The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-29

the ,ail. and what has been written by
SOM, Northerner about tho kissing act
Is, as fur as | know. without Foundation
Respectfully etc. ]. 3. LACY.
Virginia Fuit.
friend II The Times Dispatch has
what appears 70 be the original copy OF
the following poem. which seems to have
been written In the Reconstruction period.
judging BY tho handwriting and the Sig
nature, j. r. r., we think II quite likely
Il was writer, BY John r.. Thompson-.he
initials being purposely transposed We
do not know whether It has been pub
lished before or not; but our Impression
is thnt We have seen II In print. Al any
rate II has musical Jingle. though The
despairins note which runs through Il Is
no. In accord with public feeling now.
Here II 10, ab
.-rhe name OF commonwealth d post and
Byron. ods 10 Venice.
Consumn tlon-the work OF destruction Is
s dona t.
The race OF the first OF tho States has
been run:
The guile OF her foes binds Its triumph
a. last. .,e .t,..
And virginia. like Poland. belongs 70 the
past
How her story. the hearts deepest rev.
erencc strs!
What a statue. antique and heroic. was
hersl
what q grace, what d glory her presence
AZ lnd
In the FIRST dewy light OF fair Lber,y's
morning.
In that day OF her carly cspousals, she
with her dowryl Of empire. her brthrisht
Of fame,
+, TO enrich and ennohle on land and on sea
| The Republic her Washlngton's valor
made FREQ.
/, And what greatness respondent II wore,
!; Let the eloquent page OF the annalst
prove,
Wherein. tho the page IL now olottod
| with tonrs,
Virginia but ever ns Empress appears.
The nations DEGREES did her counselors
mould
And her orators words weru as apples
OF gold;
And her captains. triumphant. afoat and
Gave the banner Of Union tho brightness
4 fit woro.
And for this that her children d1sgraeed
!! not their slres,
! That they strove to keep lighted their
liberty fires;
That they hailed her 5 rlghtfully wear-
i ing the crown.
For this have hsr enemies .rampled her
down.
How low lies she now. atrlpt OF half her
\ DOMAINE S
Bewailing her sons who In battle were
4 slain;
With the Shade Of an Infinite sadness
upon her
And all she loves dearest, all lost but
i her honorl
Thank Heaven that Is safe: with a mad
4 mesa accurst
4 Let the tyrnnts that rule for the hour
do their worst;
X She may bleed meath ths heel ofthe hire
ling invadsr;
They may spoil, they may rend. but they
cannot degrade her.
Let them subjugate nature-enraged lot
them seek
TO drain tho broad waste Of tho blue
Chesapeake;
Lot them seal up the sources Of whence
/ rusbea Bull Run.
And shut out from the valley tho face
o! the sun.
-. ...a, rotatpv rort-uitho,,t consctence
OF ruth,
Lot them paralyze Justice and mnnacle
Truth
tFair Truth; we accept of their poet the
A Hns
That the years OF the Godhead eternal
are thine).
Yet the record remains; in the garment
} The legend OF Jackson, her praise shal
prolons,
. And veritas verens, crushed down tho 4
Shall spring to the light in the story O
Lea
. From the anguish abysmal, where pros
a trate she lies.
, virginia. the Desolate. never may rise,
. For already the iron hath entered tn
soul, Y
y And. behold. at the fountain all broker
the bowl.
= But Of Just retribution there con~,th tn
;, day; 81
The Master hath promised til will, ra
=, pay !.
> And woe to the people He smttes wit
10 His rod
IN that terrible day Of the vengeance G
e J. T. n.
..'To mould mighty States DEGREES
y And shape the whisper Of the throna'
!, --Tenuyson, In Memorlam.
" The Panama Canal.