Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-20
The Quest Of Guivira.

Aue quest Oh GulVlrd.
Arthur Guiterman In Out West
Francisco Coronado rode forth with all his train.
To seek the rumored glory that painless deserts
The city OF Quivira. whose walls are rich with
gold.
Oh, gay they rode with plume crest and giided
With gonfaion Of Aragon and banner of Castiiei
While nign emprse and joyous youth. twin mar
shaIs OF the throng,
Awoke Sonora's mountain peaks. with trumpst-nots
and song.
Beside that brilliant army, beloved of serf and
There walked brave soldier as ever smote
Though naught Of knightly harness his russell gown
revealed
The cross he bc-e weapon. the mIssal was his
shield.
But rugged oaths were changed to prayers, and
angry hearts grew tame.
And tanning spirits waxed in faith where Fray
And brs@ny spearmen bowed their heads to kiss
the helpful hand
Of him who spake the simple truth that brave
men understand.
What pen may paint their darins-thOse doughty
The cities of the Zuni were humbed by their
Wild Arizona's barrens grew pallid In the glow
of blades that Won Granada and conquered Mexico.
They Jared by lofty Acoma: their rally-can
Still. north and east, where deserts spread and
treeless prairies rolled,
A fairy city lured them on with pnnacles of gold.
Through all their weary marches toward that nit-
They turned to Fray Padia for aid Of heart and
He bound the wounds that lsnce-thrust and hinty
arrow made;
He cheered the Sick and falling above the dead
he prayed.
T'xpn ,,,iias
And sadly fever. drought and toll had lessened
When came message fraught with hope to all
~. the steadfast band;
Good tidings from the northward, frendsi Qui-
yira lies at hand!''
How 59ySu 95y they fpurred them How sadly
There shone no golden palace. there blazed jew
Rude tents of hide of bison, dog guarded. met
A squalid Indian village the lodges of the Sioux!
Then Coronado bowed his head. lie spake unto his
''our quest is vain. true hearts of Spain. Now
ride home again.
And would to God that / might give that phantom
city's pride
In ransom Tor the gallant souls that here have
Back, back to Compostela the wayworn handful
But sturdy Fray padiua took up the quest once
lance and sword;
He burned to show the heather the pathway to the
Lord.
Again he trudged the flnty hills and dazzling
desert sands,
And few were they who walked with him. and
weaponless their hands
But and the trusty man-at-arms. Dccampo, rode
him
Like Great Heart guarding Christians way through
wastes OF doubt and fear.
Where still in silken harvests the prairie lilies
Among the dark Quiviras Padila reared his cross.
Within its sacred shadow the warriors of the
kaw
In wonder heard the gospel of love and peace and
law.
in twilghts gold
The warriors grouped. silent ring, TO hear the
tale he told.
While round the gentleman-at-arms their 1.-the
lmbed children played
And shot their arrows at his shield and rode his
guarded blade.
When thrice the silver crescent had filled its curv-
ing she'll,
The friar rose at dawnng and spake his flock fare
we'll:
And if your brothers northward be cruel, as ye
My master bids me seek them-and dare / answer
'Nay'f'
Again he STROBE the path Of thorns; but the
evening star
A savage cohort swept the plain in paint and
Then Fray Padla spake to them whose hearts
were most his own;
My children, bear the tidings home-let ME die
here alone.
He knelt upon the prairie, begirt by yelling Sioux
Forgive them oh, my Fatheri they know NOT
The twanging bow-strings answered, before his
eyes, unrolled
The city Of Quivira, whose streets are paved with
gold.