The Forrest City times., 1896-07-03

fss.. S\ How once they .si fought beneath the flag whose stars with glory shine, And saw the sunlight kiss it on the plains of Brandywine. Methinks adown the aisles of time the drums are echoing still That beat the long roll, sharp and clear. that day at Bunker Hill: seem to hear the bugle notes that sounded in the glen When. sweeping down upon the foe. came Marion and his men. It stirs my blood as recall the yeomen of the farms Who led their horses from the fields when Freedom called to arms; She found them ready for the fray, ah you remember how The news that spread from Lexington found Putnam at the blow. The farmers of New England gathered fast from near and far When Stark marched up to Bennington tU dim invasiop's Q star; They formed Spartan phalanx which no British steel could break And play'd the deadly game of war with Liberty the stake With hearty zeal their foes to meet they fiocked with might and main. From east and west, from north and socth to Saratoga's plain: They followed Arnold in the charge which won that field of fame And crimsoned with their own life blood the flag We love to name. They beat their plowshares into swords, their blow steeds they bestrode, Behind the plume of Harry Lee right gall lantly they rode: One night across the Delaware amid the sleet and snow Those farmers followed Washington and smote the Hessian foe. They faltered not in battle; upon York towns glorious field They saw the red coats ground their arms and grim oppression yield: And in the sun that autumn day the fear. less little band Saw Washington with vict'ry crowned-the savior of the land. Upon that document whose fame we cele- brate to-day The farmer hero wrote his name, 1t stand eth there for aye. He left the harvest and the blow. against oppression he, To say to George in thunder tones: 'This country shall be freev' Aye. in that fight for freedom. like wall those farmers stood, From Lexington's immortal plain to Prince tons snowy wood; They fought for right on hill and plain, deep in the break and gorge, They bore without a murmur all the woes of Valley Forge The legacy they left to us, their sons. is vast and free The land which lies in majesty from sound ing sea to sea, A flag whose beauty wins the world upon the land and foam, Beneath whose stars the poor oppress'd will ever find home. All hall the memry of the men who gath cred long ago At Freedoms clarion call to arms to smite the foreign foe! Their sons, like them. have left the blow, their freedom to maintain They nobly fought at New Orleans, they died at Lundy's Lane. To-day I fling Old Glory proudly to the summer breeze, I know 1t thrills million hearts beyond the stormy seas; 1t waves above the hovel poor and o'er the mansion, too, With blazoned stripes of white and red and stars in field of blue. Long may 1t float above the land which calls that flag it's own, Around 1t chosen heroes stand, beneath it is no throne; Our farmer sires who saw 1t wave in war have passed away, But we recall their deeds of worth with pride this natal day The children over in the grove with mimic sword and gun Are playing war beneath the trees-Bur- goyne and Washington! cross the fields to watch them, while heroic mem'ries swarm, And thus I pass another dear old Fourth upon the farm.
 IT. c. Harbaugh. in Ohio Farmer.