The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-16
VIRGINIA DAY.
June 18th, 1907.
BY DUVAL PORTER.

BY DUVAL PORTER.
Historic Muse thou whose touch divine #
Awakcs the past inspire heart to-day;
Virginia, we sign, born Of royal line,
Whose Wave-rockcd cradle where she infant lay
An empire ia herself in embryo.
Virginia thou the synonym Of all
That strs our ini1ost souls, what son OF thine
Will not respond to thine imperial call
j And most dcvoutly worship at thy shrine?
Not one unless of honest pride devoid,
Whose loyalty to her has been destroyed
Rich is Virgina's dowry, ample is her store
OF shining deeds in well as peace;
Her name is written large upon this shore
In Con1norweatls, nor does her glory cease
With things material: in realm Of mind
What other State Virginia leaves behind. 6
Her pioneers not from oppression fled,
Escaping laws they hated to obey
Not wild adventures by booty led
But nation-builders born to rule and sway
BY Drawn and brain mighty hemisphere
And build hon1c-last hope Of mankind here.
"The Strenuous Life in all it's rgor theirs,
Pestilence, famine, the savage foe,
A wilderness unbroken pitfalls and snares,
Within, without, and yet they dared to so
In forest depths continuous to explore
Where white mans foot had never trod before.
Here first the genius Of Anglo-Saxo race
AS empre-brdcrs clearly manifest;
Here first began that long stupendous chase
The modern boast-"The Winning Of the West.'
When Spotswood and his knights in that high day
The barrier scaled that to the westward ay
Like romance read the annals Of that day,
AS tales clivalric its daring deeds,
When Powhatan, the savage King held sway,
And Pocahontas plying, interccdes
For life OF him whom commemorate
AS savior, founder Of Our mighty State.
IN Ui,1ia first nnfur ed
It's banner to the breeze, when Bacon gave
It's first expression, served notice on the world
That Virginian will not be slave,
To tyrants or usurpers bend the knee;
Or birthright barter-hs birthright to be free
When destiny clearly manifest
An hour struck to mark nations birth;
Her sons stood forth, the Titans Of the West,
And led the way by virtue OF their worth,
Whose fame to-day in undirnmed ustre stands
The pride Of ours--the hope Of other lands
Here Mason first from chaos order brought,
In Bill Of Rights, which set forth and defined
Those principles for which our fathers fought
While Jefferson, her of myriad mind
By stroke immortal has linked his name,
a Like Westinghouse ever with his countrys fame.
And Patrick Henry! Is there another name
In modern days that dares with his compete
For burning eoquence or forensic fame?
His was the power to sweep men off their feet
With his audacity in his country's cause
Which knew not how to ntermt pause.
Tho rich in n1aster-minds whose civic lore
Devised the frame Of our organic law
An orator who palm Of victory bore,
Whom cries Of Treason" could not overawe-
Virginia adds to her immortal page
The name OF Lee, the greatest OF the age.
Behold, to-day the naves Of the earth
Are anchored i'll waters, glad to share
The lofty lonors OF a nations birth,
And in triumph participate and share
T r. canOt forcre Off fhac o1o +
That God alone has brought this thing to pass.
God bless Virginia. May she arise and shine
As III the past, Speed, speed that happy hour
When other sons may rule by right divine
OF moral force and intellectual power,
To bless the world with riches OF the mind
And glorious deeds which leave no sting behind.
intended Virginia Day the pre-
natter was such that 1t had to be held until to-dayEd]
ost charming daughters bridesmaids Misses
dhood Fanny Jackson Mabe Horner.
Sims, Margaret Gibson "
adding, vii, ta.e naca ~ 9eth.
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o'clock. Iynclburg. Va Winfreo Che,vn