The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1907-08-23

\Olgnou) II. >. FLElCHEh,
Attorney General.
The Blue and the Gray
Franch Miles Finch, who died
in Ithaca, N. Y, on Wednesday
of last week, was a man with an
extraordinary gift in verse,
which was largely set aside in
favor of work in his profession
of law. In that he was distin-
guished. He was associated
judge of the New YorkHcourt of
appeals for a number of years
and declined denomination in or
der to become a professor at the
Cornell college Of law, in which
he was made dean of the faculty.
But he is best known and re.
membered by his verse, first the
songs he wrote at Yale, where
he was graduated in the class of
1849, and which are collectively
the best ever written there, and
then to all the country by his
wonderful touching poem, "The
Blue and the Gray" 1t was
suggested by an incident in 1867,
when the women of Columbus,
Miss, on Memorial day strewed
flowers on the graves of both
Confederate and Federal soldiers.
Coming so soon after the close of
the war, the feeling which
prompted this act made an i'm
preston hard to realize in these
days, and under the impulse of
this touching and almost heroic
act the poem was written. 1t
goes to the heart Of the situation
and touches an answering cord
in every soul. No wonder it
made a profound impression at
the moment and still retains its
power, for it's subject is no one
incident, but the everlasting con-
fiict and reconciliation of life.
Perhaps there is nothing nobler
than a generous foe, certainly
hardly anything else which ap-
peals more strongly to a gener-
Gus heart.
The verses were written while
the memories of the war were so
fresh and the feeling so strong
that they became known almost
Immediately to thousands who
would not at another time have
read them, and in spite Of all
else ee did he made his reputa-
ton among multitudes who know
nothing else of him. They are
reproduced here for convenience
of immediate reference:
By the flow of the inland river,
Whence the fleets of iron have fled,
Where the blades of the grave-grass
quiver,
Asleep are the ranks of the dead;
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment day
Under 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 CORY,
In the dust of eternity meet;
Under the sod and the dew
Waiting the judgment day;
Under the laurel, the Blue
Under the willow, the Gray.
From the silence of sorrowful hours,
The desolate mourners go,
Lovingly laden with flowers,
Alike for the friend and the foe,
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment day;
Under the roses. the Blue;
Under the lilies, the Gray.
So, with an equal splendor,
The morning sun-rayS fall
With touch impartially tender,
On the blossoms f1ooming for all.
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment day;
Broidered with gold, the Blue;
Mellowed with gold, the Gray.
u
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 rain, the Blue;
Wet with rain, the Gray.
Sadly, but not with upbraiding,
The generous deed was done;
In the storm of the years that are fading
No braver battle 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 winding rivers be red;
They Danish our anger forever
When they laurel the graves of our
| dead!
! Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment day;
Love and tears for the Blue,
| Tears and Love'for the Gray.
These lines seem to gain i'm
pressiveness and beauty as time
goes on. They may be open tc
some petty criticism, but they
have the essence of poetry, noble
thought. melody and suggestion.
Besides this, they have as al.
ready made clear. the expression
of feeling which in some form is