Chronicles of the Cape Fear Rwer Interesting Memories

| *Neath all His shielding egis may you rest
aaa blend “a lily a with the rose’s hue; With life, health, love, and friendship blest
Her flashing eye, in jetty radiance burns, And when from raging summer’s heats :

And almost scorches him on whom it turns. . Impelled again to flee
Forth fly thy arrowy missiles; maid, beware, You grace once more the cool retreats
>

Lest you should pierce the heart you mean to spare. May I be there to see
You may not dream that flickering hopes and fears

On yonder face, so beautiful to view,

Hang trembling on a glance of Addie Meares.
Upon that ample brow, where jeweled thought
Is fashioned and with graceful polish wrought,
O’erhangs an eye of rare intelligence,

Whose lightest glance reveals the solid sense.
Deepest and dark, with grave and pensive ray,
Save when the radiant smiles around it play,
Who does not see through the clear, pure light .
That ever guides the steps of Anna (W)right?
My eager pen, impatient to advance,

Compels me hence to take a hastier glance,
And scatter gems along the glowing line,
More brilliant than adorn Golconda’s mine.
Brown, Rankin, Cowan, Walker, Prioleau,
Shall in one brilliant constellation glow.

I gaze bedazzled, yet delight me still

My modest “Valley” and the favorite “Hill” (Miss Lossie).

But can we, Muse, the starry sphere portray,
By painting separate every golden ray?
Then let my pen this endless task resign,
And bid our stars in blended glory shine.

But hark! from rosy lips there pour along
The echoing walls the mingled streams of song.

Quick to the soul the conquering floods make way
And song and beauty hold divinest sway.

Apollo could but listen, gaze, admire,

And hate, henceforth, his goddess and his lyre.

Oh sacred, cherished spot! to yield thee up

Is gall and wormwood in my parting cup.
Farewell, farewell! May wintry winds

Strain gently on thy braces and thy pins,

May no rude storm unroof thee and expose

Thy naked ribs to their remorseless blows.

May time and whitewash still thy years prolong
To shelter beauty, genius, worth, and song.
Farewell, ye summer pleasures, bright and brief,
That fade and fall before the early leaf;

With summer suns thy leaves again return.

The life that bare you, there may fill an urn.
Farewell, ye warblers, matrons, maidens, all,
Whose forms are wont to grace our festive hall.
Farewell! May Heaven His sweetest peace diffuse

Through each pure breast as sink the gentle dews.

COLONEL JAMES G. BURR.

Col. James G. Burr, one of our oldest and most highly es-
teemed citizens, died November 13, 1898, aged 80 years.

He was born in Wilmington and was prominent in all of its
stirring events. For many years he was cashier of the Bank of
Cape Fear. During the War between the States, he was colonel
of the regiment of Home Guards. After the war he resumed
his profession as a banker. Later, he was assistant postmaster

of Wilmington under O. G. Parsley, Esq., during Cleveland’s
administration.

Colonel Burr, like his brother Talcott, had fine literary at-
tainments, and possessed a discriminating mind, together with
an admirable judgment of men. He was much interested in
local history and was regarded as an authority with reference to
important dates and deeds on the Cape Fear. He wrote with
precision and elegance, and contributed many interesting narra-
tives to the local press over his nom de plume, “Senex.”

Associated all through life with our leading citizens, he knew
them well, and his sketches, valuable for their accuracy, have
served to rescue from oblivion the memory of many whe in
their day, adorned our community. ;

Attracted by mutual interest in the tales and traditions of
Ae Cape Fear, many years before his death we became devoted

riends; and, in recognition of my high regard for him, he
voluntarily made over to me all his manuscripts and publion
ane of which he had a large accumulation. A few weeks be-
ore his last illness, however, he came to my office and confided
to me that he had destroyed all his manuscripts.
sone explained that he had been prevailed upon to republish
: istressing story of the desecration of the Holy Sacrament
Y a party of twelve local debauchees in the early days of the

ston. and that he had been reproached repeatedly that morning
Y Some descendants of those involved in that horrible affair;

that he had then returned home and made a bonfire in his back-
yard of all the manuscripts which he had promised to leave me.