Lo! o’er the earth mid verdure clad,
Flow’rs grew in colors sweet and true,
Just like the rainbow over head,
Softly nurtured with heavenly dew.
Then back they flew through mist and clouds,
From flow’ry meads far, far away
To the depths of eternal love
Chanting to earth their sweetest lay.
THE GUARD AND GLORY OF THE WORLD.
(Fair Columbia.)
The guard and glory of the world,
Columbia is thee,
To your fair shores the pilgrims came,
From o’er the briny sea;
Like beacon lights from shore to shore,
The stars of freedom shine,
Brilliant, majestic they appear,
As viewed from ev’ry clime.
Of fair Columbia we will sing,
Her forests mounting high,
Her lakes and rills with music thrills
Our hearts as we draw nigh;
We hear the glad notes of the birds,
Winging their merry flight,
O’er shrub and tree, o’er hill and dale,
Through sunshine warm and bright.
Here the oppressed have found a home,
Here equal rights for all,
Emblazoned forth on ev’ry page
In justice loudly call,
That despotism has had its day,
Democracy must rule
This universe from zone to zone
In fair Columbia’s school.
IN THE FIRELIGHT.
No light save the flick’ring fire flames,
As they dance and purr in the gloom,
Leaping and casting weird shadows
That illumine the quaint old room,
Outside the wind whistles and moans
Through the shutters and leafless trees,
But signals of comfort and warmth
Flash a greeting o’er storm and breeze.
So the wayfarer homeward bound,
As he nears the old home once more,
Sees a picture he’ll ne’er forget,
As he stands by the open door,
For there circled ’round as they sit
In the glow of the flick’ring flames,
How their faces light up with joy
As he speaks the familiar names.