The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-04-14
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
"a TosI TAYLOR.
[Assasslnated April u. 1855. |

ASSassnaied April IA. 1850
This tribute appeared in the London Punch
Lincoln. had ridiculed aud maiigned him with all
its well-known powers OF pen and pencil.
You lay a wreath murdered Lincoln bier:
You. who with knocking pencil wont to trace,
Broad Tor the self-complacent British sneer.
His length of stumbling limb, his furrowed
face,
HIS gaunt. gnarled hands. his unkempt bristling
hair,
His garb uncOuth. his bearing i'll at ease,
His lack OF all we prize as debOnair
OF power or will to shine, of art TO please;
You, whose smart pen backed up the pencils
Judging each step as il the way was plain;
Reckless. so il could point its paragraph,
OF chefs perplexity or peoples pain
Beside this corpse, that bears for winding sheet
The Stars and Stripes he lived to rear anew,
Between the mOurners at bis head and feet,
Say, sCurrile jester. is there room for you?
Yes; he had lived to shame me from my sheer,
To lame my pencil and confute my pen
To make me own this hind OF princes peer,
This rail-splitter, true born king oil men.
Ny shallow judgment had learned to rue,
Noting how 10 OCCASIONS height he rose;
How his quaint wit made hOmetruth seem more
How, iron like, his temper grew by blows.
How humble yet how hopeful he could be
How, in good fortune and in III, the same;
Nor bitter in success, nor boasttul he,
Thirsty for gold, nor ieyerish Tor lame.
He went about his work-sueh work as few
Ever had laid on head and heart and hand
As one who knows where there's task to do
Mans honest viii must Heavens good grace
command;
Who trusts the strength win with the burden
grow.
If but that will we can arrive to know.
Nor tamper with the weights OF good ana i'll.
So he went forth to battle on the side
That he felt clear was Liberty's and Rights
As in his peasant boyhOod he had piled
His warfare with rude Natures thwarting
nights.
The uncleared forest, the unbroken soil,
The iron bark, that turns the lumberer axe,
The rapids, that o. Tbears the boatman's toll
The prairie, hiding the mszed wanderers tracks
The smbushed Indian and the prOwling bear:
such were the deeds that helped his youth to
Rough culture; but such trees large fruit may
bear,
II but their stalks be of right girth and grain,
So he grew up a destined work 10 do
And lived 10 do il; four long. suffering years,
III fate, i'll feeling i'll report lived through.
And then he heard the misses change to cheers,
The taunts to tribute the abuse to praise,
And fook both with the lame unwaverinp mood.
And seemed 10 touch the goal from where he
stood.
4 ielOn hand between the goal and him,
Reched from behind his back. a trigger prest,
And those peTpleXed and patient eyes were dim,
Those galint, long isbOrIng limbs were laid to
rest
The words OF mercy were upon his lips.
Forgiveness i'll his heart and on his pen,
When this vile murderer brought swift eclipse
To thoughts of peace on earth, good VIII to men.
The Old World and the New. from sea to sea,
Utter one voice OF sympathy and shame:
sore heart So stopped, when IL at last beat high;
Sad life, cut short Just as its triumph came,
A deed accurSt' Strokes have been struck before
By the assassin hand. whereof men doubt
If more of honor or disgrace they bore;
But thy foul crime, like Gains, stands darkly
out
Vile hand, the yiest murder a strife,
Whateer it, grounds. stOutiy and nObly Striyen;
And with the martyrs crown crOwneSt a life
With much 10 praise, little to be forgiven.