-
"' Leave it to me, said T; i am an old han
behind the footlights. will divert the strait
from you So quickly I dropped upon m
knee, took a fold of the silken flag and presse
, 1t to my lips. This by-play created fires
storm of enthusiasm, but 1t steadied Hooker
I and he presented the flag very gracefully
which accepted in fitting words. then drel
: the poem Read had written from my poke
l and, with proper introduction, began readin
1t to the audience The vast assemblage bt
!, came as still as a church during prayer-tim'
and I read the three first verses without
: pause, and then read the fourth:
: Under his spurning feet the road
I Like arrowy Alpine river flowed.
: And the landscape flowed away behind,
< Like an ocean flying before the wind;
! And the steed like bark, fed with furnace-ire
j Swept on With his wild eyes full of fire;
e But 10! he is nearing his hearts desire,
He is shutting the smoke of the roaring fray,
!. With Sheridan only Eve miles away.
t "As this verse was finished the audien,
8 brokeinto tumult of applause. Then | rea
q with all the spirit could command:
. "The first that the General saw were the groups
OF s.ragglers, and then the retreating troops;
What WAS done-what to do-a glance told hi
= both.
/ And, striking his spurs, with terrible oath,
It he dashed down the lines mid a storm Of hu
e rahs.
: And the wave of retreat checked its course Their
. because
9 The sight of the master compelled It to pause
: With foam and with dust the black charger w
d gray,
! BY the fash of his eye and his nostrils play
4 He seemed TO the whole great army to say;
: have brought you Sheridan all the way
From Winchester town 10 save the day.
q "The sound of my voice uttering the la
!. word had not died away when cheer after che
d went up from the great concourse, that shoe
3. the building to its very foundation. Ladi
e waved their handkerchiefs and men their ha
= until worn out with the fervor of the hou
It They then demanded the authors name, al
It / pointed to Read, who was sitting in DO
IS and he acknowledged the verses. In such
setting and upon such an occasion, as ha
it been able only family to describe to you, Il
/ poem of "Sheridans Ride" was given to Il
% world. It was written in about three hour
d and not word was ever changed after l re;