Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-03-28
THE REPUBLICAN.
For the Republican.

u VI VIC 4sCPooiieou.
Bucks CoRsEns, Ind. March 18. '61.
Mr.. MATrNGLY,-Dear Sir: Seeing that
Mr.. Taylor has been writing description
Of this country in its primitive state. and
the first improvements. l am prompted to
send you poem descriptive of my child
hood days. Having lived in this county
for twenty-three years. being bat eighteen
months old when came with my father.
my recollections are all here. IL the poem
is entitled to sufficient merit to be worth q
place in your columns. you are at liberty to
use it: # ta.r,. - slss
MY LDHOOD,S HOURS.
You'd scarce believe should describe
Nv chillhood's happy hours.
Far from the hustle Of the world,
In backwood's lonely bowers.
Ny father moved to the country new
When i was but a child. oii
To try the strife of frontier life.
Aud the scenes Of the forest wild. e
The tall trees then surrounded close IL
Our little house of logs. s.svf efss.ss
And all we found, in the country round,
Were forests. swamps and logs. S
All tho white folks we then knew,
Lived many miles away, -. $
But the Indian came in search Of game.
by US most every day. ~
The playmatcs then often had
Were little red skin boys, - H.e'
And many a day, in merry play. -a
We shared our childish joys
Though children then we did not fear.
When red men, large and stout.
Would come around our little ground.
Our parents not about;
For we were taught that we should live,
And act Christians part.
And the source of love. from God above,
Would melt the Indians heart =
Wild beasts in plenty roamed the woods,
The Wildcat. Lynx and Bear;
The VOLTS fierce howl. the hooting Owl,
Were heard in the forest near.
We lived on food the plaiacst kind.
Corn bread we'd always plenty.
With venison fried and wild fruits dried
Our living was not scanty.
The ru.lc wigwam, with roof Of bark,
And Indian village too. Z
And hunting ground. then all around.
Were most we saw or knew.
The sturdy forest of staunch old oaks.
Their rivals of other kinds.
Stood towering high. up towards the sky,
And yielded not for winds.
The briars and netflcs grew so tall /.
They'd hidea man from sight,
The underwood. so thick it stood,
II would scarce admit the light.
But times since then have sally changed,
And things are different now, 49,
The jungle thick, it vanished quick.
The ground has felt the plow. 8
Our master fate declared his power.
To change the forms of yore. =
The red mans haunt. his low rude shant.
Are seen round here no more.
The settlers came in one by one,
The Indiantravelei west. :
And left the land here to our hand,
That we might all be blest.
Where once there grew the tangled shade
Scarce pierced by sunny rays.
There fields all green may now be seen. s
Where flocks aud herds may Craze.
The forest falls by sturdy stroke,
The woodman will not spare.
And dwellings rise from its supplies,
All DER our country fair.
The ansky Wolf that howled so fierce.
He finds no refuge here. ......-..s
The gentle lamb. or his master man,
Has driven him of through fear.
Where are they now. those red skin boys
That then my childhood knew?
In Ear off lands-but deaths cold hands,
Has left their number few.
SYLvAxUs.