The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-06-26
Weapons of War.

Very few swords are literally turned into
pruning hooks in piping times OF peace.
for of all the numerous weapons OF war
the sword is the one of greatest in
terest TO the historian. the poet. the 70
mancer, and the nearest to tbs home.
where II proudly hangs beside the portrait
OF the hero who welded it,
Five centuries have elapsed since gun
powder was discovered. but long ages be-
fore that time the sword had made is
record When Saul. the first King or Is
rael, was mortally wounded in batue by
the PhliStines. he desired his armor-
bearer to STAY him with his own sword.
and upon the refusal OF his faithful vas
sal. Saul fell upon the weapon and died.
Absolom. that interesting son for whom
King David would have died, carried q
jeweled sword:
Reversed beside him; and the jeweled hilt,
Whose diamond lit the passage OF MS
blade.
Rested like mockery on his covered bier.
The sword OF Napoleon WAS laid I'M
sheathed on the pillow where rested his
lifeless head under the friendly willows
which marked his burial place al st.
Helena
General Custer was during the war the
recipient OF sword which was SO large
that no other arm in the service cou'd
WELD it. j had a blade OF such finely
tempered Damascus steel that it could
be bent nearly double. A Spanish In
scription was engraved on :he blade:
Do not draw me without cause.
Do not sheathe me without honor.
In the heroic times of Charles XII. the
soldiers carried swords OF giant height.
In their frocks of blue. with gold belts,
they were a most attractive feature OF
hA hor Al 81 IL
OF using their enormous swords with dead
ly effect.
Poets delight In feats Of the sword, Civ
ing it always the isolation or honor. Sir
Walter Scott wrote OF Marmiou:
With dying hand above his head
He shook the fragments OF his blade
And shouted Victory"
And Of young Lochinvar:
And save his good broadsword the weapon
had none.
Hotspur Is made to say:
And here drsw !.
A sword whose temper intend TO stain
With the best blood tina, l can meet
withal.
General Grants splendid accouterment
of swords is in the National Museum al
Washington.
Congress has appropriated the sum OF
$4,000 to purchase sword for Admiral
Dewey.
The sword of Bunker Hui is familiar
property In history and song. The story OF
the dying veteran who called his son 10
him and gave him the sword which had
helped TO save the day, and babe him
10 WELD it In the cause of justice and
liberty, saying that he would find lock
of George Wash:ngtons hair in the Hit,
making 1t memorial forever. has drawn
tears from the eyes of many a youthful
patriot, and fills no inconspicuOus place
in schoolday literature.
BY the sword of my father" is one OF
the most convincing oaths a Frenchman
can use. II his relative is a generation
remote he swears by the sword of his
grandfather. The submission of the con-
quered is shown in his yielding up his
sword TO the victor.
The breaking of the sword In halves
and throwing the broken weapon at the
feet of an enemy is the expression OF in
subordinatiOn, the spirit that admits de-
feat but remains unconquered.
In Montenegro, when a man is rejected
as too old for war, he breaks his sword at
the feet of his prince and goes home TO
die. 1t is military suicide Of a less honor
able nature than that of Saul or Brutus.
How died my master. StTatO?
! held the sword and he aid run 1t.
According to his virtue let US use him,
With all respect and rites Of burial.