Correspondence (incoming): Pa, 1888-1903

Mr. Burton M. Palmer. Palo Alto, Calif.

With congratulations to Mrs. Stanford

ansd Mch 8.96 L.J.

Victory.

Written and read during the celebrations at the Leland Stanford Junior University, March 2nd 1896.

By Burton M. Palmer, '97.

Should you ask me why this tumult? Why this noisy din and clatter? Why these shouts of merry students As they wildly wave their banners? Why the smiles of sage Professors As they meet the Roble maidens, Meet the maidens all uncertain

Whether they have passed or not? Meet the maidens who are smiling

Careless of their passing marks?

I should answer, I should tell you 'Tis byut natural jubliation. These are the congratulations

O'er a victory sublime!

2. I should tell you then the story Of a land of wondrous glory, of a land of golden poppies

And a land of golden mines, Of a land of wheat and barley,

Of a land of fruit and vines.

How this land, so fair and beauteous

Land of Nature's choicest gift Lay apart from all the Nation, Far away from mart and market

And the cities of the East, Far away from all the needy

Months its bounty might have filled How its markets were unopened

How its valleys were untilled, Till a man of mighty genious, Till a man of noble courage, Till a man who dared to hazzard,

All that he himself possessed, Said, "This land shall be united

And across from East to West There shall run an iron road-way!

3. "We defy thee, White Sierras! And ye plains of the Nevadas, Barren sweeps of dusty sage-brush, With that awful range beyond With the blue peaks of the Mountains

Looming up beyond the sand The blue peaks of Rocky Mountains

As like sentinels they stand

We defy ye all together! Has not God, the great Creator, Given man the power to conquer? Given man to have dominion

Over all his earth-creation?

And the Mountains heard the challenge; And across the Rocky Mountains, And across the weary desert, And across the white Sierras

As the purpose of this man, Was worked out in high endeavor

Such a Continent to span, He was met with difficulties

4. Nature seemed to raise obstructions To impede the mighty plan.

He must bridge Titanic gorges, He must wind among the Mountains, He must clear the heavy forests; He must bulid a line of snow-sheds Longer than the "New York Central." He must tunnel thro' the Mountains

And the valleys must be filled;

He must slowly cross the desert

Where the emigrants were killed!

But this man of lofty purpose Still expended his endeavors One by one removed obstructions Never turned form difficulties; Step by step he won his vict-ries

Till the task at last was done, Till our land was tied together,

And the nation was made one!