The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-06-07
THE FUNERAL OF NAPOLEON.
old Favorite Series.

rat the time of the second burial of
Napoleon the following poem appeared
in the Maple Leaf, Canadian publica-
tion. of that day. 1t has been popular
ever since, and can be found in many coll
lections of poetry credited to an anony
nous writer. 1t was written by Sir John
H. Hagarty, late Chief Justice of the
Province of Ontario, then q young law
yer in Toronto.l
Cold and brilliant streams the sunlight
on the wintry banks of Seine.
Gloriously the imperial city rears her
pride of tower and fame
Solemnly with deep voice pealeth, Notre
Dame, thine ancient chime,
Minute-guns the death-bell answer In the
same deep, measured time
On the unwonted stiffness gather sounds
of an advancing host,
AS the rising tempest chafeth on ST. Hell
ems far-off coast:
Nearer rolls a mighty pageant-clearer
swells the funeral strain.
From the barrier arch of Neuilly pours
the giant burial train.
Dark with eagles is the sunlight-darkly
on the golden air
Flap the folds of faded standards, elo-
quently mourning there
Ger the pomp of glittering thousands.
like a battle-phantom fits
Tatter'd fig of Jena, Friedland, Arcola
and Austerltz.
Eagle-crowned and garland-circled, slow
ly moves the stately car,
Mid the sea of plumes and horsemen-
all the burial pomp of war
Riderless a war-worn charger follows his
dead masters bier
Long since battle-trumpet reused him
he but lived to follow here.
From his grave, mid oceans dirges,
moaning surge and sparkling foam,
Lo the Imperial Dead returneth; 10, the
Hero-dust comes home!
He hath left the Atlantic island. lonely
vale and willow tree,
Meath the Invaides to slumber, mid the
Gallo chivalry
Glorious tomb DER glorious sleepers. gal
liant fellowship to share
Paladin and Peer and Marshal-France
thy noblest dust is there!
Names that light thy battle annals
| names that shook the heart of earth
| Stars in crimson Wars horiZon-syno
nyms for martial worth!
Room within that shrine of heroes! place
| pale spectres of the past!
| Homage yield. We battle phantoms! Lo
your mightiest comes at last!
Was his course the Woe out-thundereo
from prophetic trumpets lips?
Was his type the ghostiy horseman sha
dowed in the Apocalypse?
| Gray-haired soldiers gather round him
| relics of an age of war;
| Followers of the Nictor-Eagle, when nj:
flight was wild and far:
Men who painted in the death strife OF
Rodrigos bloody ridge.
Hearts that sickened at the death-shriel
from the Russians shattered bridge
Men who heard the immortal war-cry o
| the wild Egyptian fight
Forty centuries o'erlook us from yo
Pyramids gray height!
They who heard the means of Jaffa, an
the breach of Acre knew,
They who rushed their foamng war
steeds on the squares of Waterloo
They who loved him-they who feare
him-they who in his dark hou
Round the mighty burial gather, spell
bound by the awful Dead!
Churchmen = Princes = Statesmen-War
riors-al a Kingdoms chief array,
And the Fox stands-crowned mourner-
by the Eagles hero-clay!
But the last high rite is paid him. an
the last deep kneH is rung-
y, A1d, the capnon's iron voices have thei
ana ma banners idly dropping, silei
gloom and Wondering state,
shai the Trampler of the world upon til
, Judgment-trumpet wait
: Yet his ancient foes had given him noble
, monumental pile,
Where the overlapping dirges moane
around the burial isle
: Pyramid upheaved by Ocean in his lone
Hest wids affair,
, For the War-king thunder stricken fror
his fiery battle-car.