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Statue of Governor Francis Harrison Pierpont
Statue of Governor Francis Harrison Pierpont Author:United States. Congress Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Mr. Woodyard. By request, Miss Siviter will recite a poem appropriate to this occasion—Miss Siviter. Miss Siviter recited the following poem: You are stand... more »ing midst the mighty in the Great White Hall of Fame; On the Nation-s list of heroes they have written high your name; And the powers and princes pass you and they give you meed of praise, But 'twas Freedom you were wooing, and not Fame, in those dark days. Filled with manhood's high ideals, by a slave-block you stood near; Watched the virgin crouching on it, saw her trembling, felt her fear; And your spirit rose within you, as one lead the maid away, And you gave yourself to Freedom—life and soul and strength—that day. When the loud alarm of battle flung a challenge to the North, Home and childish hands clung to you, but your country called you forth On the strong God lays the burden when He makes a people free, And on hearts that are most tender doth He write His stern decree. In the shout and din of battle, she was born, the brave, free State; Humble men stood sponsor for her, but their every deed was great— West Virginia, child of Freedom, lift your happy head on high; Truth and Justice are your birthright; you were born to Liberty. But it must be, up in heaven, that the holy angels know Of the struggles and the triumphs of those toiling here below; And men's hearts were moved to action; so they placed you, Statesman, there That the world might know and fear it, what is wrought by work and prayer. Mr. Woodyard. Honorable John W. Mason, of Fairmont, West Virginia, judge of the circuit court of the fourteenth circuit of West Virginia, and long a neighbor and warm friend of Governor Pierpont, had accepted an invitation to deliver an historical and personal address on this occasion, but sudden a...« less