ss And
The Free Is Dedicated This Altar Of The ALAMO.' On the west front:
'Blood of Heroes Hath Stained Me. Let The Stones Of The Alamo
Speak, That Their IMMOLATION Be Not FORGOTTEN.' On the south front:
'Be They Enrolled With LEONIDAS In The Host Of The Mighty Dead.' On
the east front: 'Thermopylae Had Her Messenger Of DEFEAT, But The
ALAMO Had None.'"

After seeing the Alamo and penetrating its historic recesses, I was in
no mood for much further sightseeing. Some of our party drove to a most
interesting Mission on the outskirts of the town, others contented
themselves with a distant view of it from the street cars. The weather
was too hot for much further exertion, and it was with a sense of
restful enjoyment that we reclined in our car "Lucania" as we speeded
westward in the evening hour. We got a charming view of San Antonio, a
mile or so out from the town, glowing in the radiance of the setting
sun, and looking as neat, thriving, and attractive as we found it in
our experience. It seemed to deserve the added splendor of the sunset
glow; and as a light of historic glory, and of a fame which can never
set, we here insert a few striking lines called the "Hymn of the
Alamo."

HYMN OF THE ALAMO

BY CAPTAIN REUBEN M. POTTER, U.S.A.

Rise! man the wall--our clarion's blast
Now sounds the final reveille;
This dawning morn must be the last
Our fated band shall ever see.
To life, but not to hope, farewell;
Your trumpet's clang, and cannon's peal,
And storming shout, and clash of steel
Is ours, but not our country's knell.
Welcome the Spartan's death--
'Tis no despairing strife--
We fall--we die--but our expiring breath
Is Freedom's breath of life.

"Here on this new Thermopylae
Our monument shall tower on high,
And 'Alamo' hereafter be
On bloodier fields the battle cry."
Thus Travis from the rampart cried.
And when his warriors saw the foe
Like whelming billows move below,
At once each dauntless heart replied:
"Welcome the Spartan's death--
'Tis no despairing strife--
We fall--we die--but our expiring breath
Is Freedom's breath of life!"

They come--like autumn leaves they fall,
Yet hordes on hordes they onward rush;
With gory tramp they mount the wall,
Till numbers the defenders crush.
The last was felled--the fight to gain--