Evening star., 1895-05-30
OAK HILL.

Poet JOyce's Tribute to the Distin-
Euishcd Dead.
The following poem was read today by
Col. John A. Joyce at the memorial services
at Oak Hill:
Grand Home of the Dead. We mourn tread
Near the forms that crumble below;
How sad and how still the graves Oak Hill,
Meath the sunlight in bright golden glow.
Here's a rough. rude stone moss grown and alone
ot Where ,,,e old Time + ne, has IS left eft not trace
After brain and body ceased race
Vain, vain is the thought; no one ever bought
Exemption from final decay
To live and to rot, and then be forgot,
The fate of the quick Of today.
The soldier and sage from age unto age
Have slept meath these towering trees;
The young and the old. the bright and the bold
Are sung by the breath of the breeze.
Brave Bsbeock in peace here finds bis surcease
From sOrrows that troubled his life,
And rests with his God, beneath the green sod,
Away from this cold world of strife.
Here Reno retires from wars flaming fires,
To shine with immortals above,
And bvouac there, devoid of all care,
In realms of infinite love.
Here Morris, the brave. king OF the wave,
Doth slumber beneath the old flag;
Hero so grand on the famed Cumberland"
And bold as tall mountain crag.
While ocean shall roar rock k-beaten shore
The memory of Morris shall be.
A great loyal light for freedoms fair fight
On river, on land and
And Stanton. the grand, stood out for this land
When Rebellion reared up its fierce face;
Calmly refoses meath beds of sweet roses
lone hero In wars ruin race.
His great iron arm kept the Union from harm,
While he smashed all the foes in its way
AS great Lincoln. his chief. looked on with deep
At the war 'twixt the Blue and the Gray
As years roll along. with SORROW or song
His bs., name ,.i shall grow braver and brighter
With soldiers and Grant, the great fighter.
While Burns expended his gold
Senator true. who bliered in the Blue;
gentleman honest and bold.
Great Lorenzo Dow, who never knew how
To garnsh his truth with lie,
Sleeps under these flowers through Mays golden
nlun,ned by the sun and the sky
Here Coreoran, the sage; Bishop Pinckney. broad
Repose under marble SO white;
Theyv gone to land. bright, blooming and grand,
Where never up there, Is d night.
Here John Howard Payne sings again that refrain
That thrills US wherever We roam;
Der land or DER sea, our hearts still shall be
The Mecca of dear Home, Sweet Home.
Ger the flight of the years. with smiles or with
tears,
The memory of Payne shall remain;
Ana millions unborn, in twilight and morn,
Shall sing his immortal refrain.
Let soldier and sage from age unto age
Richly have all their merit and praise;
But the poet will be a light for the free
To the end of our last, dawning days.
Count Bodisco sleeps here, where trees shed tear
Ger the grave of the Auseovite peer
Away from all Ill, he rests Oak Hill,
memory from year unto year.
Dick Merrick lies here. bright, brilliant seer,
"A A lawyer of lingering renown,
In county, or city, or town.
Here rests the bright Blaine in sunshine and rain
Who left his imprint on the Nation
keen. brany mind devoted and kind,
Well fitted to I'LL a great station.
Where that proud loyal heart iowiy lies;
Yet the tall pines OF Maine sigh in for
Blaine,
As they toss their green heads to the skies..
Our sweet little child, simple and mild,
Sleeps here, under roses fair;
Yet. soon shall go to CLINE where no
Or siShs can cOrrOde Us with care.
Mother and sister. sweetheart and wife,
Hepose from their labors earth
Resting alone, away from all strife.
Where the soul finds happy, new birth.
Yet the citizens dead have always been wed
To Liberty, Friendship and Truth
Must be honOred well soldiers who fell
LIN the pride Of their brave. loyal youth.
Then strew sweetest flowers DER the soldier
But remember the citizen. too,
Who stood by his conscience in trouble
And supported the Gray or the Blue.
Gda bless grand Nation forever;
God bless every heart, fond and true;
God bless any soul that won't
The Gray from the Red, White and Blue.