The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-06
The Blue and the Grey.

Hartford Times
 Francis Miles Finch. who died In Ithaca. N. Y.. on "Wednesday was verse. which was largely set aside in favor of work in hls profession of the law. In that he was distinguished. York court of appeal for a number of years and declined renomination in order to become a professor at the Cornell College of law, in which he was made dean of the faculty. But he ts best known and remembered by his verse. first the songs he wrote at Yale. where he was graduated in the class or 1S49, and which are collectively the best even written thare. and then to all the country by his wonderful touch ing poem. The Blue and the Grey. II was suggested by an incident a5, in Miss. and Memorial Day. strewed flowers on the graves "f both confed- crate and federal soldiers. Coming so soon after the close of the war, the feeling which prompted this act made an impression hard to realize in these days, and under the impulse Of this touching and almost heroic act. the poem. and was written. It goes to tho heart of the situation and touches an answering chord in every soul. No wonder it made e profound impression at the moment, and still retains its power, for it's subject is no one inci- dent but the everlasting conflict and reconciliation of life. Perhaps there Is nothing nobler than q generous foe, certainly hardly anything else which appeals more strongly 10 generous heart The verses were written while the memories of the war were so fresh and the feeling so strong that they thousands who would nol at another time have read them, and in spite ot all else he did they make his reputation else of him. They are reproduced her for convenience of mediate refer- ence:
 Ry the flowof the inland river.
 Whence the fleets of iron have fled, Where the blades of the grave-grass
 culver.
 Asleep are tho ranks of the dead: Under the sod and the dew, Under the one, the Blue,
 Under the other, the Gray. These in the robings of glory.
 Those in the gloom of defeat; All with the battle-blood gory,
 In the dusk of eternity meet; Under the sod and the .iew
 Waiting the judgment day; Under the laural, the Blue:
 Under the willow, the Cray. From the silence of sorrowful hours,
 The desolate mourrers go, Lovingly laden with flowers,
 Alike for the friend and the foe. Under tho sod and the dew.
 Waiting the judgment day; Under the roses, the Blue !;
 Under the lilies, the Gray. So. with an equal snlendor,
 The morning sun-rays fall. With a touch impartially tender.
 On tho blossoms blooming for all. Under the sod and the dew.
 Waiting the judgment dav: Broidered with gold. the Blue:
 MeloWed with gold. the GraV.  So. when the summer calleth
 On forest and field of grain. With an equal murmur falleth
 The cooling drip of the rain; Under the sod and the dew,
 Waiting the Judgment day: Wet with the rain. the Blue;
 Wet with the rain. the Gray. Sadly, but not with upbraiainG.
 The generous deed was done: 1p the storm of the years that are
 fading
 No bravsr batttle was won. Under the sod and the dew.
 Waiting the judgment day; Under the blossoms. the Blue;
 Under the garlands. the Gray. No more shall the war-cry sever.
 Or the windin" rivers be red: They banish our anger forever
 When they, they laurel the graves of our Under the sod and the dew,
 Waiting the judgment day: I We and tears for the Blue;
 Tears and love for tho Gray.
 These lines seem to gain impressive ness and beauty as time goes on. They may be open to some petty criticism. but thev have the essence of poetry, noble thought. melody and suggestion. Resides this they have as already made clear. the expression of feeling which in some form is part of all human PRDATianHR and If Is thiS which assures their appeal to men so long as mankind remains what it is.