In Florence’s Album, 176 In Lizzie Leonard’s Album, 177 In Henrietta’s Album, 177 In Worthy’s Album, 178 In Flora’s Album, 178 In Etta’s Album, 179 In Grace’s Album, 179 The Gallop of Life, 180 Where Are All the People We Knew, 184 The Honest Man, 187 Beautiful Things, 189 The Nurse, 192 A Sweet Disposition, 195 The Scow Race, 197 A Happy Choice, 201 Beautiful Flowers, 203 The Value of a Friend, 204 PART I. POEMS OF PATRIOTISM OUR COUNTRY AND OUR FLAG. At morning light October twelfth, In fourteen hundred ninety-two, With shouts of joy and dreams of wealth, Columbus and his happy crew, Sang land ahoy! Sweet land ahoy! And landing on the virgin soil, Gave thanks to God, in tears of joy, And laughed at danger, care and toil. And thus became our country known A short four hundred years ago, And yet in greatness it has grown Beyond the reach of man to know; The forests vast have given way Before man’s mighty march and hand, And prairie wastes like night to day Have changed to blooming garden land. The savage hosts that here were found Living like roving beasts of prey, Have given up their hunting ground, And thrown their poisoned darts away; Now turning to the arts of peace, And living on the white man’s plan, Their wasted numbers will increase, While they respect the rights of man. The howling wolf and dreaded bear, The buffalo and antelope, And all the beasts not in man’s care, Are going down the western slope; Whate’er obstructs the onward tread, Of the overwhelming march of man, Must soon be numbered with the dead, All sacrificed on nature’s plan. The mighty rivers and great lakes, Where once did float the bark canoe, Are but the means that nature makes, To push man’s grand endeavors thru; And now upon these waters floats A commerce of a size so vast, (In more than seven thousand boats) It never yet has been surpassed.