CARDINAL NEWMAN AND GENERAL GORDON.
[A copy of Cardinal Newman's poem, "The Dream of Gerontius,"' was given by General Gordon to Frank Power at Khartoum, February 18th, 1884. Deep, incisive pencil-marks had been drawn by Gordon under certain lines, almost all of which name death and cry for the prayers of friends :—
" Pray for me, oh ! my friends ! 'Tis Death, 'tia he. So pray for me, My friends, who have not strength To pray ! Now that the hour Has come, my fear is fled."
With other passages, all bearing on the supreme moment at hand. The last words underlined before he gave the book to poor young Power are these :—
" Farewell ! but not for ever, brother dear.
Be brave and patient on thy bed of sorrow."
This book, having been shown to Cardinal Newman, he writes :—" / was deeply moved to find that a book of mine had been in Gordon's hands, and that the description of a soul preparing for death."]
Gzammus many never heard thy name, Till from Khartoum, and through a mist of blood, To reverent English hearts the message came,— " His spirit by your hero's spirit stood."
Dream of Gerontins and the busy men Who have no time for dreaming, tried to see What thread, impalpable to grosser ken, Linked thee to him, a great Reality !
Both fighters ! and maybe the sorer strife
Was his who never handled sword or spear, Nor knew "one crowded hour's glorious life,"—
The leader's triumph and the soldier's cheer.
Both led by the Eternal kindly Light, To climb together to the Hidden Height ! M. A. E. IT.
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