Library of the best American literature / Containing the lives of our authors in story form, their portraits, their homes, and their personal traits, how they worked and what they wrote; choice selections from eminent writers, embracing great American poets and novelists, foremost women in American letters, distinguished critics and essayists, our national humorists, noted journalists and magazine contributors, popular writers for young people, great orators and public lecturers

by Unknown

And they would have perished for you

As they knelt and kissed your hand—

For they saw no stain upon it,

It was such a snowy hand!

But for me—I knew you better,

And, while you were flaunting there,

I remembered some one lying,

With the blood on his white hair!

He was pleading for you, Madam,

Where the shriven spirits stand;