Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-09-10

, river stretches out in the foreground,
while cutting through the flashing
waters a canoe filled with friendly In
dams is seen Fastening to the rescue.
The scenario for the picture was sug-
gested to the artist Reeder by grand
son of the old settler, Robert Harris.
The grouping is supposed to be accu-
rate, and is represented as delineating
a fact in the history Of the early set
tlement of Harrisburg.
Reference to the attempted burn
ing, in rhyme. Adapted from Mr..
Nead's Centennial Poem, 1885.
The dim old Forest Primeval
Is in our thought tonight
And scenes with the Forest coeval
Our minds and fancies delight
Behold an inland River
Wide sweeping to the sea
On its bosom sunbeams CULVER;
Shadows fall from Forest tree.
Classy surface still unbroken
By the keel of white winged ship
Bearing name yet never spoken
Save by swarthy Native lip;
Nesting now by base of Mountain,
Ripping now through flowry vale,
Drinking in from shaded fountain
Crystal springs which never fail.
Flowry meads awaiting tillage
At the coming white mans hands,
Curling smoke from native village,
! Resting place of Indian bands.
Where the sound of warriors rifle
Wakes a thousand friends to war
If foe but dares to trifle
With ShawaneSe or Delaware;
Tribes which dwelt by bright Swatara
And by ripping Paxtang's side,
Ger whose waters swift as arrow
In their birchen boats they glide.
Precious as the ancient mama
Dropped on desert from on high
Was the site of Susquehanna
To the white mans hungry eye.
From the hills he looked in wonder
And there came to him a dream
OF city founded yonder
Looking out upon the stream,
BY no narrow limits bounded
But embracing landscape fair
Like the city which Penn founded
On the sparkling Delaware.
So he planted; so he founded
Better far than he then knew
By dangers thick surrounded
This home for me and you.
Savage natives kind but wary
Brooked the white mans presence
there
Until the busy ferry was heard of
everywhere.
Still the Old World knew oppression
None in thought or act was free;
Twas at risk of liberty.
So men came from homes of child
hood
From the land which gave them birth,
And sought in the western wildwood
For a garden spot on earth,
And they settled round the ferry,
Men from distant Donegal,
From old Antrim and from Derry,
And from spots beyond recall;
Dwelt in peace with selves and
neighbor,
Placed their faith and trust in God:
Spent their lives in honest labor;
Slept at length beneath the sod.
Thus was founded, thus was builded
City proud as regal Rome;
City free as ancient Athens,
OF thousands now the home.
Stand now upon the hilltop,
And gaze on yonder stream:
Note well the grand fulfilment
OF the settlers widest dream
No sign of waving forest
Where forest used to be
Save one token, fragile, broken
Trunk of ancient forest tree:
Tree with age far past the noting
OF any white mans ken,
But the legends say it blossomed
In the days Of William Penn:
The old trunk bare, 1t still stands
there
The object of the peoples care.
And marks the noted spot,
Where settler seized by savage clan
And bound to stake with fiendish plan
Escaped by chance the plot.
Gone is the busy ferry
Linking river shore to shore.
The boatman brave hath lain in grave
A hundred years or more.
Long bridges span the river
Which bear on pier and arch
The freighted wains, the heightened
trains
OF traffic's onward march.
Look now adown the river:
Through smoke the red fires gIeam
And the furnace light, at dead of night
Makes bright the silent stream.
Turn to the noble city
Spread out like picture grand
Its towering spires its spacious domes
It's buildings tall, its 0alace homes
Majestically stand.
Prouder State boasts not the Union
Than the keystone Of the Arch
Note her grand achievements
In Times progressive march;
And this her ruling city;
VxY1,o4 eraafar ward ~ rrotaa