Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1896-02-25
q Tribute
From the Union Steam Fire Com
pany, No 2, to
CHARLES BROADWAY RoUss ON HIS
BIRTHDAY.

/ GHAklzES bhOAOMA1 hOOE9o tO1s
BIRTHDAY
Poem written by Miss Mary Gordon Duffee
and dedicated to Mr.. Rouss, read by Capt
John J. Williams at he recent celebration of
the sixtieth birthday anniversary of Mr., Rouss,
in Winchester;
Tonight the gallant Firemen meet in old
l. Winchester town, .ii.i-sr
They sigh for comrades passed away, they
dream of days gone by,
While soft lights fall DER women fair, and
brave. true hearted men
And music's strain floats ont aud fades where
star-iit shadows lie,
Their hearts are making pilgrimagcs into q
cradles shrine
Where many, and many year agOuc meath
a skies of Maryland, ~
This month-when DER mid-winter's brow
comes dream of gentle spring
There came little stranger armed with
Fairy's wand. esia
No palace walls surround him, no seryile
courtier waits a3 b
But loving arms behold him, and kindly train
his feet, a
To tread the rocky path that leads unto the
II mountains crest 7.q aa
Or wander poor and friendless along the city's
street. .ff ba7Nz
They knew him in the long ago As sour own
Charlie Rouss" a5
With his humble store of worldly goods and
smile so full of cheer, ...,i.
The wide, wide world before him, little dream
ing of the time,
When his name would ring thro' an its lands
both far away and near.
Again they list the story SO won drons and so
strange }a5s--
How he led the ranks of CONNER &c ere yet in
manhood's prime;
And to their ears comes loud and clear the
| bugle's call to arms
And they see him ride as dauntless knight in
that old, sad war time. i'ie s
They see him halt to scatter wide the wealth
his toll had won tA
And dash adown the Valley where combat
waited them ~ 1s-.lt De-
The fearless Southern Soldier, the brayest oi
the brave va97lr ssi5 f9 ts
For he, whom they had known and loved.
was one of stonewalrs men,
No more was he to know again the sweet and
peaceful ways E5Ec7sH
OF toll by day among them and ambitions
dreams by night,
No more to answer when they rang out the
fire alarm, it
And with the boys stand side by side in fierce
and awful light,
For he went from Appomattox to the meadow
land and plow
oft'ncath burning heat of summer. or in win
| ter's cruel blast, r
While from the vintage of his hopes, grief the
| wine of life had pressed
AS he dreamed of other, happier days that
were too bright to last.
When silver shafts of Harvest-Moon lay DER
the beauteous land
Like Cincinuatus from his plow he turned to
answer duty's call, ~
/ Where fame and fortune waited him in hostile
Northern cline -
Clad in his old Confederate gray, since it was
his worldly all.
| oh long and lonesome was the march, and
| drearier the camp; 5
| And chilling dew drops fell like tears upon his
gold-like brow 81 f,.5-
And hunger was the reveille that woke his
sleep at dawn
When oft he lay dreaming where his Palace
raises now.
| As lone David mot Goliah and his host OF
Philistines
So this hero from the Southland only armed
with mighty truth,
Met and slew the monster, Credit, broke his
cruel spear in twain,
Drew to his flag the Veteran and the proud,
aspiring youth, i
storI1ed the Citadel of Power, entered in its
frowning gate
Saw the walls of old Oppression slowly, surely
| Wrote his name where all the Nation might
wonder as they read bae
And get he left his hearts warm love in deai
Where soldiers sleep, their warfare o,er, he
guards the outer lines
With sentinels of encircling love that many {
year will last. aGag 5lLs
Since mid high regal spIendor he turns tc
battle-days long gone, ~ 9acw
When they, like him, marched young and gay
i adown the perished past, q
He waves his wand, the waters turn theil
blessing on his race; -
He comes in holy antumn time to mediate
and roam
Among the paths his feet once srod as hum
ble country lad,
And while the multitude crown him as King
he calls it 'thome, sweet home"
And as he strews his princeIy wealth 'monl
sad, forsaken poor
| The Widows heart doth sing for jos, tn
orphans heart is gay,
For his help comes like the gentle shewe
as earth needs in summertime,
Or like the rose reyiving beneath the sum
warm ray,
And yet. above the shouting throng, the eager
loving gaze.
: Ee calls the iremen round him for he love
them foDdiy still, n8ai asa
And he knows they'll do their duty whei
: danger sounds its cry, ~
Till death has waved its signal and they slee
upon the Hill.
Oh, Firemeu brave! oh, women fair. as J
! meet here tonight,
The birthday of this glorious man to just
e celebrate, &
While music's strain cnsts Ger the scene j
sweet, pathetic spell,
For him let fall regretfui tears in memory
of the fate
e OF one whose presence was his light who
il absence is his gloom, -.-.s5,