BARBARA FRIETCHIE Up from the meadows rich with corn, The clustered spires of Frederick stand Round about them orchards sweep, Fair as the garden of the Lord To the eyes of the famished rebel horde, On that pleasant morn of the early fall, When Lee marched over the mountain-wall, Over the mountains winding down, Forty flags with their silver stars, Flapped in the morning wind: the sun Up rose old Barbara Frietchie then, Bravest of all in Frederick town, She took up the flag the men hauled down; In her attic window the staff she set, It shivered the window, pane and sash; Quick, as it fell from the broken staff, She leaned far out on the window-sill, "Shoot, if you must, this old gray head, But spare your country's flag," she said. A shade of sadness, a blush of shame The nobler nature within him stirred "Who touches a hair of yon gray head Dies like a dog! March on!" he said. All day long through Frederick street All day long that free flag tost Ever its torn folds rose and fell And through the hill-gaps sunset light Barbara Frietchie's work is o'er, And the rebel rides on his raids no more. Honor to her! and let a tear Fall, for her sake, on Stonewall's bier. Over Barbara Frietchie's grave, Peace and order and beauty draw And ever the stars above look down LIBERTY ENLIGHTENING THE WORLD THE highest statue in the world stands on a little island in New York harbor looking out towards Europe. It is 151 feet high and the torch at the top is 305 feet above the water. Forty persons can stand inside the head of the statue. The arm that holds the torch is so big that a staircase is built inside. The first finger is seven feet long. But it is not the bigness of the Statue of Liberty that makes Americans proud of it. It is what that statue means. France gave it to us. The French people, after a hundred years of suffering, struggle and bloodshed and a terrible war with Prussia, became a republic. They remembered the great sympathy of their forefathers for us when we were becoming a republic, and they remembered that the hundredth birthday of American Independence was just taking place. They wanted to show to America that the two nations are brothers, united by love of liberty. Longfellow, the poet, and Sumner the statesman encouraged Monsieur Bartholdi to lend his skill to the building of the statue. French people, rich and poor, were eager to give the $400,000 that it cost. Americans gladly subscribed $300,000 for the pedestal. It was unveiled in 1886 at a memorable cere This grand statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World" is the figure of a woman bearing in one hand a tablet with the words. "July 4, 1776," and with the other hand holding up a torch with a great light shining from it. The light from the torch of the Statue of Liberty shines. across the ocean toward the older coun tries calling to those in less fortunate THE STATUE OF LIBERTY lands to come to America where they can be free men and women. It lights up the heavens with a glow that tells all the world that America is eternally devoted to the cause of democracy and freedom. It sends out the message that the two republics, France and the United States, stand together now and forever shoulder to shoulder to protect the rights of man. |