The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-01-31
William Mckinley: A Requiem
BY MRS. N. 8. BLISS.
(written for the News-Dcmocrat.

What made him great 81 ripe leadership?
Why did we love him and such tears,
Such bitter tears when round the whole wide world
The message flashed, Hes dead? To one and all
He said his last goodbye; with latest breath
He sang the hymn he loved; he prayed the prayer,
OF Him OF Nazareth. In hfe--iu death
The sef-surrendered soul OF this good man
Was SO self poised and calm mid conflicts dire,
Methinls can the question solve in part
Not alive are not wise enough, nor do
We dare attempt task difficult;
But this know, he had q home. blest home!
And parents wise and good who planted IN
The genial soil of childrens fresh young hearts
The love of country and of home and God.
Heaven blest the labors of the patient pair:
When taken and the other left,
The work went mothers tender love
And faith stronger siill and more intent eig
To train for service and for sacrifice @f
Her manly boys her bright and winsome girls.
How nobly did our hero keep his pledge
OF early years-when bending low, he laid s
His fair young head on mothers knee and told
. In earnest tender tones, his resolve:
81 want to give my life for Him who died
For me'-the sweetest words that fell
On Christian mothers ears. Her boy had found
The Pearl of greatest price No crown of earth
Could ever bear gem one-half so rich
The years rolled on. Anon our peaceful land
Was rent with strife. The fateful hour had come.
When must fight. and weep and pray
To vindcate the right Tho scarce eighteen
McKinley's heart beat high his pulses thrilled
With love of country. freedom for the slave
So long in servile bonds So forth he went,
worthy brave young knight without reproach
Or fear So brave was he the field
And braver still some half-shattored tent
Or hospita-in deeds of mercy. words
OF cheer and hope-we wonder rose
And aurels clustered thick around his brow
The conflict o err glad songs o victory
Reverberated round and round, until
The grand sweet sound was hushed-a tragedy
zone in the long list of heroes slain" ~. lat.-aa
A great and noble chief the victim
OF long concealed enmity and ee4
A nation in tears o'er Lincoln dead
With all his wartime laures fresh and green
Around his sanity brow Alas-alas
Our sO1die bovd dreamp not that dayh he
Would thus be mourned-that from glorious height
Of power to which in his humility
He dared not then aspire, he too would fall.
The idol of his country. great and free
Free? No-not while red-handed anarchy
With sealthy tread and with unblushng face
Would sweep from off the earth the crowned head
And the head uncrowned, save with coronet
OF heayenborn thoughts, of brave and knightly deeds
The curtain falls-Behod life's young
fair young bride, his loyal hearts choice. .
Her plighted has said A pathway .l
To willing feet, is reckoning and
To heights of glory. fame and regal power.
Two sweet young babes lent awhile bless
A union that power earth could
A bond, strong, that in a reckless age
Was staunch and firm, unbroken to the end.
Quickly the little feet tired-too quick
loving hearts-but One had need of them.
And a bright and shining way
The path that they had trod, allnres and holds
To holy purpose. heaven born thoughts and deeds
Like of whom the poet seer did write
$50 TRANQUILITY in life's great field they wrought
That side by eide with evil scarcely caught
A stain upon their pilgrim garb of white"
rBe noble, and the nobleness that lies
Others oft asleep but dead
Will rise in majesty to meet thine own"
How few so we'll exemplify this truth 90
AS he, who by 1t made the whole world kim!
The bond of universal brotherhood
Is stronger now, because he lived, and loved
His fellow men; loved honor than life;
Forgave, he himself would be forgiven.
But why rehearse his manly. righteous Deeds
Familiar to the child at school, we'll
AS to the friends renowned in halls of state?
'Ts OF life's great solemn mysteries
That such a death should follow a lfe
With the unfolding must wait
OF by and by, and be content to know
Twas glorious in its proud humility
AS any martyrs Who with faith in God
Accepts the martyrs cross-whout reproach--
the starry He's gone earth,
Because his life in It's completeness ranked
With the angelic hosts So let live
a faith undaunted and supreme
too may go enraptured with the thought
That heaven and glory wait pilgrim feet
cago, January 27, 1902. III
,xasn mn rrMnRNnu BURGLARS ROUNDED II