Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1897-01-05

In every land beneath the sun.
Like thee. we strive, we faltcr, die,
Yet, as the age rolls by,
Some gem, exhumed, shall deck
Truths coronet,
With living trophies set.
Some golden corn sheayed
Some roses bloom, where briar twines
In martyr robes, the church still shines
Through sacrifice is destiny achieved.
Farewell, old Year within thy embrace,
Beneath the smiling of the genial face
We, children of ephemeral today,
Have lived our lives: have loved and toiled and
spun,
And for the prize of fate have boldly run.
The prize The lilies in their fair array
| Put us to shame. We can but pray
| That all the toiling and the spinning,
The running of a race. not worth the winning,
BE purified, forgiven, till they shine
In Love Divine,
Good bye, Old YearI Wither away tonight?
Into the voiccless past; thy days arc told.
Canst thou, like prophet old,
| Espy the glory of the promised land.
And dost thou leave younger, in thy place,
To lead the chosen race
Up to the lightI
Shall the New Year, like Joshua, stand
Delivcrcr of mankind? We may not say.
We only know
That angels, bending low.
Have born thy cherished form away,
Aud hid their footprints in the crystal snow.
Hear the story of the yearl See the crimson
crimes that stain
Page on page of history. Hear the cry Of
greed, of gain:
Weigh lnisdecds with brave endeavcr,
When people try TO sever
The oppressor's calling chain.
Hear the cruel rage of Spain!
Spain, in love with Cuban gold,
Spain, inquisitor of old,
With her lofty pedigrees,
And her titled ministries,
Sailing to Floridian Seas,
Like greedy bird of prey,
Swoops down on an island fair.
But brave hero-souls are therel
Long the fight for freedom surges.
Macco the conflict urges
TIL there comes fatal day,
Spain awards martyrs prize,
Maceo the patriot dies.
But we trust the summer isle
Yet shall sec fair freedom smile
And the jewel of the main
Ceuse to gem the brow of Spain.
Sombre lies Armeria's land
Near the golden Caspian strand
Was the garden. once fair
On the calm Enphratcs, there!
Here the ark, of old, was found,
When the waters surgcd aronnd
Who shall bear, to-day, the blame,
Christian Europe's bitter shame?
Sad the story, often told
In the sombrc days of old.
But the red cross CLEANS on high.
And noble woman's name
Shall be writ in deathlcss fame
In the sky.
Turn the p1ge. There is another, brighter view,
See the weaker nations. striving with great;
English warsbips, proudly sailing,
Nicaragua, never quiiliug.
Venezuela, claiming aid from kindred state.
Hear America proclaimiug
| On her barner, now unfurled,
Doctrine of statcsman's framing.
Her old Dsctrin /, brave aud true
''For the Old World leave the Old World,
And the New World for the New.
| Yet another warfare ruges
! See the brawny West
| With the patient South united;
Troth and honor they have plighted,
March abreast
Now the Flower of chivalry
Fights the battle of the ares,
Fights for changeless Liberty
Not noblcr Knight nor truer
Did the ancient minstrel sing.
For his lady love, Is Freedom.
| III
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great battles fought
Fro,n I,Ioro,orv- studv-catnc the victories OF