The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-04-22
LincOIn's Last Dream.
April IA. 1865.
BY HEZEKIAH BUTTERwoRTH.

nation found release;
All the day the old war bugles blew the
blessed notes of peace.
'ThwarJ the twlight's damask curtains
Fell the night upon the land,
| Like Gods smile of benediction
Shado wed family by His hand.
| In the twilight, in the dusklight, in the star.
light, everywhere,
| Banners waved like gardened flowers in the
patpltatlng air.
In art temple there We're greetings, gentle
hurryings of feet,
And triumphant strains Of music rose amid
| the numb sweet.
| Soldiers gathered, heroes gathered, women
beautiful We're there:
/ Will he come, the lands Beloved, there to
rest an hour from care?
| Will he come who for the people
Long the cross of pain has borne,-
Prayed III silence wept in silence,
Held the hand of God alone?
Will he share the hour of triumph, now his
mighty work is done?
! Here receive the peoples plaudits, now the
victory is Won?
Ger thy dimpled waves, Potomac. softly
now the moonheams creep;
O'er lar Arlington's green meadows, where
the brave forever sleep.
lis Good Friday; bells are tolling, bells of
chapels beat the air
On thy quiet shores, Potomac; Arlington,
serene and fair.
And he com 5, the nations hero,
From the " hite House, worn with care
Hears the name Of "Lincoln," ringing
In the thronged streets, everywhere;
Hears the bells,-what memories bringing to
his long uplIfted heart
Hears the plaudlts Of the people as he gains
the Hall of Art.
There his tall form bends triumphant;
MnSit cha tby Iiuht oh
Hail HIM now the chief OF heroes, in the
tones more grand than words
Every eye to his turning Ger the flag of
peace unfurled
AS he lifts his brow, love lighted, takes his
last took of the world.
Stands he silent, grand. majestc,
Like the Maccabean old,
w hen the cleaning choirs of Juhal
Touched their trembling harps of gold.
SO amid the souls entertainments marched
the music through the air.
And the bliss rose to its fulness, for the
worlds Beloved was therel
Dies the outburst of the music, gayly on
ward sweeps the play,
But he little needs the laughter, for his
thoughts are far away;
Late he 10 his wife had whispered as appear
ed the dawn of peace,
81 the Holy Land shall visit when the cares
of State shall cease.
OlG We wished TO see the places
Where the man of Peace Divine
Sought the friendless healed the helpless
Mid the palms of Palestine.
Walk the paths the Master followed fol-
low him from sea to sea
Resting where He blessed the people on the
shores of Galiee,"
Blew the flag triumphant meath him; and
his eyes with thought We're dim,
Though thousand eyes before him lifted
oft their smiles to him:
Forms of statesmen, forms of heroes wo-
men beautiful were there,
But it was another vision that had calmed
his brow OF care;
Was it Tabor glowed before him
Carmel in the evening sun?
Faith strong armies grandly marching
Through the vale of Esdralon?
Bethanys palm-shaded gardens, here the
Lord the sisters met?
And the Pascal moon arising DER the brow
of OliVet?
Now the breath of light applauses rose the
tempted arches through,
Stirred the folds of sIlktn banners, mingled
red and white and blue;
But the Dreamer seemed TO heed not rose
the past MS eye before,
Armies guarding the Potomac, flashing
through the Shenandoah;
Gathering armies, darkening naves,
Heroes marching forth to die
Chlckamauga. Chattanooga,
And the Battle of the Sky:
Silent prayers to free the bondmen in the
ordeal of fire,
And Gods angels sword uplifted to fulfill
his heart $ desire
Thought he of the streets of Richmond on
the late triumphant day
hen the swords OF vanished leaders at his
feet surrendered lay,
When, amid the sweet bells ringing, all the
sable multtudes
Shouted forth TIE name OF "Lincoln!" like
the rushing of the foods?
Thought he What his heart had suffered
AL bis struggles and renown.
Dreaming not that just above hin,
Lifted was the martyrs crown
Seeing not the dark form stealing through
the music haunted air,
Knowing not that mid the triumph the be-
trayer's feet We're there
On that day he had appointed that DER
Sumter's broken wall
Anderson should lift the banner that rebel.
lion caused to fall.
On that day the flag had risen over Sumter's
sunlit sea,
While the ships of Dahlgren Numbered DER
the palm lands of Tybee.
AS he sunk into the shadows
Rose IN the dreams that banner bright,
AS twere outward rolled from heaven
By the messenger of light.
And he saw the war gates closing as that
flag of peace uprose,
And the bliss of grateful silence filled his
spirit with repose.
Flash! what scimitar of fire lit the flag with
lurid light?
Hush! what means that shuddering silence,
what that woman's shrek of fright?
Puff of smoke? the eall-bell ringing?
Why has stopped the airy play?
Why the fixed looks of the players that a
moment passed were gay?
why the murmurings, strange, uncertain
Why do faces 'urn so white?
Why descends the affrighted curtain
Like wild cloud 'thwart the sight?
Why the brute cries? why the tumult?
Has Death found the Hall of Art?
Hush! what say those auivering whispers
turning into stone each heart?
April morning; flags are blowing; 'thwart
each flag sabre bar;
Dead, the leader of the people; dead, the
worlds great commoner.
Bells on the Potomac tolling: tolling by the
SangamOn;
Tollin1 from the broad Atlantic to the Ocean
of the Sur.
Friend and foe clasp hands in silence,
Listen to The low prayers said,
Hear the peoples benedictons
Hear the nations praise the dead
Lovely land OF Palestina. he, thy shores
will never see,
But his dream fulfilled lie follows Him who
walked in Galllee