The Battle of War and Llife

This poem written inany yearsago, has not been in print for soiue time, and is not generallv known. ftlthüugh the ninth stanza is one of the etereotyped quotations of oui1 native tongue: Ones tliis soft turf, this rivlet's sand, ttère trampled by a hurrying crowd. And fiery hearls and armed hands, Kncouatere 1 in the battle oloud. Ah! nevcr shall the land forget How gushed tho lifo-blood of her brare - Gushed warm with hope and BOOtage yot, Upon the soil they sought to save. Now all is ealm, anl f.-esii, and still; Alone the chirp of twittering bird, And talk of chlldren on the hill, And bell c{ wandering kine are hoard. No oleran host goes trniling by That black niouthed guu and btaggering wain; Men stare not at the battle r.ry - Ohl be it never lioard again. oon rested thosa who fought; but thou Who minglcs in the harder strife For truths wluch mea receive not now, Thy warfare only ouds with Ufa. A friendloss warfave lingering long Throuiih weary day and weary year; Awildaud manywcaponed thior.g Hant; on thy front, and flank thy rear. Tet rërve t!iy s-irit to tho pronf, And blench not at thy ohcBen lot. Tho tini'd good m.iy stand aloof, The sage may irown,yet fuint thou not. Nor hced tho slinft too atirely cast. The foul and hratine buit at seorn; For with tli y side shall dweil at last, Thevictory of enduninoü bom, Truth, cru-hed to earth s'iall rise aguiri - Theeternal ear of God are her?; Bnt Error, woundeil, writhes in pain, And dies niaong his woraliipers, Yea, thoa lic upon the dust, When they who helped thee fleo a fsar,' Die full of hope and manly trust, Like those who feil in baltle Uere! Another hand thy sword all uil wield, A o' her hanj thy standard wave, 'Till from the.trumpet's mouth is peald The binst Of triuxnpk o'er thy grave.