The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-06-24

midst of all my quakiDg,
To hear her talk OF Indians when the guns
began TO roar;
She had seen the burning village, and the
slaughter and the pilIage,
When the Mohawks killed her father with
tier bul,ts through the door.
Then said, /" Now, dear old granny, don't
you fret and worry any,,
For IN soon come back and tell you whether
this is work or play;
There can't be mischief in 1t, so l won't be
gone minute "
For minute then started. / was gone the
live-long day.
No time for bodice-lacing or for looking-glass
grimaciDg;
Down my hair went as 1 hurried, tumbling
halfway to my heels;
God forbid your ever knowing, when there's
blood around her flowing,
How the lonely, helpless daughter of quiet
household feels!
In the street / heard a humping; and /
knew it was the stumping
Ofthe corporal, our old neighbor, on that
wooden leg he wore,
With knot of women round hint was
lucky had found him,
So / followed with the others, and the cor
poral marched before. - -
They were making for the steeple--the old
- soldier and bis people; - $50 -
The pigeons circled round us as we climbed
the creaking stair.
Just across the narrow river-oh, SO close it
made me shiver!
Stood fortress on the hilltop that but YES
terday was bare.
Not slow our eyes to find it; well we knew
who stood behind il,
Though, the earth-work hid them from us,
- and the stubborn walls were dumb;
Here were sister, wife and mother, looking
wild upon each other,
And their lips were white with terror as they
said: "THE HOUR HAS GOMEZ"
The morning slowly wasted, not a morsel
had we tasted,
And our heads were almost splitting with
the cannons' deafening thrill, 49,.
When figure tail and stately round the
rampant strobe sedately;
1t was PRESCOTT, one since told me; he
commanded on the hill.
Every womsn's heart grew bigger when we
saw his manly figure,
With the banyan buckled round it, standing
up so straight and iall;
Like gentleman of leisure who is strolling
out for pleasure,
Through the storm of shells and cannon-shot
ne walked around The wall.
At eleven the streets were swarming, for the
red-costs' ranks were forming;
At noon in marching order they were moving
TO the piers;
How the bayonets cleaned and glistened, as
we looked far down and listened
To the trampling and the drum beat Of the
belted grenadiers.
At length the men have started, with q cheer
Git seemed faint-hearted),
In their scarlet regimentals, with their KNAPP
sacks on their backs, H-r
And the reddening, ripping water, as after
sea-fght's slaughter,
Round the barges gliding onward blushed
like blood along their tracks.
So they crossed to the other border, and again
they formed in order;
And the boats came bark for soldiers, came
for soldiers, soldiers still;
The time seemed everlasting to us women
faint and fasting
At last they're moving, marching, marching
proudly up the hill.
We can see the bright steel CHANGING all along
the lines advancing a-at
Now the front rank fires a volley-theY have
thrown away their shot;
For behind their earthwork lying, all the balls
above them flying,
Our people need not hurry; so they wait and
answer not.
Then the corporal, our old cripple Che would
swear sometimes and tipple)-
He had heard the bullets whistle Tin the old
French war; before
Calls out in words OF jeering, just as if they
all were hearing
And his wooden leg thumps fiercely on the
dusty belfry floor
"Oh! fire away, We villains, and earn King
Georges shillin's,
But yell waite ton of powder before q
-~ 'rebel' falls;
You may bang the dirt and welcome, they're
as safe rs Dan'l Malcolm
Ten foot beneath the gravestone that you've
splintered with your balls!"
In the hush of expectation, in the awe and
trepidation
OF the dread approaching moment, we are
well nigh breaihless all;
Though the rotten bars are failing on the
rickety belfry railing,
We are crowding up against them like the
waves against a wall.
Just glimpse 1.-THE air is clearer; they are
nearer-nearer-nearer,
When a fiash-a curling smOke-wreath-the
cra>h-the steeple shakes
The deadly truce is ended; the tempesrs
shroud is rended;
Like morning mist it gathered, like thun-
der-clOud it breaks!
Oh the sight our eyes discover as the blue
black smoke blows over!
The red-coats stretched in windows as
mower rakes his hay;
Here scarlet heap is lying, there a head
long crowd is flying
Like billow that has broken and is shivered
into spray.
Then we cried, "The troops are routed
They are beat-it can't be doubted!
God be thanked, the fight is over !''-Ah!
the grim old soldiers smile!
Tell us, tell US why you look so?n 1--WE
could hardly speak, we shook SOY
|" Are they beaten? Are they beaten. ARE
they beaten;"-'' Wait while"
oh the trembling and the terror for too soon
we saw our error:s
They are baffled, not defeated; we have driv-
en- them back in vain;
And the columns that were scattered, round
colors that were tattered,
Toward the sullen, silent fortress turn their
beited breasts sgaln. H~ t
All at once, as we are gazing, 10 the roofs of
Charlestown blazing! -ya..
They have fired the harmless village; in an
hour 1t viii be down.
The Lord in heaven confound them, rain his
FIRE and birthstone round them,
The robbing, numbering red-coats, that
would burn q peaceful town! &C
They are marching, stern and solemn; we
can see each massive column
As they near the naked earth-mound with
the slsnting walls so steep. "a
Hsve our soldiers got fainthearted, and in
noiseless haste departed? 4f
Are they panic-struck and helpless? Are
i - they palsied or asleep. - =
Now! the walls they're al most under. scarce
rod the foes asunder.
Not frelocg flashed against them, up the
earthwork they will swarm,
But the words have scarce been spoken, when
the ominous calm Is broken,
And believing crash has emptie5 all the
vengeance ofthe storm. - =
So again, with murderous slaughter, pelted
backwards to the water,
Fly Pigot's running heroes and the frightened
Il braves of Howe; a. A-r
And we shout, At last they're done for, it's
their barges they have run for; $50
They are beaten, beaten, beaten; and the