The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1898-07-15

Following is an original poem read al
| the recent commencement exercises oi
the Normal College of New York. It Ii
| rhis effort which President Hunter said
was the most remarkable production In
the history Ct the college. A lot Of vol
untesr suthors had one hour in which to
write finished composition upon sub.
ject previously unknown to them. Miss
Burr finished her task in the given time
In verse, as it appears below. Her 399
classmates are proud of her talent.
They say ut is easier for Amelia Burr
to write poetry than for most people to
write prose-" The literary future of
Miss Burr, who suggests in personality
the Cuban heroine, Evangelino Cisneros,
should be interesting.
THE BATTLE OF MANILA
Out of the deep, Lord,
Thy Spirit moves, and :passes, ," and none
knows
The Sovereign viii directing where 1t goes
Save only Thou, o Lordl
Thy ways are mystery. Off,. while Thou dost
sit
With folded hands and deep eyes brooding
DER
The wrongs and anguish of this world OF sin,
We count Thee blind, and, vaunting our own
wit,
Build the trail loom wherewith, we think to
spin
The tapestry of Fate.s Above the roar
And tumult OF the little race of men
Anon Thou dost unsheath Thy mighty sword
In awful Stiffness, aud Thou dost let fall
blow that shakes the world. The nations
all
Fall PROSTATE. awed, and recollect once more
That over all, 1nvincible, supreme,
Strong beyond our Imagination, great
Beyond the picturing of a prophets dream,
Thou rulest, Arbiter of Human Fatei
Twas in Thy Name we bade the war drum
sound.
We rose, full armed, as tor q new crusade.
We trusted to Thy strength to compass round
Our forces that are naught without Thine aid
And not in vain did we our trust repose.
Thine ancient promises Thou still dost keep
Thine angel came and led us to our foes
Over tie silent deep.
Our ships went atorth upon the shaken sea
Terrible ass Leviathan. Thy hand
Was strong to shelter those who fought for
Thee,
Thy voice was clear to,comtort and command.
Through the blue mist OF: battle didst Thou
lead
The champions OF Thy cause. The flaming
shower
OF shot and shell that iroaredi. from fort and
ship
Could mot dismay. the souls that in Thy
Had faith, nor feared dark Azrael's chill grip,
They telt, with peace, that Thou vert Lord in
deed.
All! as.ot old we know
Thine overshadowing Hand. Is stretched out
still
AS smitten by Thine angel fell the foe
And could not work us ill.
supernal hands, as in the olden days,
Did from its path the flaming missile bend.
Wherefore to Thee, o Lord, we lift our praise
That cannot know an end.
Like vengeful spirits on the thoughtless foe
Swept down our ships-then the still air
To shattering sound, and furious crashing
blow
OF shell steel-the screaming fre-birds broke
Through the gray fog ofsmoRe
And flew in deadly fiocks across the sea
AS If the demons held high jubilee.
Thick throwing in the awful mist, the eye
Gould almost seem to spy
The phantom figures of our Nations dead,
Called from the tomb by the fierce battle-cry.
From their stern lips q soundless cheer arose
For him who led
Our Nations strength .against!our Nations
toes,
Heroic Deweyi Through theitearful hours
He strove, outrageous. till the strife was
crowned
With glorious victory, and the day was ours,
From her long servitude at last unbound,
Manila, Princess ot.the Philippines,
Beautiful tropic queens,
Stood proudly gazing on the wreck-strewn
flood,
Baptized to Freedom with her tyrant's blood.
Hail to the herol He has earned his place
Among the laureled leaders of our raceI
Perry his kinship owns,
Farragut, Porter, and the brave Paul Jones,
The patriot prtvateer.
Columbia's dead and living swell the cheer
That halls brave Dewey. When this war shall
cease,
Still amid kindly peace
HIS land shall hold her noble warrior dear.
The envious hand OF Time shall not effAce
This victory from the archives of our race.
Ano o@seio ALI sho causo Vi AHuSn niio nAShs
Wherein, through Gods great might,
The triumph cost not one devoted lite
OF those who faced the strife
Beneath our banner floating fair and bright.
Lord, in our memory be Thy goodness seti
Let us not, in ingratitude, forget
The mighty deeds which Thou tor us hast
donei
The battle over and the victory won
We bow the knee in praise. and lift again
Our eyes to Thee. So be 1t ayeI Amen.
-tAmelia Burr.
@g@Note.-Miss Burr is well known In
Newtown, having for several seasons