 | Verses of a life time |  |
185
TEMPERANCE SONGS, &c.
187
COME, SIGN THE VOW.
Come, sign the Temperance pledge,
Thou on life's tottering edge,
Come, sign the vow!
What though thy hair be gray,
Languid thy pulses play,
Give us thy parting day,
Quick, sign the vow.
Thou on life's tottering edge,
Come, sign the vow!
What though thy hair be gray,
Languid thy pulses play,
Give us thy parting day,
Quick, sign the vow.
Manhood, with sinewy form,
Breasting the hard world's storm,
Come, sign the vow!
Here dry a wife's wild tears,
Here hush thy children's fears,
Here bless thy coming years,
Now sign the vow.
Breasting the hard world's storm,
Come, sign the vow!
188
Here hush thy children's fears,
Here bless thy coming years,
Now sign the vow.
Childhood, with earnest glance,
Hither thy steps advance,
Come, sign the vow!
Haste, thy young promise bring,
Pure, simple offering,
Fresh from th' Eternal Spring,
Now sign the vow.
Hither thy steps advance,
Come, sign the vow!
Haste, thy young promise bring,
Pure, simple offering,
Fresh from th' Eternal Spring,
Now sign the vow.
Sinner, of many cares,
Wilder'd with doubts and snares,
Come, sign the vow!
Give us thy trembling hand,
Soon shall foul habit's band
Yield like an osier wand,
Come, sign the vow.
Wilder'd with doubts and snares,
Come, sign the vow!
Give us thy trembling hand,
Soon shall foul habit's band
Yield like an osier wand,
Come, sign the vow.
Maiden, untouched by care,
Lovely, and fresh and fair,
Come, sign the vow!
Turn here thy sparkling eye,
Lend us thy cheek's soft dye,
Bring all thy witchery,
Now sign the vow.
Lovely, and fresh and fair,
Come, sign the vow!
189
Lend us thy cheek's soft dye,
Bring all thy witchery,
Now sign the vow.
Youth, with thy upward look,
Which not a stain can brook,
Come, sign the vow!
On, for thy country's weal,
On, at dear home's appeal,
On, for thy soul a seal,
Come, sign the vow!
Which not a stain can brook,
Come, sign the vow!
On, for thy country's weal,
On, at dear home's appeal,
On, for thy soul a seal,
Come, sign the vow!
190
THE FORT MOULTRIE TEMPERANCE FLAG.
Come, plant the Temperance Standard, boys,
On old Fort Moultrie's wall!
With hand and heart, with word and deed,
Obey the gallant call
O, that will be joyful,
When the Temperance Flag's unfurled;
The waves shall swell, and the breeze shall tell
That the Temperance Flag's unfurled!
On old Fort Moultrie's wall!
With hand and heart, with word and deed,
Obey the gallant call
O, that will be joyful,
When the Temperance Flag's unfurled;
The waves shall swell, and the breeze shall tell
That the Temperance Flag's unfurled!
No wife shall weep heart-broken, boys,
Or stand with mute despair,
And ask the earth to cover her,
When that floats on the air!
O, that will be joyful,
When wives shall weep no more;—
The waves shall swell, and the breeze shall tell,
That wives shall weep no more!
Or stand with mute despair,
And ask the earth to cover her,
When that floats on the air!
191
When wives shall weep no more;—
The waves shall swell, and the breeze shall tell,
That wives shall weep no more!
No hungry, pining infant, boys,
Shall learn to curse our name;
To our white flag their eyes shall turn,
And love's protection claim.
O, that will be joyful,
When childhood pines no more;—
The waves shall swell, and the breeze shall tell,
That childhood pines no more!
Shall learn to curse our name;
To our white flag their eyes shall turn,
And love's protection claim.
O, that will be joyful,
When childhood pines no more;—
The waves shall swell, and the breeze shall tell,
That childhood pines no more!
Our sisters' cheeks not then will blush
Beneath their burning tears,
Our fathers' steps will softly tread
The sloping vale of years.
O, that will be joyful,
When friends shall blush no more;—
The waves shall swell, and the breeze shall tell,
That friends will blush no more!
Beneath their burning tears,
Our fathers' steps will softly tread
The sloping vale of years.
O, that will be joyful,
When friends shall blush no more;—
The waves shall swell, and the breeze shall tell,
That friends will blush no more!
And should our moral Flag-staff, boys,
On the ramparts chance to fall,
May some Temperance Jasper forward spring,
And plant it on the wall!
O, that will be joyful,
When Temperance Jaspers rise,—
The waves shall swell, and the breeze shall tell,
When Temperance Jaspers rise!
On the ramparts chance to fall,
May some Temperance Jasper forward spring,
And plant it on the wall!
192
When Temperance Jaspers rise,—
The waves shall swell, and the breeze shall tell,
When Temperance Jaspers rise!
Sullivan's Island, 1846.
Note.—In the beginning of the action at Fort Moultrie, June 28, 1776, the flag-staff of the American troops was shot away. Sergeant Jasper, of the grenadiers, immediately jumped on the beach, took up the flag, and fastened it on a sponge-staff. With it in his hand he mounted the merlon, and though the ships were directing their incessant broadsides at the spot, he deliberately fixed it.
Ramsay's History of South Carolina.193
WHAT WOKE ME FROM MY DREAM?
I slept. From yonder mansion's glittering hall
Arose rich music; on my dream it fell,
As ocean-murmurs in their slumberous call
Within the bosom of a sleeping shell.
Arose rich music; on my dream it fell,
As ocean-murmurs in their slumberous call
Within the bosom of a sleeping shell.
I saw the glancing foot, the rounded arm,
The eye's soft raising, and the shadowy curl;
The modest, yielding, half-reluctant charm,
The meek luxuriance of the graceful girl.
The eye's soft raising, and the shadowy curl;
The modest, yielding, half-reluctant charm,
The meek luxuriance of the graceful girl.
I saw her partner's deferential gaze,
The chastened gentleness of manly pride,
The offered hand, that, through the dance's maze,
Seemed made to lead, to cherish, and to guide.
The chastened gentleness of manly pride,
The offered hand, that, through the dance's maze,
Seemed made to lead, to cherish, and to guide.
The sight was beautiful, nor wrong to me.—
Thus, thought I, God doth deck the lily fair,
Tinges the foliage on the stalworth tree,
And wakes gay carols through the summer air.
Thus, thought I, God doth deck the lily fair,
Tinges the foliage on the stalworth tree,
And wakes gay carols through the summer air.
194
But hark! a cry comes o'er my gentle sleep,—
Wild maniac yelling and the vulgar song;
The bacchanalian shout, the curses deep,
The drunken revel of that manly throng!
Wild maniac yelling and the vulgar song;
The bacchanalian shout, the curses deep,
The drunken revel of that manly throng!
Once, my loved city, on thy sandy shore,
The red man's war-cry broke the sleeper's rest;
And the gaunt wolf, with hunger-baited roar,
Scared the young infant on its mother's breast.
The red man's war-cry broke the sleeper's rest;
And the gaunt wolf, with hunger-baited roar,
Scared the young infant on its mother's breast.
'T was better thus;—better the savage yell,
Softer the wolf-howl breaking slumber's dream,
Than on the ear of night, with orgies fell,
The polished revellers' mad and brutish scream.
Softer the wolf-howl breaking slumber's dream,
Than on the ear of night, with orgies fell,
The polished revellers' mad and brutish scream.
Charleston, S. C. 1845.
195
TEMPERANCE FLOWERS.
[_]
[The following lines were suggested by observing a beautiful vase of flowers every evening at the Charleston Temperance meetings. The exquisite original of Mrs. Hemans has been adhered to as far as practicable with the change of sentiment.]
Bring flowers, young flowers to Temperance Hall,
From gardens where dew-drops have loved to fall;
Bring flowers, they are springing in wood and vale,
And their breath floats out on the southern gale,
And the touch of the sunbeam hath waked the rose,
To deck the fountain whence water flows!
From gardens where dew-drops have loved to fall;
Bring flowers, they are springing in wood and vale,
And their breath floats out on the southern gale,
And the touch of the sunbeam hath waked the rose,
To deck the fountain whence water flows!
Bring flowers to strew in Reform's pure path,
He hath shaken thrones in his noble wrath;
He comes with the rescue of nations back;—
The tempter lies crushed in his chariot's track,
The turf looks green where he wins the day,
Bring flowers to bloom in Reform's pure way!
He hath shaken thrones in his noble wrath;
He comes with the rescue of nations back;—
The tempter lies crushed in his chariot's track,
The turf looks green where he wins the day,
Bring flowers to bloom in Reform's pure way!
196
Bring Temperance flowers to the drunkard's cell,
They have tales of mercy and hope to tell;
Of the free blue streams, and the glowing sky,
And the bright world shut from his glazing eye;
They will bear him a thought of his innocent hours
And a dream of his youth—bring him Temperance flowers!
They have tales of mercy and hope to tell;
Of the free blue streams, and the glowing sky,
And the bright world shut from his glazing eye;
They will bear him a thought of his innocent hours
And a dream of his youth—bring him Temperance flowers!
Bring flowers for the Temperance bride to wear,
They were born to blush in her shining hair;
She is leaving the home of her childhood's mirth,
She hath bid farewell to her father's hearth;
Her place is now by another's side,
Bring flowers for the locks of the Temperance bride.
They were born to blush in her shining hair;
She is leaving the home of her childhood's mirth,
She hath bid farewell to her father's hearth;
Her place is now by another's side,
Bring flowers for the locks of the Temperance bride.
Bring flowers to the Temperance shrine of prayer,
They are virtue's offering, their place is there;
They speak of hope to the fainting heart;
With a voice of promise, they come and part,
They slept in temptation's wintry hours;—
They break forth in glory—bring Temperance flowers
They are virtue's offering, their place is there;
They speak of hope to the fainting heart;
With a voice of promise, they come and part,
They slept in temptation's wintry hours;—
They break forth in glory—bring Temperance flowers
Charleston, S. C. 1846.
197
THE OYSTER'S APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC.
O, come to my rescue, I'm prisoned up here
With mint-sling and julep, strong wine and strong beer;
I pant for cold water amid this foul air,—
Indeed it is more than an oyster can bear!
Then far from old hollands, vile cocktail and sling,
Dear public, in water your supplicant fling.
With mint-sling and julep, strong wine and strong beer;
I pant for cold water amid this foul air,—
Indeed it is more than an oyster can bear!
Then far from old hollands, vile cocktail and sling,
Dear public, in water your supplicant fling.
That my prison is gilded and costly, I know,
My windows are painted, my blinds make a show,
And my sign is the brightest the public eye greeting,
Ay, brighter than that at the “Temperance Meeting.”
But take me away from rum, cordial and sling,
And in water, cold water, your supplicant fling.
My windows are painted, my blinds make a show,
And my sign is the brightest the public eye greeting,
Ay, brighter than that at the “Temperance Meeting.”
But take me away from rum, cordial and sling,
And in water, cold water, your supplicant fling.
My curtains are gorgeous, my pictures are gay,
Bright glasses are rang'd in a splendid array;
And so great is the glare and the blazing at night,
That ladies stand tiptoe outside at the sight.
But take me away from this brandy and sling,
And into cold water your supplicant fling.
Bright glasses are rang'd in a splendid array;
198
That ladies stand tiptoe outside at the sight.
But take me away from this brandy and sling,
And into cold water your supplicant fling.
Yet here are dark corners kept even from me,
Where they don't call for oysters, though “Mill Pond” they be;
Sometimes a wild curse mutters out of the den,
And tones like the anguish of agonized men.
Then take me away from wine-cobblers and sling
And into the water your supplicant fling.
Where they don't call for oysters, though “Mill Pond” they be;
Sometimes a wild curse mutters out of the den,
And tones like the anguish of agonized men.
Then take me away from wine-cobblers and sling
And into the water your supplicant fling.
That sign on the front is no title of mine,
Call it gin house, or beer house, or shambles for wine;
We innocent oysters, no longer, in sooth,
Shall be cat's-paws for drunkards, or gins to catch youth.
So take me away from ale, cider and sling,
And into cold water your supplicant fling.
Call it gin house, or beer house, or shambles for wine;
We innocent oysters, no longer, in sooth,
Shall be cat's-paws for drunkards, or gins to catch youth.
So take me away from ale, cider and sling,
And into cold water your supplicant fling.
But hark, all the pipes and the quarter casks grumble,
Fourth proof and brown stout seem around me to tumble,
Old holland turns pale, and the wine on the lees
Looks thick like a drunkard just after his sprees;
There 's a riotous time with port, sherry and sling,
O, into cold water, your supplicant fling.
Fourth proof and brown stout seem around me to tumble,
Old holland turns pale, and the wine on the lees
Looks thick like a drunkard just after his sprees;
There 's a riotous time with port, sherry and sling,
O, into cold water, your supplicant fling.
199
My keeper seems nervous, and swears 'neath his breath,
That times are so dull we shall all starve to death,
I pity you, master, your teeth are on edge,
For custom runs low since the Temperance Pledge.
Then pray, gentle public, just give me a fling
To water-laved beds, where the oyster race cling.
That times are so dull we shall all starve to death,
I pity you, master, your teeth are on edge,
For custom runs low since the Temperance Pledge.
Then pray, gentle public, just give me a fling
To water-laved beds, where the oyster race cling.
But if you must eat me, be merciful, do,
And don't let me live with this dram-drinking crew.
Why, even an oyster is wiser than those
Who revel and shout where the full goblet flows;
Who stagger, and totter, and gibber and swear,
Or sit with their idiot-eyes in a glare.
And don't let me live with this dram-drinking crew.
Why, even an oyster is wiser than those
Who revel and shout where the full goblet flows;
Who stagger, and totter, and gibber and swear,
Or sit with their idiot-eyes in a glare.
So give us a temple, if worthy to eat,
Where the modest and honest can come for a treat,
And pull down the blinds, and unpaint all the glasses,
And look out like men when the traveller passes.
And then your poor oysters will fatten, and I,
In an honest vocation, will willingly die.
Where the modest and honest can come for a treat,
And pull down the blinds, and unpaint all the glasses,
And look out like men when the traveller passes.
And then your poor oysters will fatten, and I,
In an honest vocation, will willingly die.
Charleston, S. C. 1844.
| Verses of a life time | |