The Republican journal., 1915-02-18
FOR SALE AT YOUR CROCERS
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Foully Assassinated April IA, 1861

the remarkable poem in which, May g. 1866 Londo
error after having for four years ampooned Lincoln wi
1t IS attributed to Tom Taylor)
You lay wreath on murdered Lncoln's bier.
You. who with hooking pencil wont to trace,
Broad for the sef-compacent British sneer,
His length of shambling limb, his furrowed face,
His gaunt gnarled hands, his unkempt brstling hair
His garb uncouth, his bearing ill at ease,
His lack of all we prize debonair
VI power or will to shine, of art to please
You whose smart pen backed up the pencils laugh
Judging each step, as though the way plain;
Reckless, so 1t could point paragraph,
VI Chlef's perpiexlty, or peoples pain.
Beside this corpse that bears for winding sheet
The Stars and Stripes ne lived to rear anew,
Between the mourners at his head and feet,
Say, scurrlle- jester, is there for you?
Yes he had lived to shame me from nv sheer
To lame my pencil, and confute my pen
To make me own this hind of princes peer
This rall-splltter a true born king of men.
My shallow judgment had learnt to rue,
Noting how to occasions hight he rose,
How his quaint wit make home-truth seem more true
How, lron-ke his temper grew by blows.
How humble yet how hopeful he could be-;
How in good fortune and IN ill the same;
Nor bitter in success, boastful he
Thirsty for gold, nor feverish for fame
He 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 burden grow,
That GOD makes instruments to work His will,
If but that will we 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 thWartipg NIGHTS
The unceared forest the unbroken soil,
The iron bark, that turns the laborer's AK
The rapid that o'erbears the boaman's toll
The prairie, hiding the MAJ ed wanderers tracks.
The ambushed Indian and the proving bear
Such were the needs that helped his youth to train;
Rough cuture-but such trees large fruit may BEAR
IL but their stocks be OF right grth and grain.
So he grew up, destined work to do,
And lived to do 1t; four long suffering years.
lll-fate, ill-fortune, i-repor lived through
And then he heard the Kisses change to cheers,
The taunts to tribute, the abuse to praise
And took both with the unwavering mood:
Till, as he came on light from darkling days,
And seemed to touch the goal from where he stood
felon hand, between the goal and him,
Reached from behind his back, trigger prest-
ARD those perpleXed and patient eyes were dim
Those gaunt, long-laboring limbs were laid to rest!
The words of mercy upon his lips
forgiveness in his heart and on his pep
When this vile murderer brought swift eclipse
10 thoughts OF peace earth, good will to men
The Old World and the New. from sea to sea,
Utter one voice of sympathy and shame!
Sore heart stopped when it at last beat HIGH
Sad life, cut short just as it's triumph came
A deed accurst! Strokes have been struck before
By the assassin's hand, whereof men doubt
IL more OF horror or disgrace they bore:
But thy foul crime, like Gains stands darkly out
Vile hand, that brandest murder on strife
Whate er Its grounds stoutly and nobly striven.
And with the martyrs crownest a life
With much to praise, little to be forgiven!