The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-06-29
Columbian Celebration July 4th, 1898.


Miss Mary A. O'Donohue wrote the
elegant Centennial ode for our Fourth
of July, 1875, at Hillsboro. It was much
and widely copied. This lady,
who is now the widow of the late
lamented John Toohey, has again writ
ten a we'll considered tribute for our
Columbian celebration. Eighteen years
have passed away and Mrs. Toohey is
the same patriotic lady she was when
a girl, and her gifted pen has not failed
in it's charm. We take pleasure in pub
fishing her poem, and it should be pre-.
served with the one written in 1875.
Come in great throngs to welcome it,
This Fourth Of ninety-three
The good old Fourth, the gallant Fourth,
Day loved OF liberty.
Let men Of Drawn and sinew cheer,
Let maidens flowers strew,
Let bands ring ont and children shout
welcome glad and true.
This Fourth out of four hundred years,
All see how it advances
The regal tread, the laurerd brow,
The kindly, kingly glances
One outstretched hand upholds the shield,
One waves the starry glory,
Where sage and simple each may read
Our own young famous story.
Four hundred years agone, NO trail
Fer broke the Western Ocean
II lay in rest or lesped in wrath
II paused and sung, or stormed and flung,
Or whirled in wild commotion
Old Neptune ruled from shore to shore,
Tn, fv11 krsv,
No son Of man could link the lands,
His kingdom intervening.
Upon this side the Indian stood
In simple wonder musing;
The sun slept in the waters vast
The ightning's flash, the thunder's crash,
And all things else confusing
Were housed In oceans mystic shrines
But DER beyond, ah ! what ? oh, what?
We're strife and death? or peace and vines2
The spirit land? loves garden spot2
''Sweet Christ, dear king and Savior"
Columbus only cried,
"Msyhsp beyond this ocean
Be souls for whom you died;
But here are people hampered
For room to SOW their bread;
path ploughed through the ocean
May open worlds ahead"
Over the watery wilderness
With high resolve he speeded;
Subdued the main, unlocked new lands,
Planted the Gross with his own hands,
And hope and thrift preceded.
From then till this our magic growth
Surpassed inventive story
We scaled fresh mounts, we sailed new seas,
Bade cities rise with splendid ease,
And generously invited all
To share our toll and glory.
| And to us came fair liberty
From old-time thralldom fleeing
To hearts and homes no guest was she,
But firmly fixed as destiny,
We loved her Just decreeing
We fought for her with foreign foes.
Her fame they desecrated,
But we arose and thrust them out
With gun and spear and maddened shout ;
And then we saw around, about
Our country desolated.
We vowed anew to Liberty
Our homage leal and steady;
July the Fourth, suspicious day,
We pledged our lives and lands away
In her defence she need but say,
Ho Freemen, up and ready.
Then honor we this day of days
With happy acclamation
1t is our seal of victory,
The signet of our constancy,
Our natal day, when Liberty
Baptized us as a nation.
Old Highland lends her CHEEKY voice
In welcome fresh and free
To hail, and bless with fervent praise
In all our lies this day of days,
This Fourth OF ninety-three.
Mrs. JOHN TooHEY.