On Loyalty's thrice-sacred flowers,
That WASHINGTON sowed in our clime.
North and South, etc.
"Keep step with the music of Union!"
Hear WEBB, the great ship-builder, shout,
While from his grand "Dunderberg's" armor
The hammers ring choruses out.
"Down, down with the South's slaving pirates
Beneath the fierce rams of the Free:
Our flag of DECATUR and PORTER
Shall yet float the Flag of the Sea!"
North and South, etc.
"Keep step with the music of Union!"
America's true women cry;
They know 'tis the sweetest commandment
God ever glowed down from His sky.
O still by home's altars they sing it,
Our mothers and daughters divine;
And still lead their sons and their fathers
To Union's blest National shrine.
North and South, etc.
Keep step with the music of Union!
All traitors shall sink at its sound,
But patriots march on to Heaven,
THE SOLDIER'S DREAM OF HOME. 139
With soul-saving harmony crowned.
Then, cheer for the Past with its glory;
For the resolute Present hurrah;
And shout for the starry-browed Future,
With Virtue and Freedom and Law.
North and South, East and West, all un-
furling
One Banner alone o'er the sod;
One voice from AMERICA Swelling
In worship of Liberty's, God!
THE SOLDIER'S DREAM OF HOME.
BY CAROLINE A. MASON.
YOU have put the children to bed, Alice,
Maud and Willie and Rose ;·
They have lisped their sweet "Our Father," And sunk to their night's repose. Did they think of me, dear Alice? Did they think of me, and say, "God bless him, and God bless him! Dear father, far away ?"
Oh, my very heart grows sick, Alice,
I long so to behold
140 THE SOLDIER'S DREAM OF HOME.
Rose, with her pure, white forehead,
And Maud, with her curls of gold;
And Willie, so gay and sprightly,
So merry and full of glee;
Oh, my heart yearns to enfold ye,
My "smiling group of three!"
I can bear the noisy day, Alice;
The camp life, gay and wild,
Shuts from my yearning bosom
The thoughts of wife and child:
But when the night is round me,
And under its strong beams
I gather my cloak about me,
I dream such long, sad dreams!
I think of the pale young wife, Alice,
Who looked up in my face
When the drum beat at evening,
And called me to my place.
I think of the three sweet birdlings
Left in the dear home-nest,
And my soul is sick with longings
That will not be at rest.
Oh, when will the war be over, Alice!
Oh, when shall I behold
THE RESPONSE.
Rose, with her pure, white forehead,
And Maud, with her curls of gold;
And Will, so gay and sprightly,
So merry and full of glee,
And, more than all, the dear wife
Who bore my babes to me?
God guard and keep you all, Alice;
God guard and keep me, too;
For if only one were missing,
What would the other do?
Oh, when will the war be over,
And when shall I behold
Those whom I love so dearly,
Safe in the dear home-fold?
I HAVE put the children to bed, Harry,
Rose and Willie and Maud;
They have sung their hymns together,
And whispered their prayer to God.
Then Rose said, gently smiling,
"Come, Willie and Maud, now say,
God bless the dear, sweet father,
Father so far away!"
And such a glad trust arose, Harry,
In this sad heart of mine,
For I felt that God would keep you
Safe in His hand divine.
And I kissed their pure, young foreheads,
And said, "He is over all!
He counteth the hair of your heads, darlings,
And noteth the sparrow's fall."
Then I sung them to their sleep, Harry,
With hymns all trust and love,
And I knew that God was listening
From His gracious throne above.
And since that calm, sweet evening,
I have felt so happy, dear!
And so have the children, Harry;
They seem to know no fear.
They talk of your coming home, Harry,
As something sure to be;
I list to their childish pratings,
Nor care to check their glee.
For oh, 't is a cause so noble,
And you so brave and true;
And God protects His own, Harry,
And surely will watch o'er you.
|