Sweet Hesper stands and shines,
And shines beneath an arc of golden sky.
Pinked round with pointed pines.
Suggesting glorious themes.
Shaming the idler who would fill the hour
With unsubstantial dreams.
Be mine the dreams prophetic, shadowing forth
The things that yet shall be,
As through this gate the treasures of the north
Flow outward to the sea.
Frances Fuller Victor, "The Historian of the Northwest," was born in Rome, New York, in 1826, came to Oregon in 1865, died in Portland, November 14, 1902, and is buried in Riverview cemetery. She was the author of the following books:
Poems, 1851; Florence Fane Sketches, 1853-65; The River of the West, 1870; All Over Oregon and Washington, 1872; Woman's War Against Whisky, 1874; The New Penelope, 1877; Bancroft History of Oregon, 2 vols. 1886; Bancroft History of Washington, Idaho and Montana; Bancroft History of Nevada, Colorado and Wyoming; Bancroft History of California, vols. 6 and 7; History of Early Indian Wars in Oregon, 1893; Atlantis Arisen; Poems, 1900.
A poet, native to the heath, is Mrs. June MacMillan Ordway of East Portland. The MacMillans are pioneers; and the subject of this notice is the daughter of Capt. J. H. MacMillan, and Tirzah Barton-MacMillan, who crossed the plains to Oregon in 1845. June MacMillan was born near Reedville, in Washington County, ten miles west of the city of Portland. J. H. MacMillan earned his title of "Captain" fighting the Indians after the Whitman massacre; and in later life laid out MacMillan's addition to East Portland, and soon after became president of the North Pacific History Company that issued the quarto history of Oregon and Washington already noticed.
Mrs, Ordway commenced writing verses while yet a girl, and influenced by her pioneer antecedents has written much, illustrative of pioneer life. A single verse from her poem on "Our Honored Pioneer," shows the drift of her thought:
With hopes of men, with women's sobs and tears,
No storms could chill their strong, brave hearts,
Nor e'er their courage dim
Through all the many untold trying years.
Her latest and most impressive composition, is the "Memoriam of Julia Ward Howe"—October 28, 1910.
Now, "her eyes have seen the glory"
Of the heavenly mansions fair.
She who won the hearts of people
Shall find sweet contentment there.
She hath builded well an altar
Of sweet charity and peace,
She who broke the chains asunder
That all wars and strife should cease.
