The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-30
DECORATION DAY POEM.

written by J. w. Northorp. Adjutant of
Eggleston, e. A r., Wichita. Post-l
The years have sped, ay, swiftly sped
SINCE wars dread edict thrilled these
States;
Since war grim clouds hung overhead
And fiercely flashed q section hates.
Like threatening lightning from the skies
To wreck this Nations liberties.
Up from the South to Northern land.
And through the East and Ger the West,
The war-cry rose on every hand
And war-fear filed each throbbirg
breast,
The South sprang forth to rend the ties,
That guard d freeman's liberties.
Mad cannons doomed on Sumpter's walls;
Camp-fres lit the Southern land;
For armies rose at Treasons calls,
Drilled for the fight. band after band.
The Union sprang up to guard the ties
OF Union and her liberties.
Sons went forth from parents dear.
From brothers and from sisters kind;
Husbands dropped the saddest tear
For wife and children left behind.
Ny Countrywide Patriot cries
Defend her for her liberties.
The lover twined the laurel wreath
To deck the maid his heart adored;-
Babe her adieu with choking breath.
She prayed that he might be restored,
With heaXing breast and weeping eyes
The Union saVed-itS liberties.
And see. they gather on the soil
Where Washington once lived and died.
Across the South. where Slavery's coil
Had Freemen's sacred rights denied;
The South TO strengthen slavery s gives,
The North to save men liberties.
And bark, / hear the marshal tread
OF thousands in their grand array;
With bright flags flying overhead
Theyr re marching 10 the great ARRAY;
Two mighty hosts. oh. Seei-See
Which is the host of liberty.
And bark, l hear the rallying drum;
hear the cannons muttering roar
The skirmish fire.-On. on they come!
Ten thousand muskets bullets pour
Ten times ten thousand more.
Roll and crash! IT'S DO AND DIE
The angry voice of Liberty,
Along the hills, the-woods the wales,
Living walls of foemen rise.
While peallng cannon still assailS
And shakes the earth and rends the
skies
With cleaning bayonet and gun,
Flashing in the smoke and sun,
They charge those blazing ranks Of fire,
Mid shouts of rage and fierce command:
While each 10 victory doth aspire.
And carnage rolls on either hand.
Oh. bloody the way to victory,
For born of death IS Liberty.
But not the earnest ones who fell;
Whose glorious lives had sank TO rest
Amid the terrors of that spell
Whose mortal lives had ceased to be,
Whose souls in conflict were made free.
The years have sped. ay, swiftly sped,
And yet our hearts oft feel the pain:
For still we love the brave ones dead
Who went and never came again
Who died that there should be no slaves
Where'er our own bright flag doth reign.
Today we decorate the graves
OF those who for our peace were slain
Their souls are blest-God made them
free;
They left us to this liberty.
The lover twined the laurel wreath.
Redecked the maid his heart adored;
Today, altho' he sleeps in death,
Inc love-wrought garland is restored;-
Affections token pure and free,
The strongest tie of Liberty.
Then. bring bright flowers and cover them
Those who fell and those who fought;
Come parent and brother, wife, sister and
lover
And give them the garlands their valor
hath wrought;
Clasp in your hearts these dead heroes OF
Cover them over with beautiful flowers.
With malice toward none, good will to
To those of the North and those of the
South
Give them this day a sweet flowery pail
The sons of the North, the sons of the
South:
For victory that kept the Northland free
Gave the South to liberty.
Cover them over. cherish them ever,
Live in the peace for which they sighed.
Till we meet them where conflict never
will sever
Us from the dear ones who suffered and
died.
Cover them over with beautiful flowers
TIL we greet them IN Heavens perennial