Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-02-14

quizzically, look which | interrupted
by saying; 'OldCyclops is right, Read,
the subject and the circumstance are
worth poem.
= Oh no, said Read, that theme
has been written 10 death, There is
"Paul Revere's Ride. - 'Lochinvar,n
Tom Hoods wild Steed of the Plains,
and half dozen other poems of like
character.
PILED WITH THE IDEA
that this was good chance for the
gifted man, | said: Read, you are
losing great opportunity, Ii | had
sach poem to read at my reception
tonight it would make a great hit.
" But, Murdoch, you can't order n
poem rs you would q coat | can't
write anything in few hours that will
do either you or me any credit, he re-
piled rather sharply.
II turned to him and said: Read,
1000 or 5000 of the warmest hearts in
Cincinnati will be in Pixies Opera
House tonight at that presentation.
1t will be very significant affair.
Now you 90 and give me anything in
rhyme, and will give il deliyerance
before that splendid audience, and you
can then revise and polish it before it
goes into print. This view seemed to
strike him favorably, and he finally
said: "Well! Well! Wen see what can
be0done, and he went upstairs to his
room.
"A half hour later Hattie, his wife,
q brilliant woman, who is now resid-
ing in Philadelphia, came down and
said:
" He wants pot of strong tea. He
told me to get it for him and then he
would lock the door and must not be
disturbed unless the house was fire.
Time wore on, and in our talk on
other matters in the family circle, we
had almost forgotten the poet at work
upstairs. Dinner had been announced,
and we were about to sit down when
Read came in and beckoned me to
come. When | reached the room, he
said:
" Murdoch, | think | have about
what YOU want. He read it to me, and,
with an enthusiasm that surprised him,
| said it is just the thing
I'VE dined, and ut the proper time
Read and |, with the family, went to
Pixies Opera House. The building was
crowded in every part. Upon the stage
were sitting
200 MANNED SOLDIERS,
each with an arm or lee OIL Gener-
al Joe Hooker was to present me with
the flag the ladies had made, and at
the time appointed we marched down
the stage toward the footlights, General
Hooker bearing the flag, and | with my
arm in his. Such storm of applause
as greeted the appearance lneyer heard
before or since Behind and on each
side Of US were the rows of crippled
soldiers, in front the vast audience,
cheering to the echo. Hooker quailed
before the warm reception, and grow
inc nervous, said to me in an under
tone:
8" i can stand the storm of battle,
but this is too much for me.
=" Leave it to me, said |; i am an
old hand behind the footlights. ] will
divert the strain from YOU SO quick
ly ! dropped upon my knee, took Il fold
of the silken flap and pressed it to my
lips. This by-play created fresh
storm of enthusiasm, but it steadjed
Hooker. and he presented the flag very
gracefully, which | accepted in fitting
words then drew the poem Read
had written from my pocket, and, with
proper introduction, began reading il
10 the audience. The vast assemblage
became
As STILL AS A CHURCH
during praycr-time, and | read the
three first verses without pause, and
then read the fourth:
Under his spurning feet the road
Like an arrOwy Alpine river flowed,
And tho landscape flowed away behind,
Like an ocean flying before the wind;
And the siecd, like bark, fed with furnace
ire
Swept on with his Wild ewes fullof fire;
Bur 10! he is nearing his heart desire,
Hc is snuiing the smoke Of the roaring fray,
With sheridan only five miles away.
"As this verse was finished, the audi
cncc broke into tumut of applause.
Then | read, with all the spirit could
command:
The first thatthe General saw were the groups
OF strag2lcrs, and then the rctrcatipE troops;
What was doue-wbat 10 do-a glance told
him both,
And striking his spurs with a tcrlible oath,
He dashed down the lines mid storm OF
hurrahs,
And tue wave Of retreat checked its course
there, because
The sight OF the master compelled IL TO pause.
With foam and with dust the blnck charger
was gray,
by the flash Of bis eye and his nostrils' play
He seemed to the whole grcHt army TO say
~ have broughtyou sheridan all the way
From Winchester town to save the day
"Ihe sound Of my voice utterlng the
last word had not died away when
cheer after cheer went UP from the
great concourse that shook the building
to its very foundation Ladies waved
their handkerchieis and men their hats,
until worn out with
THE FERYOR OF THE HOUR.
They then demanded the author name,
and pointed to Read who was sitting
in a box, and he acknowledged the
verses. In such a setting and upon
such an occasion as ! have been able
only to family describe to you, the
poem of ''Sheridan's Ride was given
to the world. 1t was written in about
three hours, and not a word was ever
changed after read it from the manu-
script, except for the addition of the
third verse, which records the fifteen
mile stage Of the ride.
"But there a road from Winchester town,
a good, broad highway, leading down;