Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Lays Of The War. By Bbo. G. K. Gillespie, A.M.
LAYS OF THE WAB . BY BEO . G . K . GILLESPIE , A . M .
LAY THE SECONp . — -TO THE NURSE ,
Wheke Scutari's cypress-crested hill glooms o ' er the darkened brine , A warrior wounded sore in fitful anguish lay supine : Late stanched life ' s redly oozing stream athwart his ample brow , That dauntless front so firm and calm that ne ' er had paled till now *
ritying beside his lowly bed an ardent spirit bent , To tend the sick in lazar-house by heavenward impulse sent ; As keen he writhed she held to his parched lips an anodyne , And smoothed the couch where softly might his wasted form recline . The sufferer lulled , brief while she paused , ere on holy mission sped , And well the flickering crisis in his changeful visage read : As with hands tight-clasped she stood , he turned on her his eyes , and slow His soul ' s emotions thus he breathed in accents faint and low :
"Ah ! vain the leech ' s craft without the Nurse ' s tenderer aid , The sleepless care by kindred love or saintly mercy paid . Best glory yours who , patriots true , war ' s prostrate exiles save , O ' er Mars triumphant ; and ev ' n noisome plague heroic brave . " To our country ' s flag , the soldier rushed obedient to his vow ; With spontaneous virtue militant the Soldier ' s sister thou . Kind sister Philomel , we both from home-felt ease were torn ; And both , alas ! sad hearts have left our perils dire to mourn .
" 'Tis of home I muse through the slow lone hours of solemn midnight ' s calm , When deathly torture intermits , but Sleep denies his balm : Then of long-fled days wild rural scenes before my memory sweep ; And fondest friends departed some , some left my fall to weep * " With approving glance bent on my scars , my father ' s shape appears ; His last precept , ' Honour first , then Life , ' still echoing in my ears : Near him a gentler shade benign upon me smiles once more Who aye strove my heart from earliest age t' expand with heaven-sent lore .
" Oft my thoughts return to the sun-lit glades , where , in life ' s springtime confessed , My fervent passion ' s transport first by answering love was blest : To the rustic shrine , ' midst oaks embowered , and with ivy garb o ' ergrown , Where a guileless heart in a graceful form surrendered all my own .
" Fleet roll the years of day-dreaming bliss , swift fade its transient charms ! Alert my sword I grasped aroused by England ' s shout To Arms . ' Too soon to sob farewell we stood where dashed the billow ' s spray , While tossed upon the surge the bark that summoned me away . " Meanwhile upon the sea-beach played with my helm and glaive our boy ; And , the gilded trappings donned , his eye flashed with an infant ' s joy : But a mother ' s prescient soul new grief found in his sportive theft , By martial fire she feared to be of both son and sire bereft ,
" The woe of parting o er , our fleet impetuous ploughed the main , Bearing eager hearts since proved on many a gore-polluted plain . Yet in victory ' s hour , though in fierce pursuit , we spared the suppliant foe , And mercy for the fall ' n we felt ' mid our haughtiest triumph ' s glow . " But dread the mulct for honour ' s love and for fadeless laurels paid I Noble heart-blood freely spilt as e'er on altar offering laid : Some maimed and gashed , lie suffering here the throes 'twixt death and life , Or , while helpless stretched , were coldly slain by the foeman ' s murderous knife
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Lays Of The War. By Bbo. G. K. Gillespie, A.M.
LAYS OF THE WAB . BY BEO . G . K . GILLESPIE , A . M .
LAY THE SECONp . — -TO THE NURSE ,
Wheke Scutari's cypress-crested hill glooms o ' er the darkened brine , A warrior wounded sore in fitful anguish lay supine : Late stanched life ' s redly oozing stream athwart his ample brow , That dauntless front so firm and calm that ne ' er had paled till now *
ritying beside his lowly bed an ardent spirit bent , To tend the sick in lazar-house by heavenward impulse sent ; As keen he writhed she held to his parched lips an anodyne , And smoothed the couch where softly might his wasted form recline . The sufferer lulled , brief while she paused , ere on holy mission sped , And well the flickering crisis in his changeful visage read : As with hands tight-clasped she stood , he turned on her his eyes , and slow His soul ' s emotions thus he breathed in accents faint and low :
"Ah ! vain the leech ' s craft without the Nurse ' s tenderer aid , The sleepless care by kindred love or saintly mercy paid . Best glory yours who , patriots true , war ' s prostrate exiles save , O ' er Mars triumphant ; and ev ' n noisome plague heroic brave . " To our country ' s flag , the soldier rushed obedient to his vow ; With spontaneous virtue militant the Soldier ' s sister thou . Kind sister Philomel , we both from home-felt ease were torn ; And both , alas ! sad hearts have left our perils dire to mourn .
" 'Tis of home I muse through the slow lone hours of solemn midnight ' s calm , When deathly torture intermits , but Sleep denies his balm : Then of long-fled days wild rural scenes before my memory sweep ; And fondest friends departed some , some left my fall to weep * " With approving glance bent on my scars , my father ' s shape appears ; His last precept , ' Honour first , then Life , ' still echoing in my ears : Near him a gentler shade benign upon me smiles once more Who aye strove my heart from earliest age t' expand with heaven-sent lore .
" Oft my thoughts return to the sun-lit glades , where , in life ' s springtime confessed , My fervent passion ' s transport first by answering love was blest : To the rustic shrine , ' midst oaks embowered , and with ivy garb o ' ergrown , Where a guileless heart in a graceful form surrendered all my own .
" Fleet roll the years of day-dreaming bliss , swift fade its transient charms ! Alert my sword I grasped aroused by England ' s shout To Arms . ' Too soon to sob farewell we stood where dashed the billow ' s spray , While tossed upon the surge the bark that summoned me away . " Meanwhile upon the sea-beach played with my helm and glaive our boy ; And , the gilded trappings donned , his eye flashed with an infant ' s joy : But a mother ' s prescient soul new grief found in his sportive theft , By martial fire she feared to be of both son and sire bereft ,
" The woe of parting o er , our fleet impetuous ploughed the main , Bearing eager hearts since proved on many a gore-polluted plain . Yet in victory ' s hour , though in fierce pursuit , we spared the suppliant foe , And mercy for the fall ' n we felt ' mid our haughtiest triumph ' s glow . " But dread the mulct for honour ' s love and for fadeless laurels paid I Noble heart-blood freely spilt as e'er on altar offering laid : Some maimed and gashed , lie suffering here the throes 'twixt death and life , Or , while helpless stretched , were coldly slain by the foeman ' s murderous knife