Y UC-NRLF 27 7m . I.I] 5KARY (IF TUT. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. (VI I- I ill 'Received &L*sisi^Z/ . i8(j . t/lccessions No.&6l53 CA/ss No. $go ff 22 2 w 1^*: 3ft^fejrejus^f k'-vT- -- - - ,A _-=J\ _ i< fr *. a 'MieY* Vx<- 0>1 CL/O^S J\ afifornjo. ofu.rn.6ian Copyrighted by MARY I,,\MIIBKT I8M " In solemn state the walls of La Rabida view Historic Palos and its Bay of lucent blue." ' 'I7EI N solemn state the walls of La Rabida view .Historic Palos and its Bay of lucent blue. In Years long since there flashed from out the visaged frown Of that old Sentinel above the ancient town, A scintillating beam of fertilizing light To re-create a world from depths of chaosed night And forth, immortal ray on vivifying wing Forever make Rabida seem -a living thing ! A pilgrim, travel-stained, approached the convent door And to his knock the startled echoes answered o'er. With sad, dejected mien, and face devoid of joy, He asked that drink and food be given to his boy. IS snow-white locks he bared unto the balmy air And stood in patient, dull abandon of despair. Juan Perez, Prior, ceased his slow and measured tread To gaze upon the Stranger's sorrow-lowered head. In wonder viewed the shabby guise and humble fate, That seemed ill-fitted to that form of lofty state. But greater wonder and surprise within him grew To hear the story told so fanciful, so new. The Friar listened patiently unto its close Rejoicing that Rabida heard the Stranger's woes ; And with prophetic clearness through the cycles saw New mysteries unfold by God's deep hidden law. ^P" Br HE psychic force of life, the physical deposed, And in a moment's briefness secrecies disclosed. The pierceless cloud that holds futurity concealed Before the soul uprolled a Vision stood revealed. The fabled world beyond the ken of learned mind In verdant beauty rose, a marvel to mankind. Its blue of Heaven rivalling Andalusia's skies, Luxuriance of fruitage; birds of Paradise. Vast groves of palms, wild blossoms clust'ring crag and tree, With leaves scarce stirred by languid breezes from the sea. He gazed into the years beyond the bound of men Saw argosies unloading ; saw the ages when " With sad, dejected mien, and face devoid of joy, He asked that food and drink be given to his boy." mighty people strong with sinew, full of grace Upheld the Cross, the standard of a Christian race. With joy he saw the triumph and renown of Spain Revert to Heaven's glory and his Master's gain ! Oh crowning hope ! This promise more resplendent shines Thau all the glittering wealth of gold and jeweled mines ; From out these far spice Isles the Stranger's land of gold A breath of tropic perfume over Perez rolled. It kissed his wrinkled forehead, leaving for all time The sweetness of the Vision of that lovely clime ! "Tis true ! " he said, " Aye grander, broader than it seems, Thy truths no fancies wild, but God-inspired dreams ! IVIE::TY OW tell me whence tliou comest Stranger what thy name?" " I am Columbus and from Genoa I came. Self-exiled from my loved, my native land. Upon My plans she frowned, where wealth and lineage had won ! " " Renew thy courage, friend, be not with grief opprest, For La Rabida bids thee welcome. Be our guest ! Gain strength and hope in pray'r. The Lord hath sent thee here, Unfold thy plans; the destined hour may be near! " The cloister pulse was thrilled with quickened flow. New life Ran through the air and firm expectancy was rife. A wise assemblage gathered at the Friar's call, With grave attention listened to the projects all VII EVIEWED. The visionary proof, belief and hope, With which the sage philosophers refused to cope, Were by those humble Councillors endowed with birth, To bless Rabida and electrify the earth ! The Cause approved, the faith of Perez firm and strong, He swift resolved unto the Queen appeal the wrong, And at the royal court appear its advocate ; Advising that Columbus at Rabida wait. But smothered passions fired at last by many blows, His soul to madness stung by unforgotten woes And aching wounds, of plans deferred from day to day, In anger scorned this new proposal of delay. . " Then I will pledge my jewels make the Cause my own ! My royal Crown's Queen Isabella's of Castile! " . V *< o YE, wait ! But wait ! 'Tis ever so, " he fiercel} 1 cried, " I've waited long an urgent beggar crushed my pride ; A miserable wretch in yonder Spanish court, Have long endured their learned sneers, have been their sport, " Endured the silly platitudes of ev'ry school ; A shabby mendicant a butt for ev'ry fool. Self-curbed, self-conquered, vowed that there I should remain Until my God-appointed mission proved in vain. " I lingered in Cordova till the autumn sped, Until the Spanish soldiers rang with martial tread A clanging knell of unpropitious destiny. Undaunted by delay, then turned impatiently - IX O Salamanca where Mendoza gained at last The king to hear. The cautious Ferdinand me passed Unto the Council of St. Stephens learned Ring, Where sage philosophers gave prejudice full swing ! Again returned unto Cordova waited there Decision of my suit. Confusion filled the air, The bustling of the arming troops was all around, And in the storming tempest there, my hopes were drowned. " And thence to Malaga, on summons from the court, In haste I went to learn the council's sage report. Amid the silk pavilions, noble chivalry In glist'ning semi-circles ranging to the sea . ' ; And saw Juan Perez praying praying Heaven's aid With outstretched arms .' Thus praying- watch the squadron fade .'" wandered, wandered like a sad forsaken wraith ; Deterred by wars procrastination's dying faith, Found royal promises and royal interest vain, But humble satellite I followed in its train. Thus ever parleyed royal craft, yet ever rid Itself of vital action. Ev'ry summons hid Diplomacied evasion with its bitter sting Of disappointed hope. Again the watchful King " With cunning shrewdness summoned nie unto Seville, My cause again deferred while 'gainst fierce Boabdil I fought the Moors. In brilliant feasts of victory, The revelling Court could spare no audience to me. . . AV .- .- ETURNED unto Cordova lingered day by day Until my soul incensed demanded, Yea! or Nay! As still again grim war's vibrations filled the air, The Council sent adverse report. In bold despair O hear my final fate I went unto Seville, Not lost not won the Court prevaricating still Advised a long delay, until the wars abate The Crown by war impoverished enterprise must wait ! "And this the stinted meed, this wretched starving dole, For which I bore contumely, mortified my soul, For which I humbly craved and pleaded seven years Sad years, that warped my manhood with their wasting fears. ^^^k .^L*. ^k M a^L 4 . xir : O longer bid me wait! I scorn proposed appeal ! I go to France to there inflame the flagging zeal For Heaven's holy cause ! Already glimmers thence A beacon rift of hope in promised audience ! " The Friar's heart up-leaped with patriotic fears, His spirit yearned for action burst the cloistered years ; His mule swift saddling, forth at midnight sought the Queen Through conquered Moorish cities slumbering serene But newly wrested from the Crescent rule, near spent, He rode to Santa Fe whence gleamed the royal tent. Though deeply busied with Granada's final siege Juan Perez found the Queen to former friendship liege. ' A lover in thy curling arms, oh passioned sea, Columbus 7f>n?rf fhv hrnrt ni itiif rhino- wvsftrv** " GL..S IS strong, impassioned eloquence new fervor woke; The lofty, honest purpose, honest words he spoke Flashed forth electric with a God-inspired art, And flamed the Spanish ardor of the royal heart. Thus won, again Columbus summoned by the Queen, With freshened hope returned. He saw that brilliant scene When Spain resumed usurped dominion of her land, Saw Boabdil's defeat with all his Moorish band. From famed Alhambra saw the hated Crescent torn, And in its place the holy Cross exultant borne. Amid the wild rejoicing and magnificence Of dazzling arms arrayed in warrior excellence, HE show of regal pomp, of bards and prelacy, Of rustling silken robes and Spanish chivalry Columbus sadly roamed, dejected and obscure, 111 brooked delay though schooled to suffer and endure. When Triumph's festal echoes slowly died away, Then royalty to foreign enterprise gave sway. What dreamer this, who came imperious and proud ? This stately claimant standing haughty and uncowed Demanding noble title, place and royal fee His regal magnitude astounding royalty ? This applicant, who stood majestic heeding not De Talavera's frown ; who ceded not a jot ' ' Fair land ! Partaker of thy vigils and thy cares, Full consecrated by the incense of thy pray'rs .' " .;~> F princely claim nor of his coveted renown Unto indignant prelate or astonished Crown. His proud and bold insistence royal favor checked, Again Columbus left the Court, ambition wrecked. His bosom choked with waves of fierce, resentful pride, His aspirations crushed ; his schemes and claims denied. St. Angel loth to lose the brilliant enterprise Implored the queenly heart so womanly, so wise, Uphold the Spanish honor, Spanish faith and fame To crown the regal glory of her woman's name ! The Marchioness de Moya's fervent ardor broke In passioned speech. With breath of vital flame she spoke . F Perez, one whose wish was sacred to their heart. The Cause of Perez urged with all a woman's art, Until the Queen was moved, her zealous soul ablaze Swift spoke : " Send forth our courier make no delays, Recall that strange and proud Columbus to our throne And say his claims and enterprise we make our own." Re-called, in vague expectancy, returned again ; The wary Ferdinand yet cold, still urged the drain Of Spanish gold for war's demands ; still cautious, terse Advised delay. The fateful measure thus adverse A painful brief suspense, with trembling thought replete Its sadness cast. The doom of ultimate defeat " The magic trophies from the land of liopic skies, A full return the glory of his aged eyes ! " .- . XVII AS banished by a woman's voice in ringing tone " Then I will pledge my jewels make the Cause my own ! My royal Crown's Queen Isabella's of Castile ! " Oh voice, that broke the spell so fraught with woe or weal ! Oh woman's vision clear ! Oh woman's noble heart ! Thy gen'rous soul that moment played its noblest part. Immortal moment to a loyal legion dear, The proudest, loftiest, of all thy grand career! Rabida's joy ! The grand old heart Te Deums sung ! Rabida's triumph loud o'er waiting Palos rung. Mute face ! that traced each preparation day by day, Until the caravels were anchored in the Bay. . : X I'll I : YE, grand old face! that watching long and faithfully, Saw souls defy the terrors of an unknown sea, Equipped with armament so perilous and frail Saw Spain's ensign unfurled above the flapping sail. And saw Juan Perez praying praying Heaven's aid With outstretched arms ! Thus praying watch the squadron fade! The sun kissed liug'ringly, the sails and water blue, And o'er Rabida's face its flashing glory threw ! The white wings rising, falling, fluttered out of sight, Enfolded in the shadows of the falling night. A lover in thy curling arms, oh passioned Sea, Columbus wooed thy heart of witching mystery. " His sighs and benisons in priestly power fell Athwart the raging Sea, and in the prison cell ! " .- .- XIX : l N faith, or siren calm, or tempest rage of change His cry " Still forward ! Forward ! " o'er the trackless range, Thy warm spice laden breath bore to his waiting ears Faint whisperings of Islands in thy dimpling spheres. Thy coy, deluding moods, refusing to be won, Were vanquished by his fervid cry " Sail on ! Sail on ! " And all the beauties of thy bosom's mystery, Thou yielded to thy dauntless wooer, passioned Sea, And in thy cradling arms he rested like a child ; As to and fro thou bore him o'er the waters wild. By Love and Heaven bound thy terrors to withhold, The while our High Priest wed the new world to the old ! H, many evenings as the sun dipt in the west, Juan Perez watched the white ships cleave the ocean's crest. And many mornings ere the matin bells would chime, His beads were numbered to the ocean's beating rhyme. And many noon-times when the Angelus was rung, And when in solemn strains the vesper hymn was sung, An intermingling chord flew out upon the air And passed to Heaven, trembling with the Friar's pray'r ! A pray'r of benediction on the chosen band- Predestined instruments of Heaven's hidden hand ! A pray'r of supplication for the destiny Of lives rich freighted with a precious prophecy ! " All ! many evenings as the sun dipt in the west, Juan Perez watched the while ships cleave the ocean's crest! " ND oft the solemn night watch Perez kept alone, While storm wings beat the panes and lashed the walls of stone, In ecstasy of pray'r oft burst the thralling mesh, That held his Spirit prison'd in its mortal flesh. And God-ward soaring stayed each ill-stared evil pow'r,- A favored Mediator in each fateful hour ! Thus ever watching watching patiently alone, Each breath a winged pray'r nnto his Master's throne ! Ah, faithful Guardian full meriting indeed The royal measure of his spirtual meed. The magic trophies from the land of tropic skies, A full return the glory of his aged eyes ! . .- .\.\'/l ^^r^^^^^^B ^P UT fairer than the fancies floating from each tongue, And dearer than the gold upon the Old World flung, Was that fair Christian land, the daughter of the years, The glory of whose promise moved his soul to tears ! His Nation's triumph voiced the triumph of his soul ; Adown the centuries the deathless echoes roll ! His sighs and benisons in priestly power fell Athwart the raging Sea, and in the prison cell. Juan Perez ! Loyal friend ! Exponent of God's hand ! Thy blessing fructifies each promise of our land. Fair land ! Partaker of thy vigils and thy cares, Full consecrated by the incense of thy pray'rs ! . mf ,- r w, I vl Tli* 3 * -J^L.^^1/ ^TOO^ *