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THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.

Eighteen long years he had plead and had prayed For aid from proud Europe’s laws,

Kings sneered, boys jeered, but a brave woman cried—

“ My jewels I’ll pledge for your cause.”

She was ready to give every necklace and brooch,

From her arm every bracelet and chain,

Columbia—flash the name with electric flame Of your patron, Isabella of Spain.

’Twas not Asia’s shore Columbus trod,

By the grand Spanish queen’s behest;

But he found here, across the wide billowy foam,

The India isles of the west.

These children of nature had never then heard Of a Calvin’s peculiar creed;

Nor from a John Knox, or a Wesley,

Had learned of a sinner’s need.

But living so close to dear nature’s heart,

Even midst all their wild forest strife,

They reverent looked up to the Spirit

Of the sun, which gave nature her life.

So here, as in all of the ages past,

When strangers on newer lands trod,

The older historical people

Called them always the sons of their God.

Four hundred years of time—is it true?

America, the home of the free,

Since your hero, for whom you should have been named, On your soil dropped his reverent knee?

Oh hero! rewarded with chains and with scorn,

It is time that the world should now know,

That America, free, here at last exalts,

The wise Christofal Columbo.

Four hundred years of history and fame!

Stained with blood here and there; yet we see Here the largest, the happiest, the grandest land— Columbia. America, the free!

SECOND PERIOD.

One hundred years more of the time passed by,

In this wonderful, newly-found West,

While England’s kings were sowing some seeds,

Which grew there without their behest.

’Till again from across the wide, watery deep Came a fairer and nobler stock,

To seek for new homes, for liberty’s sake,

By the side of our Plymouth Rock.

Of the Puritan Fathers so often we’ve heard,

Since our childhood’s sweet, happy dream,

In spite of their creeds, and their bigotry dark,

Held up in such high esteem.