The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-10
MOKE-TA-vA-TA,
BY SHENANDOAH.
THE MARTYRED CHIEFTAIN.
EDrCTUM ExTERM1NATUM.

mination, men, women and children. Nothing
less will reach the root of this case; W u T.
Sherman, Lieutenant General u o. a., "
General u S. Grant, December @S, looo'
A sound of war is on the western wind,
The sun, with fiery flame, sweeps down the
Athyayrit his breast the crimson shadows fly
OF fearless forms no ictters eer can bind.
The eagle plunges from his mountain nest,
And screaming, scars above the distant plain,
Plucking his plumes without pang of pain,
Though stained with blood from his own beat
ing breast.
The hunter seeks the heated herd no more,
The war-brd's pinions deck his dauntless head,
The antelope, with ileetest feet, has fled
From woodland cOpse and streams enticing
shore.
The moving purpose of mighty mind,
Resistless as swift death, a race now claims,
Wrestling its weapons from their wonted aims,
Leaving pale fear and famine far behind.
Moke-ta-va-ta, thy form appears again,
Thy spirit to its hunting-grounds hath risen;
Thy body bursting from its wintry prison,
Blossoms in blood red flowers on the plain.
Thy voice makes eloquent the vital air,
thy splendid image fills the days clear eye;
Thy people, hearing SEEING swiftly fly,
Like war-birds flocking, thronging everywhere
VII.
In thy sad fate their own is prophesied
They strike to cleave in twain the burning
Fastened upon them by reckless hand,
Enclosing, crushing till they all had died.
VIII.
The edict under which thou hast been slain
Hath been the nations crime, latest and first,
By which our eldest brother was accursed,
Yet we unbushing bear the brand of Cain.
What crimes were thine, of what dread deeds
accused?
Vert thou foe to freedom or thy kind?
Spoke thou with double tongue or faithless
mind,
That thus thou vert betrayed, reviled, abused?
No! From great natures paths thou freely came,
Leading thy people to the nations feet,
And when the two in conflict e'er did meet,
Thine was the honor, ours the sin and shame.
XI.
Thy words were wisdoms essence, and were
spoke
With guileless spirit and with single tongue.
No falsehood's venomed arrows meath them
cung
No trust was e'er betrayed, no promise broke;
The stranger sought thy tepa not in vain,
Thou gavest him clothing, rest and food and
Whater could fill his heart or minds desire,
Fen though the giving brought thy bosom pain.
XIII.
Nature revealed in thee her perfect art
Thy truth and valor all might emulate:
Thy potent power true homage to create,
Thy magnanimity of mind and heart.
XIV.
Even thy foes could win thee by their faith,
Between them and the vengeance of thy kin
Thou oft has stood: though there's the damned
sin
OF thy betrayal, thine the martyrs death.
Thrice camest thou with offerings of love,
Pledging thy people, with the pipe of peace,
That nor thy warrior nor thy increase
Against the Government in war would move.
XVI.
Once when the nations banner DER thee waved,
Thy,vilage rested meath its promised care,
The bastard coward struck thee unaware:
Only by courage were thy people saved.
XVII.
Thy brothers blood beneath thine eye did flow
The fire-arrows had stung thy faithful wife,
Yet thou didst fly to save the strangers life
II think you spies, do not know it, go"
YvIII.
Again the laundering hand of power destroyed
THY stock and substance, and thy tepas burned
The tardy recompense thy spirit spurned-
Remembrance of a wrong thou wouldst avoid.
XIX.
When thy young men the war-birds plumc
would wear,
To vindicate thy right, avenge thy wrong,
Thy voice uplifted this persuasion strong
SThc antelope can never fight the bear
Xxx.
And when the batte-cry was well begun,
And all thy influence for peace was past
From thy proud form the chiettains robe
were cast,
And thou didst sadly seek the setting sun,
XXI.
Followed by her whose faithful, willing feet
Companioned all thy weary wanderngs;
Camping, with thy small band, near the cleal
springs
From which the antelope doth drink the life
full tide,
All then the latest and the foulest wrong
Came upon thee, without warning word,
Thee and thine stricken, like hunted herd,
By that false power which makes the mighty
strong
And thou vert slain. Whoever dared to trace
His name upon the order for thy death
Will wear the sting until his latest breath,
And bind the curse of Cain upon his race.
XIV.
Six times the waning, weary moon hath turned
Her forehead from the heart-sick earth ava.
Pining because of justice long delay,
Since thou Voishta, hath captive yearned
XIV.
For some avengng hand, some voice froi
heaven,
To strike with serpent sting this nation sstron9