" I AM DYING, EGYPT, DYING."

Otago Witness, Issue 1427, 29 March 1879, Page 24

" I AM DYING, EGYPT, DYING."

A gentleman acquainted with. Col. Eealf, and an ardent admirer of bis poetry, relates a story told by him when the two spent the night in conversation, criticisms and recollections, so dear to men of his kind, over a cosy fire and warm decoctions. He spoke of the night before the battle at which General W. 8. Lytle fell. The two (Realf and Lytle) lay together in tho General's tent. They were both given to writing poetry at guch times, and each had au unfiuished poom

on hand, and they read and criticised each other's efforts humourously for some time, when Lytle said : "Realf, I shall never live to finish that poem." ".Nonsense," said I, "you will live to write volumes of such stuff." " A feeling has suddenly come over me," continued the General, solemnly, " which ia more startling than a prophecy, that I Bhall be killed in to-morrow's fight. As I spoke to you I saw the green hills of the Ohio as if I stood among them. They began to recede from me in a weird way, and as they disappeared the conviction flashed through me like the lightning's shock that I would never see them again " I rallied him for his superstition, but the belief .had become strangely impressed upon his mind, and!, he succeeded in so far thrilling me with his own unnatural fear that I bagged him to finish his poem before he slept, that such fine work might not be lost to the world. In the small hours the General awakened me from a slumber into which I had fallen, to read to me that beautiful poem which must live as long as our literature survives, beginning '\ I am dying", E^ypfc. I am dying Ebbs tho trimaou lifc-biood vat." My eyes filled with tears aa he read. He said not a word as he concluded, but placed the manuscript in his pocket and lay down to' sleep. Before "dawn. came the call to arms. When I next saw poor Lytle he was cold in death 'among heap 3of slain. I thought. -of the poem, and, searching the pd,cke't where I had seen him put it," drew it forth, and it was forwarded, among other things, to his friends. — Pittsburg Leader.