Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-04-22
BY JULIA E. STAFFORD.


Grand old hill, towering so high
Seeming to kiss the clouds as they
float by
Silent, lofty, gigantic and grand
Towering so high DER all the land,
With Rock River ripping at your feet
AS if your Majesty to greet.
Since childhood's happy, sunny hour,
1 have known you as Black Hawks
Tower,
Where young and old rejoiced to meet,
And hail you as sweet retreat.
bright,
love to stand on your lofty height
And view the landscape DER and DER,
AS Black Hawk did in days of yore-
AS in silence he wandered to and fro
And watched the coming Of the foe.
Silent you stand, but could you speak
What thrilling tales you would repeat
OF the warriors brave who fought
and fell
To gain the land they loved so we'll.
How hearts were thrilled in those days
of yore,
AS we listened to the stories of In
dian lore,
And heard our sires so oft relate
The Indian lovers tragical fate;
How, mid raging storm and thunder's
roar,
They disappeared and were seen no
more.
When they came with loving hearts
to meet
Their faithful tryst in joy to greet,
They met their tragical, fatal doom,
And were buried forever in their
rock-bound tomb.
And the whispering winds in the grand
old trees
Repeat anew in their ripping leaves
Swaying in the summer breeze,
Ger and DER to our listening ears
These thrilling stories Of the van
ished years.
deep
Recalls the memories that ne'er will
sleep,
Memories of days of toll and fear
Yet dear to the heart of the pioneer. {.
Oh, lofty hill so tall and grand,
Towering so high DER all the land
Silent you are and will remain
Yet history's page will ere proclaim
The story of your name and fame
And, as in ages past-in ages to come
The ripping river will still flow on
kissing the shore at your feet
AS if your majesty to greet.
love to come in the early morn
And watch thu coming of the dawn,
Amid the mystic shadows as they fee
The wings of God oershadowing al
in mystery,
The morning star in the ripping wat
ers shining,
His matchless love and faith defining
in the hush of nature newly born.
Faith girds all her armour on
And goes boldly forth to greet tn,
udWu-
As the eastern sky in crimson glor.
Proclaims anew the old sweet story
Behold the monarch of the day
coming,
AS the rising sun in rich adjoining
Bids all the world glad, good morn
ing.
| stand in breathless alteration,
IN the presence of divine creation,
AS the wondering eye reaches ia
away
In the searching light of perfect da!
And methinks the sun in pride look
down
On this treasured hill wearing nature
crown.
In the hush of nature deep and still
My heart awakes with rapturou
thrill
AS the morning mathis OF a warblin
bird
Ringing out so sweet and clear
heard.
The note of her song, in tErillir
voice,
Proclaims to all nature awake! T
joice,
The night is gone-The day is her
Ger hill and stream for aye proclai
The king of kings will ever reign.
Ger the lofty hill the music is ringir
OF natures song birds sweetly singing
And the ripping river flows on and {
Echoing the warblers' glad sweet song
III love TO come at the close of day
re AS the twilight shadows fee ava
n love to view from your lofty heig
Is The mystic grandeur of the night,