The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-05-31

The Yoeman in Frankfort the lines
that now are scattered throughout the
National cemeteries of the country
were penned. Those who heard pro-
nounced the poem good and on the
following day this. the greatest poem
of Its kind ever written, was read over
the remains of the Kentucky soldiers
who had died in Mexico.
The nook in the State Cemetery at
Frankfort. where these men were bur-
led, has come peculiarly to shadow
forth the spirit of O'Hara. The state
erected a tall shaft in honor Of the
Mexican martyrs. When O'Hara read
his poem there he little realized that
he was detailing his own epitaph and
that he too would rest there and that
these same lines would appear on his
tomb. -t
At this time also, there was no mon-
ument to Daniel Boone. who lay near
the same spot and in whose honor
this poet was to write another. elegy
Of rare beauty, thus rounding out his
couplet of two poems in lifetime.
' Honors to Daniel Boone,
The years that interviewed between
the writing of this poem and the out
break Of the Civil War were spent in
much the manner that other editors
and gentlemen Of letters of the time
and place passed their lives.
In the interim Col. O'Iara gained
much distinction as an orator of great
polish. Went on a number Of diplom-
attic missions for his country and
mingled freely with the men of af-
fairs of his time. None OF his enter
prises turned out particularly success
full and. at the outbreak of the Civil
War, he was but the brilliant editor
of a struggling paper in Mobile, Ala.
During these years appeared the
poem to Daniel Boone, the old pioneer.
1t is strange that the two only poems
that O'Hara ever wrote should have
been tributes to the departed. The
"dirge" to the brave old pioneer,
Knight Grant Of the wood" 1.-The old
Druid of the West" columbus of the
Land" is full Of the touches OF the
master hand. Byron in his "Don
Juan" has undertaken to lay down an
understanding Of the glory of the life
OF this superman Of the early days,
but when his lines are compared with
those Of O'Hara they appear pale and
weak.
O'Hara was a son Of Kentucky and
was familiar with the realm in which
the man of skins and moccasins had
battled with Tecumseh. His genius
grasped and portrayed the glories that
were wrapped up in this pioneer life,
and the whole Of 1t he wove into his
dirge for the man whose grave was
but a stones throw from his COM
rades Of the Mexican War and the
spot where his own remains were
eventually to rest.
Civil War Battles.
When the Civil War broke out Theo-
dore O'Hara, still man but just past
40, Immediately volunteered for serv-
Ice. He became colonel Of the 18th
Alabama Volunteers and was at first
assigned to guarding the entrance OF
Mobile Bay. Later he was on the staft
Of Gen. Albert Sydney Johnston, with
whom he fought many battles.
The esteem in which he was always
held was shown whenever he was
given any post in war or peace. His
dash and f1nesse In battle had called
forth much comment, and throughout
the struggle Of the States his service
was most honorable. His spirit was
that of a soldier and his friends have
always said that the happiest days of
his life were those he spent in military
service.
When the war was finally over Col.
oHara, like many another Southern
gentleman of his kind, repaired to his
South country and began the task of
retrieving his fallen fortunes. But the
nemesis of bad luck that seems to vent
her spleen on genius still lowered in
his wake. He went to Columbus, Ca.
where he went into the cotton BUSH
ness. Fortune seemed to smile, when
fire destroyed his warehouses and
wrecked his business.
Much discouraged. he retired to a
plantation on Chattahooche River.
where. two years later, he died of
fever. At the time Of his demise he
was but AZ years of age. still unmar-
ried, and his tall form was still straight
and unbending and his raven hair was
but slightly thinned by time.
Rests in kentucky.
In 1874 the State of Kentucky sent