Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-06-26

~ 1pneal 10 piais,s nauql.lel

Shall We yield up the care Of Che graves Of
Who fell meath the folds of the Red, White
and Red
The sons Of our Southland, who fen for the
free,
And marched with the glory-crow. ed lcgions
OF Lee7
Their orce cleaning sabers are covered with
The banner they followed is low in the
The flag of the Norlbman triunphantly
lie has taken our all but has left us our
graves.
The patriet's tomb is posterity's shrine,
Whence Liberiy's beacon forever should
shine;
AlegaeY precious to guard and to keep,
Mecca where Pilgrims may worship and
weep.
Shall We yield them or shield them Make
answer sc braves:
Shall VIC guard for our children these green
Southern graves,
That tell of their fOrefathers' yalor and
And deaihless devotion to Truth and The
Right,
Or shall we surrender TO others our claim
To guard our own dead in the temple of
Fame ?
To this sacred duty the foeman aspircs;
Shall he publish our shame with the fame of
Efr
And you, Southern women, to You We now
Fair daughters Of Dixie your wi.l.e. to
Yours first of all oilers the right to de-
For now ana forever what choice 10 abide.
You ever have stood by our gullants in
gray,
Through all the ng years since they first
marched away,
Through q sun sunshine aud shadow in woe and
Uuhagging your love and urhfnehing your
zeal.
From chesapeakc's head to the banks of the
Grande,
From Florida's groves 10 Missouri's broad
land.
Yon smiled on the hosts of the Red. White
and Red;
You prayed DER the dying, you wept DER
the dead,
While Hope was yet cleaning you cherished
our braves
When Hope for aye persisted you grievcd
o'er their graves;
So constant and changcless through all the
dark years,
You have strewn them with flowers, believed
them with tears.
You have never forgotten this labor of
As deathless, enduring as that from
above;
So fond and so fearless and faithful Ill
way,
You have guarded the graves of our mar
tyrs in gray.
Now the eOnqueror comes with the palm in
his hand
and rarally tenders this boon to our
To care for our dead as he cares for his
own,
Aud emDlazon their proves on metal and
sonc,
Shall We gratefully hasten the gift to
embrace
Aud gladly accord him our r@ans of
praise?
Change the Sou herner'ssiah and the patrols
prayer
At the southcrncr's tomb, for the couqueror's
carc-s-
l. the prize 50 uluIiug The honor SO
great?
win cur dead rest the batter for lying in
state?
Would they rather this deed of their newly
found friend.
Or the love Of the land that they died to
defend?
The grundest creetious of wealth and of
Or perpetual place in the sOutherner's
heart?
E,nblazoned inscriptions, or wreaihs ever
fresh?
A statue of bronze, of taDl,t Of flesh ?
If, indeed, we surrender this last sacred
right,
The care aud protection of others invite.
Would our dead not the rather prefer to
remain
Forever unmarked on the field of the
slain
The sun would smile on them, the heavens
would weep;
The ok would guard proudly the soldiers
last sleep;
The thunder's salute would resound over
head;
The winds would sound fifty the dirge for
the dead.
No conqueror's tablet polluting the spot
To tell the sad tale : BY their country
forgot :
Unmarked aud unmentioncd, to rest meath
Yet guarded by Nature, watched over by
And you, southern women, TO you we now
Shall Yield them or shield Them ? From
you we would iearn:
It is ours to decide, be ii yea. be it nay
Yc daughters of kit, make answer to-
day.
Austin Rust in Richmond Dispatch.
Your best friend can give you no better
advice than this: Fer impure blood.
bad stomach and weak nerves take Hoods
Sarsaparilla.