Which thou didst wield to lead thy fellow-men
Along great duty’s hard and ruggèd path.
Thine was a bright example. High aloft
Thy virtues flash’d their pure inspiring rays,
Piercing the murky clouds of human sin,
And lighting up the realm where goodness dwells.
To know thee was to love thee. Thine the pow’r
To weave thy spell around the hearts of men.
A noble life is wondrous, beautiful.
And such was thine, brief—yea, alas! too brief,—