[Jato-dev] lston of "The O

[Vetri <ti...@bi...>]

N to be hid away, And gales of laughter came from gardens, Where bright
tear-dashed eyes must weep farewells The braver lips refused to falter--
Mouths then seemed only made to kiss For men in gray, Who left the
ancient houses of proud names, Through magic gates upon that magic day
When the lost cause was still-born in its hope. II And I had gone-- It
seemed no man's work then-- To buy supplies from "good friends" at the
North-- Two years at old St. Louis and then down the river, Past winking
lights of towns and federal rams, In flat-boats with a precious freight
of barrels, Marked for the Yankees; but one night We supped past their
last fort And floated down to Vicksburg through the dark. How dull the
lanterns glimmered at the quay! But there was welcome, too, Proud,
thankful hands, To take the medicine and powder, And unload sorghum
barrels That we might change to quinine and to gold, If we could ever
get them to Nassau. The column which they printed in the "News" On
wall-paper, first made me think That it was worth-while man's work after
all. Then, out across the miles of leaguered states, Through
pine-barrens where frowsy men in gray Lay with their wounded in the
haggard camps-- A glimpse of old times in Atlanta Like a last febrile
glow in well-loved eyes. Now rolling in flat cars, trundling to the sea,
Back of the bull-head, wood-devouring engines. At last by night to
Charleston Just before the iron ring closed-- Ours was the last freight
train of the war, Before the anaconda squeezed; But I had won (perhaps)
if we could get Those precious barrels to England or Nassau. How changed
my city was-- The grass grew in her streets, And there were blackened
ruins raw with fire; A few old darkies crept along her ways; The busy
thunder of the drays was gone; And ruin spoke with statue lips. Only a
glimmering candle lurked in landward windows, Dim through shimmering
shutter chinks-- Silence--silence was over all--no bells-- St. Michael's
were in hiding, And St. Philip's spoke another voice, A