Town and Country; Or, Life at Home and Abroad Part 14

Deep silence was about us. We heard not even the notes of a bird.

Not a zephyr moved the air, not a rustling leaf was there. In front, far below, lay the Potomac. Not a breath of wind moved the surface of its waters, but calmly, peacefully, undisturbed, the river moved on, as though conscious of the spot it was pa.s.sing. On its gla.s.sy surface were reflected the branches that bent over and kissed it as it flowed, and the last rays of a declining sun tinted with their golden light the hills on the opposite sh.o.r.e.

I stood at the tomb of Washington: on my right stood a distinguished Indian chief; on my left, "Uncle Josh," the old African, of three-score years and ten. We represented three races of the human family, and we each were there with the same feelings of love, honor, and respect to departed worth.

Night was hastening on. I clambered up the embankment, and plucked a few green leaves from a branch that hung over the tomb; gazed once more, and yet again, within the enclosure; then turned away, and hastened to overtake my companions, who were far in advance.

If our country is ever called to pa.s.s through another struggle, may G.o.d, in his wisdom, raise up for it another Washington!

The sun had pa.s.sed the horizon, and the cool evening air, laden with the fragrance of shrubbery and flowers, gathered about us. A lively squirrel sprang across our path; a belated bird flew by; and, amid the pleasant, quiet scenes of rural life, we wended our way homeward.

FREEDOM'S GATHERING.

I SEEMED to live beyond the present time;

Methought it was when all the world was free, And myriad numbers, from each distant clime,

Came up to hold their annual jubilee.

From distant China, Afric's sunburnt sh.o.r.e,

From Greenland's icebergs, Russia's broad domain, They came as men whom fetters bound no more,

And trod New England's valley, hill, and plain.

They met to hold a jubilee, for all Were free from error's chain, and from the oppressor's thrall.

Word had gone forth that slavery's power was done;

The cry like wild-fire through the nations ran; Russia's tame serf, and Afric's sable son,

Threw off their chains-each felt himself a man.

Thrones that had stood for ages were no more;

Man ceased to suffer; tyrants ceased to reign; And all throughout the world, from sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e,

Were loosed from slavery's fetter and its chain; And those who once were slaves came up as free, Unto New England's soil, to keep their jubilee.

New England! 't was a fitting place, for it

Had sent its rays upon them, as a star Beams from the glorious heaven on slaves who sit

In chains, to lure them where free seraphs are; The light it had shed on them made them start

From their deep lethargy, then look and see That they of Freedom's boon might have a part,

Their nation glorious as New England be.

And then like men they struggled till they won, And Freedom's high-born light shone as a noonday sun.

Men gathered there who were men; n.o.bly they

Had long and faithful fought 'gainst error's night, And now they saw the sunlight of that day

They long had hoped to see, when truth and right Should triumph o'er the world, and all should hold

This truth self-evident, that fellow-men, In G.o.d's own image made, should not be sold

Nor stalled as cattle in a market-pen.

Praises they sang, and thanks they gave to G.o.d, That he had loosed the chain, and broke the oppressor's rod.

They gazed o'er all the past; their vision's eye

Beheld how men in former years had groaned, When Hope's own flame burned dim, and no light nigh

Shone to disperse the darkness; when enthroned Sat boasting Ignorance, and 'neath its sway

Grim Superst.i.tion held its lurid lamp, That only darkened the obstructed way

In which man groped and wandered, till the damp, Cold, cheerless gateway of an opening tomb Met his extended hand, and sealed his final doom.

Perchance one mind, illumined from above,

Did strive to burst the heavy bonds it wore, Pierce through the clouds of error, and, in love

With its new mission, upward seek to soar.

Upon it shone truth's faintest, feeblest ray;

It would be free; but tyrants saw and crushed Man's first attempt to cast his chains away,

The first aspirings of his nature hushed.

Thus back from men was Freedom's genius driven, And Slavery's chains in ten-fold strength were riven.

In gazing o'er the past, 't was this they saw-

How Evil long had triumphed; but to-day Man bowed to nothing but G.o.d's righteous law,

And Truth maintained its undisputed sway.

Right conquered might; and of this they were proud,

As they beheld all nations drawing near,-- Men from all lands, a vast, unnumbered crowd,

While in their eyes full many a sparkling tear Trembled a while, then from its cell did start, Witness to the deep joys of an o'erflowing heart.

There came up those who'd crouched beneath the lash,

Had bowed beneath the chains they scarce could bear, Till Freedom's lightning on their minds did flash,

And roused them as a lion in his lair Is roused when foes invade it, then, with strength

Near superhuman, one bold effort made To break their cruel bondage, till at length