Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-12-24

In a far away time, e'er the stormy Atlantic
Had waited the pale-face this peasant land
When the great Megaloniz, and Mammoth gigantic,
Roamei free In the forest, and slept the strand.
Mid the hills Of the Northand a region enchanted
Lay where the Missouri and Great River meet;
And the bright Illinois by a Horror was haunted,
Til the hsughtiest red man bowed low at its feet.
Like some mighty Cormorant,-some giant Condor,
From the far "outer darkness" It fed this shore,
And the hearted chefans ia and wonder,
GaSed after this CHASTITY and grim "bird Of yore."
In the fash Of the lightning his eye was reflected;
In rapine and ravage he buried his beak;
In his hu' ger for blood the ghou-sou detected
And the lost splits echoed his death-teng shrek.
In the mis-shrouded elf was his terrible dwelling
Where the wild waste Of necessarily rave;
And cen when above it the midnight kne1ing
The Piasas shadow fell dark on the wave.
The wind-fallen wood-kings about it lying;
Crushed down when the rushing tornado 10 ire
Struck his hoofs on their corOnaIs- furiously flying
With his trumpets Of thunder, AMI banners of fire.
On the lone blasted cedar the Piasa swayirg
Glanced over the valley he shrouded in woe,
And he laughed to himself seeming grimly surveying
The mad waste Of white wrishing below.
He dips his black pumes in the dash Of the spray,
And sweep, from pnon the red stains Of sla lighter
Where the sarth-quaking cataract foams on its way.
When the tempest rides up the clouds Of the Even,
He it afar in the wind-rocking dome,
DOwnplunging at speed with the deepstr king levin,
Or resting his wing in the thuoderer's home
Like pirates black flag in the hurricane swaying,
His piunsge Of sable ceavi, the sky;
In his sport with the mad fends OF ghtaing displaying
His stOrm-poughng PiniOn, and san-mOcking eye.
Then up hro' the coud-rack his raven pumes tighten
As afar thro' clear ether he them abroad,
As the dark wings Of Ebis in lustre brighten
when nearing his lost home-the preseece Of God
The brave Illinois oft had dared him to battle,
But their nint-headed fell harmless hail
When the white, tiny ice-drops bat culver and rattle
Ger castings Of iron and patings Of mail.
The cold crashing Ratchet and point poisoned lances,
Struck OF from his piniOn water-drops glide
From the breast Of the when the blue ake!e dances
About her white bosom, and soft swelling side.
Like a demon the Garagay wasted the nations
Their chieans their children swept from the pair
The peOpe grew madde ed With wrongs and Impotence
And prayed for saYiour,-yet prayed they in vain.
Their Day had gone down like pale captive, dropping
To the red fires Of sunset and died in their glow
Aud the shadows on, the night-WolVes CONS
troopirg
With a ong-hurgered gailOp DER deserts Of snow.
Lone, lone wa, the Night in each DsA h-saguered viii
lsge,
No shelter awaited them for each passing day,
The monster swept down his srrAnd Of pillage,
And his saons were bathed In the hood Of his prey.
Their garands Of joy into ashes had withered,
The maidens silent in deepest despair
Dark dreams DER the the bravest had gathered
And their last hope Of succOr had died on the air.
The mother In agony cursed her existence
When cen solacs no funeral train
Bore forth her lost treasureshe caves IA the dslSnc
Had hid her dead children mid heaps Of the slain.
The sire with misfortune and anguish had striven
TIL life was AH darkaess,-no hope and no trust,
HIS dim eye weAred with turning TO Heaven,
His scared heart was fearless, and turning to dust.
The wall Of the people rose wildered and dreary,
Deep grief woke the saddest Of sOu-symphoniesi
Oh well may the strain be a Wild Mi ersre
When Death is the player, and Aoarts are the keysl
As the sunsOd looks forth when the Orient Is burning.
And aushes the great clouds about his career;
20 the polu NhAoka run -iabH iet@fAhtf
Cried, "ROuss ys from sluuber, men, why do ys fear
His ,rn rose Alon IKE The piIl'rcd palmetto,
His 1.-THE limbs were plant and polished as steel,
ais frame bore the brand Of 40 fostering fetteF,
His soul bore thought which he dared not reveal
Ca wAr-pAths a wArrisr waschtal and wary
His feet foos had measured the Great Rivers source
Add he sni Ire q statue the fieed q the prairie,
when dAshing along in his turbulent course.
when svnyins and surg'ng the hre-aead vas psuriss
Abroad Ger the prairie ocean q nsns,
He leAped where the red-bAElng barrier roaring
The seed and the aame-wressh 70 him were the same
The hiis % the Sor,hlaad q warrisr drawer,
Meier called 70 the eOuno, sent to The STRIFE,
Ills great deeds had won hn the Great spirits hvor,
Aud no cane, for his people 10 peril hi lie
For the space Of moon IN the forest he tasted,
Up the arches o. midnight resoanded bis prayer,
That the Easter Of Life On his people 80 wasted
Would Ieot dSwn in pity, and make thsm his care.
Ca the last fearful nish Of ta vsieh 10 The forest
TAs Great spirt spoke 20 the Chief In the wind,
Revealing bis suecoF when Hssd she soresi,
ARa sAyiag, Go, thea, Al,Ao' they have sinnsd
Then forth to Als tribe. bearing Light On his ysass,
slro4s the bFavs 0sAtosas-rslatsng The tale
nid their lead aoel.nAtlons, ana mAsy presass
OF giory 10 bin uho vas knQ1n us'sf % fAiI.
Thea tveuty tried warriors Ne sszshiWuy selected.
Zach bearing white suoss uith riamss tufsse DER;
fsach wsspan Che Master q Life hAa dirertaA)
10 rl.es them 10 amtash Tor this ~hlrd u yere."
II sserei and slisnes BIS had sAsn ~ saasssrs
Hheu vins-aFeaths esrl upsHrd HE emerald spsay,
TAsr alBts ready pointed Tire thisk ivy CLUSTERS
- plsscs hin the uoaeui be pouneel On Ma prry.
fhsa brave 0Waioxa steed s0gth - shs vic,im.
81 true 10 she eoapoil, "a hsttls 90 tFisis-
Is peopis IN vain wpald have rushed 10 protect hs-
Ne warned thra q danrrF, hss Wayea fAsm aaas.
fhen drawing ~ form d A. ionissi stature.
as hfsathsl q tst elsAty iownafmnrsf prayer.
whns = rallapi hfilIlansf aflgAieapi each lszulFe
Thea lsoa1l, b. dsssh ssnH arose ~ fhe aH,