Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-16
How II. Saved st. Michael's.

To the Editor OF the Dispatch:
Please give through the columns OF
the Dispatch the poem entitled How
lie Saved st. Michaers." and greatly
oblige READER.
The verses How He Saved St. MI
chaers" came out in the Aldine Maya
zine, and can be found in The Read
ing Club" Boston, Lee & Shepard. and
are as follows:
HOW HE SAVED ST. MICHAELS.
So you beg for a story. my darling. my
brown-eyed Leopold.
And you, Alice. with face like morning,
and curling locks of gold:
Then come, If you will, and listen-stand
To tai tale Of the ,'' southern city, proud
Charleston by the sea.
1t was long ago, my children, ere ever
That blazed above Fort Sumter had
Weakened the North as one:
Long ere the wondrous pillar OF battle
cloud and fire
Had marked where the unchained NIL
lions marched on 70 their hearts de-
sire.
On the roofs and the glittering turrets,
that night, as the sun went down,
The mellow glow Of the twilight SnOhe
Ike ieWelled crown;
And. bathed in the living glory, as the
people lifted their eyes,
They saw the pride Of the city, the spire
Of St. Michaels rise.
High over the lesser steeples, tipped with
a golden ball,
That hung like q radiant planet caught
In It's earthward fan;
First glimpse of home 10 the sailor VINO
made the harbOr-round,
And last slow-fading vision dear to the
outward bound.
The gently gathering shadows shut out
the waning light;
The children PRAYED at their bedsides, as
you will pray to-nighti tu.u, tho
The noise of buyer and seller from the
busy mart was gone;
And i'm dreams Of a peaceful morrow the
city slumbered on.
But another light than sunrise aroused
the sleeping street;
For a cry was heard at midnight ana the
rush of trampling feet. ...,.
Men stared In each others faces through
mingled fire and smoke.
While the frantic bells went ciashlhg'
clamorous stroke on stroke.
BY the glare Of her blazing roof-tree the
houseless mother fed,
With the babe she pressed 70 her posoii
shrieking In nameiess dread;
While the iire-king's wild battahohS
scaled wall and capstone hlgh, -.
And planted their flarins banners against
an inky Sky.
From the death that ragged behind them
and the crash Of ruin LOUD .a
To the great square Of the, city, were
driven the surging crowd; ..
Whore vet. firm in all the tumult, I'M
scathed by the fiery food A..
With its heaVenward-p pointing hnEer' INC
Church Of ST. Michaels stoou.
But cen as they gazed upon it there rose
a sudden wall 80 =,
4 cry of horror, blended with the roaIihs
nv, No. scorching wings up-driven,
single flaming brand - .,,,-,, lilo
a bloody hand.
'Nin it fade?" The whisper. ire, treinoieu
Far ON ON the lurld harbOr, they Watch-
o ed ii fT from me nat s Brighter and ever
brighter shOne, 81, Ill, ,-r.isn
10 Il steady beacon grown
.1-ncounte1 gold shall be given to the
nan whose brave right hand, ,,-.
For the love of the perilled city, piuckS
down Won burning brand! .a,
So cried the Mayor OF Charles'o"' '''
all AL me ,oo pe%3p, each one at his fellow,
and no man spoke woId'
Who is It leans from, the -, eei nty VIII"
with face uptuTned 10 the sly, .,,o
C,,,,,,,S r. column, and measures the
dizzy spire with his eye: .,,,od that
Wm he dare il. the hero undaunteu' 'na'
terrible sickening heiSht! ...,.,,,o
or win the hot blood or ms Couiase
freeze in his veins at the sight,
Pant see, he has stepped on the railing; ne
DN' climbs with his feet and his hahHs,
And firm on narrow proJvO'iott., ,ds.
Tho bolfry beneath him. he stal4s,
>-,,,. NC ana once only, they cheei
NV bin.-a single, tempestuous Dred.ni,n =
And there falls on the muluteus sb"i''e
WV a hush like the stiffness OF dea'h'
Slow steadily mounting, unheeding auSh'
save the goal Of the ilre' 49,, y,
Still higher and higher. an aiOi"' liz
moves on the face iS, OF t IN sa span answer
ii0 eleam like a meteor's track
And hnrled on the stones OF the paw
Ai'N' ,nenf the red brand lies shattereu
and black.
o,oo moro the shouts Of the people have
rent the quivering ar: 49,, co,nci
Az the church-dOor Mayor anu NGu"0'
wait with their feet on me stai LES
And the eager throng behind them pie''
for a touch Of his hand ,,,,,,d
Tho unknown saviour, whose daring couiN
i"' compass a deed so grand
Pat why does a sudden tremor selze vi
""' them while they gaze? -.-.,.,,,,,
And vbat meaneth that stined HuIiiu'
OF wonder and amaze: ,o,,,io be
tra stood in the gate of the Tempe "'
had perilled his life TO save Audre,
And The face Of the hero. my ch,iui""
-' was the sable face Of Save!
with folded arms he was speakl1s' !"
tones that were clear, not louo, o,,o,s
And his eyes, ablaze in their soche's
-A' burnt into the eyes OF the croWo;; H.,
nyou may keep your gold: scorh III
hIt answer me. We who can, 49,.
~ the deed | have done before you oe HUI
the deed Of man!
IT. stenned but a short space baeKWar"
Nv and from all the women anu iiel a.,
,r,e,e we're only sobs for answer anu 'ii'
Mayor called for a PEN ,ho. he
Ard tbe great seal Of the city, thdl Tx
might read who ram: .,.x,..
A,a the slave who saved 81. Mlchdei :
AL" went out from its door. man.
M A. Il. StansDury.
.rhe church saved was 81. Phiiip . no
81 MichaePs. and the vestry OF 81 INN