OUR COUNTRY. For all the tears of blood we sow, She sees, with clearer eye than ours, The good of suffering born, The hearts that blossom like her flowers, Oh! give to us, in times like these, The vision of her eyes; And make her eyes and fruited trees Oh! give to us her finer ear! Above this stormy din; We too would hear the bells of cheer 283 OUR COUNTRY. E sailors on the mighty deep, YE Ye soldiers of the land, Your sacred oaths we bid ye keep, We bid ye faithful stand. This broad land, this whole land, this free land is yours, It is the noble Union your Constancy secures ! 284 OUR COUNTRY. No narrow State in this dread hour Shall dare to claim your birth, This broad land, this whole land, this free land is yours, It is the noble Union your Loyalty secures ! Keep ye the mighty river Unbroken in its tide, And the hills that stand forever, Let no mean hand divide. This broad land, this whole land, this free land is yours, It is the noble Union your Fidelity secures ! The laws your fathers writ in blood No impious thought shall break, The flag they bore through fire and flood Let no true heart forsake. This broad land, this whole land, this free land is yours, It is the noble Union your Bravery secures! SYMPATHY. 285 SYMPATHY. BY MRS. L. H. SIGOURNEY. MY country weepeth sore Above her fallen brave, By field, by grove, by stream they lie, She listeneth to the wail That from a thousand homes By town, by tower, by prairie bright, She at the threshold grieves, She bendeth o'er the wave, 286 CLARIBEL'S PRAYERS. She listeneth as the Earth, She kneeleth at the Throne Of mercy, day and night; CLARIBEL'S PRAYERS. THE day, with cold, gray feet, clung shivering to the hills, While o'er the valley, still night's rain-fringed curtains fell; But waking blue eyes smiled. "Tis ever as God wills; He knoweth best, and be it rain or shine, 't is well, Praise God!" cried always little Claribel. Then sank she on her knees. With eager, lifted hands, CLARIBEL'S PRAYERS. 287 Her rosy lips made haste some dear request to tell: "O Father! smile, and save this fairest of all lands, And make her free, whatever hearts rebel. Amen! Praise God!" cried little Claribel. "And, Father," still arose another pleading prayer, "Oh! save my brother, in the rain of shot and shell; Let not the death-bolt, with its horrid streaming hair, 66 Dash light from those sweet eyes I love so well. Amen! Praise God!" wept little Claribel. 'But, Father, grant that when the glorious fight is done, And up the crimson sky the shouts of Freedom swell, Grant that there be no nobler victor 'neath the sun Than he whose golden hair I love so well. Amen! Praise God!" cried little Claribel. When gray and dreary day shook hands with grayer night, The heavy air was filled with clangor of a bell. "Oh, shout!" the herald cried, his worn eyes brimmed with light: |