The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-05-02
THE PROPHECY,


Sadly Columbus watched the nascent moon>
Drown In the gloomy ocsaI.'> western deeps,
Strange birds that DAY hid flu tered III ne sails.
And strange flowers foated round the wandering
And yet no land. And now when to the dark >
The Santa Maria leaped before the gale.
And angry pillows tossed the caravais,
AS 10 destruction Gomez rascon came
with CAPTAIN pinz n through the FIRE zied seas,
and the AZ rnis,i brou ht parchment scroll,
Saying: Good Master. read tnis writing here
Al earnest PRAYER il is from all Oh board;
The crew would fsiia turn back III utter fear
No longer to lie pole the compass points,
Into the Zenith crops the Northern star;
\ GU but yesssr-eve an alb 'tro7S
Drop dead OH decH. beneath the hylng scud;
Into the land OF nowhere. and the sea
Keeps sucking down tie ma lstrom's NAV.
Francisco says the edge OF earth l. near
And of 10 Erebus We slide uahelmed.
LAST Sunda u'-.t Diego saw q witch
Dragging the Nina by her forech ms West,
And as she dane d, the brightest star ia heaven
Slipped from is leash and spiang int" the sea,
Like Lucifer, and left a trail OF blood
l pray thee master. tuIn agIIn t. Spain;
vbedient TO the omen. or perchance
May mut!ny, and
Exclaimed the ADMIRAL Thou hast Said enough
Now prithee leave me; would be alone"
Then eagerly Columbus sought sign
l. sea ana sky. anJ ia his onciY heart
The black aud Cminous portents OF despair.
As iilus he unused he paced the after deck
4 nd Eazed upon the luminous waves astern
Strange life was In the plos phorescent foam;
nd through tae goblin glow there came and went,
Like elfin shadows On an opai sea
Prophetic pictures Of the la.G he sought.
He saw the end of his victorious quest
He saw a blaze OF Isabella's breast
4 string of Antilledn eNels rest
The Islands OF the west.
He saw invading plenty mispossess
Old poverty the land with bounty bless,
and through the wretched caverns OF distress
walk siar-eyed happiness.
He saw the Bourbon and iiraganza prone
For cieut error taidy 10 atone
Giving the pluHdered people back their own,
And flying from the throne
Re saw an empire radiant as the day,
Harnes-ed to law, but under Freedoms sway,
Proudly arise respeudaut in array
To Snow the world the way.
He saw Celestial peace in mortal Gulse
filed with hope and thrilled with high emprise
Lifting its trtnQui IoteAeaa 10 The skies,
a vast Republic rise.
sng IIe saw behind @ the 9iis of Golden G9rn n} horn
I"feS ana Flora lau !hnsy adOrn
The bosom OF the morn.
lie cloth Of gold across the gloom,
An aiisbcsquc from eyolutions loom,
Ana from Tie barren pralries driven spume
Imperial cities bloom.
He saw IN iron dragon dashing forth
Along an iron thoroughtare-so south. north,
East, west-uniJing in beneiirient Girth
EemotesJ ends OF earth.
He saw the lightning run a dolphin's race
Where trade love. grief and pleasure interiace.
A ud absent ones aunitiiate time and space
ComlnunlnG lace to face.
He saw relief through deadly dungeons grope;
+ oes Tnrned 10 brothers. black despair to hope,
And cannon rest upon the grass grown slope
And rot the GailowS rope.
He saw he babes on labog's cottage floor:
The bri ht wa * hung with luxury more and more,
And comfo'T, radiant with aboundinS store,
Wave welcome at the door.
He saw the myriad spndes fiutter round;
ne myriad mil wheels shaNe he solid 2round;
The myriad homes where jOcund JOY is found
And love IS thrOned ana crowned.
He saw exalted ignorance under ban.
Though panoplied in force since time began,
4 nd science. conseerated, lead The van,
The Providence Of man.
The picture came and paled and passed away,
And then lie said To piusou in the gloom:
. OW Martin. TO thy waiting lie III again.
Haste to The Pinta westward keep her PROV,
For | have had a vision tull Of light.
Aecp her PROV westward in the sunsets wake
From this hour hence and let no man look back