  At the celebration of Washington's Birthday, Maury Public School, District of Columbia, Miss Helen T. Doocy recited the following beautiful poem written specially for her by Mr. Michael Scanlon: Let nations grown old in the annals of glory Retrace their red marches of conquest and tears, And glean with deft hands, from the pages of story The names which emblazon their centuried years— Bring them forth, ev'ry deed which their prowess bequeathed Unto them caught up from the echoes of fame; Yet thus, round their brows all their victories wreathed, They'll pale in the light of our Washington's Name! Oh, ye who snatched fame from the nation's disasters And fired your ambitions at glory's red springs, To bask, for an hour, in the smiles of your masters, And flash down life's current, the bubbles of kings, Stand forth with your blood-purchased trappings upon you, The need of your treason, the price of your shame, And mark how the baubles which tyranny won you Will pale in the light of our Washington's Name! Parade your proud trophies and pile up your arches, And flaunt your blood banner, oh, trumpet-tongued War! But ruin and woe mark the lines of your marches, While Liberty, captive, is chained to your car; But, lo! in the west there flasht out to defend her A sword which was sheened in humanity's flame, And Virtue, secure, glass'd her form in its splendor— The splendor which haloes our Washington's Name! The kings whose dread names have led captive the ages Now sink in the sands of their passion and lust; Their blood-roll of carnage in history's pages Is closed, and their names will go down to the dust. But long as a banner to Freedom is flying No shadow can rest on his sunshine of fame, For glory has crowned him with beauty undying, And time will but brighten our Washington's Name! —American Monthly Magazine. |
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