Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-27

ment for visiting Benny Ravens was JEFF.
ferson Davis. At one time, according to q
story, Davis fell over a high cliff while
making a nasty escape from Benny's upor
the approach Of an officer, and was almost
killed. on another occasion he and five
companions were caught there and four
Of them were expelled in consequence.
Davis may possibly have escaped because
Of the logic of the defence he Is said to
have offered, to the effect that ut is better
q hundred guilty should escape than one
righteous person be condemned"
Although 1t will appear quite evident that
Benny was, officially, persona non grata
at West Point, even the powers do honor
to him today. It is to be suspected that
not all of them, privately, frowned upon
him in the days of his reign. In the fly
leaf of one of the later descriptive books
on West Point, written by a former MEM
Der OF the instructing staff, Is the senti-
ment: ITO the memory OF Benny Ravens,
Oh this little volume Is fondly inscribed"
In the Army and Navy club hangs his
painting, done by Julian Scott. And even
the library at West Point is to shelter a
memento of the well loved tavern keeper.
Is 1t any wonder, then, hat the old tavern
itself should have become somewhat of q
shrine?
Tribute to Benny.
Havens died on May %, 1877, in his Goth
year. 1t was not long before this toast
was added to the song:
But now the soften'd summer winds come
whispering to us low
That he of whom we oft have sung
Deaths hand lies on his brow!
These granite hills surrounding US, by sun
all set aglow,
To them, our guardian angels, and to
Benny HaVens, obi
At mis- death a member of the class Of
1887 wrote the following, which reflects
much of the affection in which Benny
Ravens was held by those who knew him;
O'Brien's harp was sweetly strung
And gave us JOY, long, long ago.
While we with union voices sung
the worth of Benny Ravens, oh!"
That harp now hangs on willow branch
And he of whom IL sang lies low.
No more our steps will seek his ranch
T grasp the hand Of Ravens, ohg'
For ninety years his eye shope out,
And friendly smiles met friend and foe,
But now the spark of Mes gone out,
No more Wen greet our "Havens, on!'
We lay his whitened locks beneath
The harden'd earth-no pomp, no show
But granite rocks give burial wTeaths,
And soft May winds chant "Havens, oh"'
lie ran his cOurse-We all do that
God crowns the victor, high or low!
To MIN we pray-Requiescat
In pace-"Benny Ravens, oh!'
Some of the song.
Here are a very few Of the countless
verses Of the famous song:
To the ladies Of the Empire state, whose
hearts, and albums too,
Bear sad remembrance Of the wrongs we
STRIPPING soldiers do.
We bid a fond adieu, my boys; our hearts
with sorrow flow;
Our loves and rhyming had their source
at Benny Ravens, obi
To the army's brave commanders, let now
our glasses flow,
Wen drink to Grant and Sherman and to
the subs also;
To Thomas, Meade and Sheridan (these
come In a propose,
Who hesitates to drink to them at Benny
Ravens, obi
To our comrades who ave fallen, one cup
before we go,
They, poured their life blood freely out pro
bono publico;
No marble points the stranger to where
they rest below,
They lie neglected far away from Benny
Ravens, oh!
When you and I and Benny, and all the
others too.
Are called before the "fina board" our
course OF life to view,
May we never TESS" on any point, but
And Join the army Of the Blest at Benny
Havens, oh!
IT'S said by commentators, when to other
worlds we go
We follow the same handicraft we did in
II this be true philOsOphy-the sexton he
What days OF song and dance wen have
at Benny Ravens, OH