Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1898-06-16
For the Observer.
PAT MURPHY. OR THE HEPO OF
THE FIKE-ROOM IN TIE BAT
TIE OF MANILA.

TIE OF MANILA.
Far down in the vessels bottom.
Giant furnaces We're heating.
Heating. heating. tons ot water
For tie conflict Ut Manila:
And he he1or> Of the fire-room.
With their broad chests heavIng. heav-
iu..
Eyes hlood->hot. hearts fast throbbing,
With THEN bodies bare. and suffering,
Toiled 1t such inhuman labor.
Tiny jets Of respiration.
Spult with force at each contraction.
Each contraction of the muscles
Or these hro4d-backe1 .rlmy fellows
As the hod~ OF coal they handled,
" in their highest speed eNerted.
Ready. all things. for the signal.
Ready. tor the ships first motion.
In a miniature inferno,
Ever toll III honored stokerS.
LII whose hands there lies the safety
OF the ship. the crew, the gunners:
Largely too. tt ere hangs upon them,
Even the result of battle.
Zen he lives OF honored seamen,
zen the safety Of 4 natiOn.
1'tIl dit tiitt lt ali dIOitll lIlcI1,
Deaf to every sound OF conflict,
Deaf To every shout of victory,
AZ they watch the Indicator
OF the steam gauge in its pressure.
There one stands from heat exhausted.
just one rest upon the shovel,
In despair. death-Sick, and weary.
There's no need to heave the coal in,
For the urnace is SO SrimY.
Scarce had this deSpairing moment
Winged its flight. and gone forever,
When his ~anguine eyes he lifted
TO. the massive indicators;
Heat was lowering, slowly varying:
C.ick the furnace door he opened,
Strength again accelerated,
Strength d nj back exhausted,
Strength he feared had fled forever.
Then he grabbed the heavy slice-ba
Drove it through the clinkered mass,
Felt again. his limo grow feeble. .
Felt his heated head grow dizzy,
Blindly stirring, teehly stirring.
" hen the tight grew dark before him,
Through his head he felt "a crashing
From his post he fell forever,
Fen our noble Patrick Murphy.
Fell a victim in the tire-room,
In the conflict at Manila.
Not an honored wound he carried,
Not a lame tor hi>tory's pa"es,
Not a name for song or story.
Down he fell "unwept, unhonored.'
; Just four stories up. above him
!, On the deck were brave men bleeding
Dying. falling. IN the conflict.
Each name Will in gold be written,
Carved in stone, in bronze. in marble,
Names OF those who faced the foe.
J Poor Pat Murphy. noble hero.
r Who will eulo3iZe his memory
: Who will tell he fell exhausted,
Never Pickering in his duty.
In the service Of his country
Let his nam liUC, GntOryOtten.
: When The war cloud passes over,
!, When the herocS IRE recorded;
Head the lis With Patrick Murphy,
Hero OF %tianilas fight.
Patrick Murphy, Chri>t-like soldier,
Died Tor All on board above him,
Died a sacrifice for others,
Fell a hero at Manila.
/ Roasted at the fiery furnace.
: ~ ILL - $50 humble
: Never hoped TO be promoted.
, Never hopel for higher station,
r Than to lift the hods of coal.
Did he see an Eye above him.
Filled with love and sweet compassion
Love for him our hero Murphy,
Love for such undue endurance?
That same a forever reaches
70 reward the COOL and faithful.
Faithful souls like Patrick Murphy,
| Who received his just promotion
In The conflict at Manila.
LIZZIE HOLDEN.