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Saxon Grit

Saxon Grit image
Parent Issue
Day
10
Month
June
Year
1881
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Worn with the battlc, by Stamford town htïng the Norman by Hastïngs bay; Harold, the Saxon's sun went down, WfaUe the acoro were fallini,' one autumn day, Then the Norman said : "1 am lord of the Land, liv tctiurc of conquest here I sit; 1 will rule yon now with the iroii hand ; n Hut hc had not thought of the Saxon grit. He took the land, and he took the men, And humt the homestvatW frnm Trant to Tyntl Made the f ree men serf by a stroke of the pen; up the corn and drank the wine: And said to the maiden pure and fair: You shall be my leman, as is most fit - Your Saxon churl may rot in his lair; But he had not measured tlie Saxon grit. To the merry green wood went Robín Hood With his strunn-iieiirted yoeraanry, ripeforthe fray Driving the arrow into the marrow Of all the proud Normana who came Ín his way. Scorning the fetter, fearless and free; Winning by vallor or foiling by wit, Dear to our Saxon folk ever is he, This merry old rogue with the Saxon gril. A tul Kett, the tanner, whipped out his knife. And Watt, the smith, his hammer brought down Kor ruth of the maid he loved better than life : And by breaking a head made a hole in the crown Krom the Saxon heart rose a niighty roar Our Jife shall not be by the king"s permit,- We will nght for the right, we want no more. Thcn the Norman found out the Saxon grit. For slow and sure the oaks had grown From the acorn falllng that autumnal day So the Saxon manhood in thrope and town To a nobler nature grew alway. Winning by inches, holding by clinches, Standing by law and the human right ; Many times falling, never once quailing, So the new day came out of the night. Then risine afar in the western sea A ncw world stood in the duwn of the day, Iïeady to welcome the brave and free, Who would wrench out the heart and march away Prom the narrnw, contntcted, dear old land, Wiit-re the poor are held by a cruel bit, 'I o -unpler spaces (or heart and hand ; And iiere was a chance for the Saxon grlt. Tmstiog in Gi)d youj tai Un s cmm, PUgrima and strangers, frrrnH U dangers, Cool hcttded SaxooSi wlth hearts adame, Itound by the letter, but free Irom the tetter, And hiding tlicir l'rvriloin in holy wni, They ave Deuteronomy hints in economy, And made a new Moses of Saxon grit. Thev whlttlad H wiírJáf.toui, r...i maú fcn, idearles as ever of what miglit oefall, l'ouring out life for the nurture of men In the taíth that by manhood the world views all. lnventing hakcd beans and no end of machines, Great with the rifle and great with the ax. Scnriing theïr notions over the oceans To ñll emptv stomachs and straighten bent backs; Swift to take chances that end in the dollar. Vet open of hand when the dollar ís made ; Maintaining the ineet'n, cxalting the scholar, Hut a little too anxious about a good trade. This is young Jonathan, a son ol old John, Poeitive, peaceüble, lirm in the right. Saxon men all of us, may we be one, Steady for freedom and strong in her raight; Then slow and sure as the oaks have grown From the acorns that feil on the old dun day, So this new manhood, in city and town, To a nobler stature will grow alway; Winning by inches, holding by clinches, Slow to contention and slower to quit, Now and then failing, but never once quailing, I .et us thank God for the Saxon grit.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Courier
Old News