COLUMBIAN ODE. COLUMBIA, on thy brow are dewy flowers Plucked from wide prairies and from mighty hills. Troop from high thrones to hear, Clasp thy strong hands, tread with thee paths sublime, Spain, in the broidered robes of chivalry, Comes with slow foot and inward brooding eyes. Bow to her banner! 'twas the first to rise Out of the dark for thee. And England, royal mother, whose right hand Molds nations, whose white feet the ocean tread, Lays down her sword on thy beloved strand To bless thy wreathed head; Hearing in thine her voice, bidding thy soul Fulfill her dream, the foremost at the goal. And France, who once thy fainting form upbore, Brings beauty now where strength she brought of yore. France, the swift-footed, who with thee Gazed in the eyes of Liberty, And loved the dark no more. Around the peopled world Bright banners are unfurled. The long procession winds from shore to shore. The Norseman sails Through icy gales To the green Vineland of his long-ago. Russia rides down from realms of sun and snow. Her iron robes of war, And strikes her harp with thy triumphal song. Italy opens wide her epic scroll, In bright hues blazoned, with great deeds writ long, And bids thee win the kingdom of the soul. And the calm Orient, wise with many days, From hoary Palestine to sweet Japan Salutes thy conquering youth; Bidding thee hush while all the nations praise, Lo! unto these the ever-living Past Ushers a mighty pageant, bids arise Daughter of mystery. Alone! alone! Behind wide walls of sea! And never a ship has flown A prisoned world to free. Fair is the sunny day On mountain and lake and stream, Yet wild men starve and slay And the young earth lies adream. Long have the dumb years passed with vacant eyes, Leaving thee safe with God till man grow wise. Fearless of ignorance and scorn; His strong youth wasteth at the sealed gate- His hope grows sear while all the angels wait, Until a woman fair As morning lilies are Brings him a jeweled key And lo! a world is free. Wide swings the portal never touched before, Toward dreams that cannot fail He bids the three ships sail, While man's new song of hope rings out against the gale. Over the wide unknown, Far to the shores of Ind, On through the dark alone, Like a feather blown by the wind; Into the west away, Sped by the breath of God, Seeking the clearer day Where only his feet have trod: From the past to the future we sail; We slip from the leash of kings. Hail, spirit of freedom-hail! Unfurl thine impalpable wings! Receive us, protect us, and bless Thy knights who brave all for thee. Though death be thy soft caress By that touch shall our souls be free. Onward and ever on, Till the voice of despair is stilled, Till the haven of peace is won And the purpose of God fulfilled! -Harriet Monroe. CHAPTER XI. THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION. SINCE the birth of Christ, no single event has had for subsequent history the importance of the discovery of 1492. Even today we can scarcely credit the fact that a populated eastern hemisphere could pass through several thousand years of recorded life while another in the west, embracing one-third the land surface of the earth, remained unknown. It is now generally acknowledged that our continent was visited at least once-perhaps several times-before Columbus landed upon its shores; but this does not in the slightest degree detract from his abiding glory. In spite of such possible early visits. thither, resulting from chance or storm-driven barks, Europe remained in her long stupor regarding two continents. And Columbus died broken-hearted because his dream of reaching India was shattered, since he had but reached a continent which lay inconveniently in his path! Every school-boy knows for how many years the delusion inspired men to exploration, always with the hope that some water way might be found which should at last give access to coveted Cathay. The first hundredth anniversary of the discovery of the New World found little attempted in it but exploration. By 1692 a chain of colonies were planted along the Atlantic seaboard. The third hundredth anniversary fell sixteen years after the little fringe of English colonies had declared themselves free from the mother country. Yet, notwithstanding that they were still suffering from privations resulting from the recent war and were struggling with problems of a newly organized government, it is gratifying to know that they did not permit this momentous event to pass unnoticed, but in so far as they were able, did honor to the great discoverer. Few newspapers were established in our land at that time, else it is probable that many hamlet celebrations would be recorded. We know that New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore observed the day and old files of their papers still preserved in the Congressional Library chronicle with some detail the commemoration ceremonies. It is interesting to read some of the toasts drunk at the banquet held in New York. The first was appropriately given to the memory of "Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of the New World;" another "May peace and liberty ever pervade the United Columbian States." The third was prophetic: "May this be the last celebration of this discovery that finds a slave on this globe." The last quoted from quite a long list expressed a hope that "the fourth century be as remarkable for the improvement and knowledge of the rights of man as the first was for the development and improvement of nautic science." The oration delivered in Boston in memory of the matchless discovery calls to mind the pervading religious tone of early New England. The speaker took a text found in Daniel, xii, 4, "Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased." Glanced at casually today the oration might be easily mistaken for a sermon. In the late eighties the grateful duty of honoring the memory of Columbus at the four hundredth anniversary was discussed in papers and journals. An exposition that should adequately reveal the amazing progress of the last few years was conceded by general consent to be appropriate. It was commonly agreed that no ordinary effort would suffice but that it devolved upon our country to provide a creditable showing. At first several cities contended for the exhibition but it shortly resolved itself into a contest between New York and Chicago-the two financial centers of the republic. It is amusing today to read the arguments pro and con, some being excellent and others farfetched. Citizens of the eastern metropolis felt that their city was most accessible and consequently more convenient to all European powers. They regarded Chicago somewhat in the light of an agricultural center and warmly maintained that if this was to be made an international event, it was mistaken counsel that argued in favor of making the fair accessible merely to western farmers. Those who regarded Chicago as the most desirable location pointed out that should we hold the fair on the Atlantic sea |