The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-02-12

/ 10 that time had by word and picture tried
to cast ridicule on Lincoln.l
V you lay wreath on murdered Lin
v coins bier
You who with hooking pencil
Il won't to trace.
Broad for the self complacent
British sneer.
His length of shambling limb, his fur
Towed face.
His gaunt. gnarled hands. his unkempt
bristling hair.
His garb uncouth his bearing III at ease
His lack OF all we prize as dcbonar,
or power or will to shine. OF art to
please;
You whose smart pen backed up the pen
cil's laugh.
Judging each step as though the way
were plain
Reckless. so II could point its paragraph
OF chiefs perplexity or peoples pain:
Beside this corpse that bears for winding
sheet
The stars and stripes he lived TO rear
anew
Between the mourners at his head and
Say, scurrile jester. is there room fer
you?
Yes lie had lived TO shame me from my
sheer.
To lame my pencil and confute my pen
TO make me own this hind. OF princes
peer.
This rail splitter. a true-born king of
My shallow judgment had learned to
rue,
Noting how TO OCCASIONS height he rose;
How his quaint wit made home truth seem
more true:
How iron-like. his temper grew by blows
How humble, yet how hopeful, he could
be:
How in good fortune and in i'll the
same.
Nor bitter in success. nor boastful he
Thirsty for gold, nor feverish for fame
lie went about his work-such work as
few
Ever had laid on head and heart and
hand
AS one who knows where there's task
to do
Mans honest will must heavens good
grace command.
Who trusts the strength will with the bur
den grow,
That God makes instruments to work his !
WILL
II but that will we can arrive to know.
Nor tamper with the weights of good
and ILL.,
SO he went forth to battle on the side
That he felt clear was liberty's and |
rights.
As in his peasant boyhood he had piled
His warfare with rude Natures thwart- |
ing nights;
The uncleared forest, the unbroken SOIL
The iron bark that turns the Iumberer's |
The rapid that o'erbears the boatman's
The prairie hiding the mazed wanderers
tracks,
The ambushed Indian and the proving |
bear
Such were the deeds that helped his J
youth To train;
Rough culture. but such trees large fruit !
may bear
If but their stocks be of right girth and
grain.
And lived to do H.. four long suffering
III fate III feeling. i'll report lived through,
And then he heard the Kisses change TO
cheers.
The taunts TO tribute. the abuse to praise.
And took both with the same unwaver-
ing mood.
Till. ms he came on light from darkling
days
And Seemed TO touch the goal from where
he stood
a felon hand between the goal and him
Reached from behind his back. a trigger
priest.
And those perplexed and patient eyes were
dim.
Those gaunt long laboring limbs we're
laid TO rest.
The words of mercy were upon his lips.
Forgiveness in his heart and on his pen.
When this vile murderer brought swift
eclipse
To thoughts OF peace on earth. good will
to men
The old world and the new. from sea to
Utter one voice OF sympathy and shame
Sore heart. so stopped when 1t at last beat
high:
Sad life cut short just as its triumph
camel
A deed accurst! Strokes have been struck
before
BY the assassln's hand, whereof men
doubt
II more of horror or disgrace they bore
But thy foul crime. like Gains. stands
darkly out.
Vile hand that brandest murder In a strife
Whate'er its grounds. stoutly and noblyl
striven,
And with the martyrs crown crownest a
life
With much to praise little Ia he for
given
Tom Taylor
THE OLD MILL.
ERE from the brow OF the hill I look !
II II |