Glass JE£^6~a. Book_.-Ki:ill. COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT Blades q' Bluegrass CHOICE SELECTIONS OE KENTUCKY POETRY, BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES AND PORTRAITS OE AUTHORS.^^ CO/APILED BY ^ AVrs. Tannic Porter Dickey S^ s~^ LOUISVILLE dOHN p. A\ORTON & COMPANY 1892 -I r Copyright by MRS. FANNIE PORTER DICKEY. 1892 Ji~ d;;f/3 \ TO Colonel H, S;. Durrett, For his love of Literature, his pride in the preservation of Kentucky History, and the service he has rendered the State in these things, this Volume is dedi- cated with the highest respect and esteem of the Compiler. PRErACE. This volume is offered as a miniature representation of Kentucky verse for the one hundred years that it has been a State. The whole field of poetry has been traversed from the pioneer days to the present time, and an effort made to have every known poet of merit represented. Besides selections made from published books, there are also many fugitive verses that never went beyond the " Poet's Corner" in a newspaper, while some are here in print for the first time. That such a book has been made is due to the courtesy and promptness with which tiie living writers have responded, and to the friends of literature throughout the State who have assisted and encouraged the work, and it is hoped that the collection mirrors a variety of sentiment that will touch a heart in every household and leave a pleasing influence. Thanks are due The Century Company, Belford's Maga- zine, The Round-Table, and Detroit Free Press for privilege of poems. F. P. D. CONTENTS. PAGE *AiNsi.iE, Hew, 299 The Ingleside, 281 Ai,i,EN, James Lane, Lexington, 299 Beneath the Veil, 254 In Looking on the Happ)'^ Autumn Fields, 276 Ai,i,MOND, Marcus B., Louisville, 299 A Consolation, .- 77 A Sabbath in Autumn 83 Ai,i,GOOD, Joseph, Louisville, 300 Uncle Pete's Plea, 169 *AsHTON, Eugene, The Dead Past, 54 Duty, 35 Bangs, S. K., Louisville, The Old Church Bell, 74 *Barrick, J. R 300 The Beautiful, . . 268 *Betts, Mary E., 301 A Kentuckian Kneels to None but God, 94 Boi