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Father! We, whose ears have tingled
With the discord-notes of shame,-
We, whose sires their blood have mingled
In the battle's thunder-flame,-
Gathering, while this holy morning
Lights the land from sea to sea,
Hear thy counsel, heed thy warning;
Trust us, while we honor thee!

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.

THE NAME OF WASHINGTON*

[Read before the Sons of the Revolution, New York, February 22, 1887.]

Sons of the youth and the truth of a nation,
Ye that are met to remember the man
Whose valor gave birth to a people's salvation,
Honor him now; set his name in the van.
A nobleness to try for,

A name to live and die for

The name of Washington.

Calmly his face shall look down through the ages-
Sweet yet severe with a spirit of warning;

Charged with the wisdom of saints and of

sages; Quick with the light of a life-giving morning. A majesty to try for,

A name to live and die for

The name of Washington!

*From "Dreams and Days." Copyright, 1892, by Charles Scribner's Sons.

Though faction may rack us, or party divide us,
And bitterness break the gold links of our story,
Our father and leader is ever beside us.

Live and forgive! But forget not the glory
Of him whose height we try for,

A name to live and die for

The name of Washington!

Still in his eyes shall be mirrored our fleeting
Days, with the image of days long ended;
Still shall those eyes give, immortally, greeting
Unto the souls from his spirit descended.
His grandeur we will try for,

His name we'll live and die for—
The name of Washington!

GEORGE PARSONS LATHROP.

WASHINGTON

Great were the hearts and strong the minds
Of those who framed, in high debate,
The immortal league of love that binds
Our fair broad empire, state with state.

And deep the gladness of the hour

When, as the auspicious task was done,
In solemn trust, the sword of power
Was given to Glory's Unspoiled Son.

That noble race is gone; the suns

Of fifty years have risen and set;

But the bright links those chosen ones
So strongly forged, are brighter yet.

Wide-as our own free race increase-
Wide shall extend the elastic chain,
And bind in everlasting peace,

State after state, a mighty train.

WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.

A STAR IN THE WEST

There's a star in the West that shall

never go down

Till the record of valor decay;

We must worship its light, though it is not our own,
For liberty burst in its ray.

Shall the name of a Washington ever be heard
By a freeman, and thrill not his breast?

Is there one out of bondage that hails not the word
As the Bethlehem Star of the West?

"War! war to the knife! Be enthralled, or ye die!" Was the echo that woke in his land;

But it was not his voice that prompted the cry,
Nor his madness that kindled the brand.
He raised not his arm, he defied not his foes,
While a leaf of the olive remained;
Till, goaded with insult, his spirit arose,
Like a long-baited lion unchained.

He struck with firm courage the blow of the brave,
But sighed o'er the carnage that spread;

He indignantly trampled the yoke of the slave,
But wept for the thousands that bled.

Though he threw back the fetters and headed the strife,
Till man's charter was fairly restored,

Yet he prayed for the moment when Freedom and Life Would no longer be pressed by the sword.

Oh, his laurels were pure! and his patriot name
In the page of the future shall dwell,

And be seen in all annals, the foremost in fame,
By the side of a Hofer and Tell.

The truthful and honest, the wise and the good,
Among Britons have nobly confessed
That his was the glory, and ours was the blood,
Of the deeply stained field of the West.

ELIZA COOK.

CROWN OUR WASHINGTON

Arise-'Tis the day of our Washington's glory,
The garlands uplift for our liberties won;
Forever let Youth tell the patriot's story,

Whose sword swept for freedom the fields of the sun!
Not with gold, nor with gems,

But with evergreens vernal,

And the banners of stars that the continent span, Crown, crown we the chief of the heroes eternal, Who lifted his sword for the birthright of man!

He gave us a nation: to make it immortal

He laid down for freedom the sword that he drew, And his faith leads us on through the uplifting portal Of the glories of peace and our destinies new Not with gold, nor with gems,

But with evergreens vernal,

And the flags that the nations of liberty span,

Crown, crown him the chief of the heroes eternal, Who laid down his sword for the birthright of man!

Lead, Face of the Future, serene in thy beauty,

Till o'er the dead heroes the peace star shall gleam, Till Right shall be Might in the counsels of duty, And the service of man be life's glory supreme. Not with gold, nor with gems,

But with evergreens vernal,

And the flags that the nations in brotherhood span, Crown, crown we the chief of the heroes eternal, Whose honor was gained by his service to man!

HEZEKIAH BUTTERWORTH.

WASHINGTON*

Simple and brave, his faith awoke
Ploughmen to struggle with their fate;
Armies won battles when he spoke,
And out of Chaos sprang the State!

ROBERT BRIDGES.

*Copyright, 1903, by Harper & Brothers.

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