Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-12-23
THE BALLAD OF BREAkNECk.

Ins sun shlnes out on tho mountain crest;
Ear down the valley the shadows fall;
All crimson and gold is the glowing west:
And VIII cling and soaring the eagles call
! The ne sooa ship rides with filling sail;
W. must stem the tide ere the north wind fail;
Inc night and the breeze brook no delay
The young mate fingers upon the strand
near dusky maiden with flushing cheek;
In his broad brown palm he holds her hand
| Anu eager and low are The words they speak
eep not, Nrkama; shall return;
Wait for Inc mere on the mountain side:
when ihe woods in their autumn glory burn,
shall come again to claim my brldr'
Slowly the Indian lifts her head;
Dry is her cheek and clear her eye
| 'Nekama will wait as thou hast said:
The son OF the pale-iace can not lie
SesEl ~ thy sails on the stream below,
Under the shade of the tall pine-tree
When the beeches are gold and the sumachs glow
From the mountain-tOpI ehali watch for thee
The sailors are calling; the broad sails f.p;
from ms neck Dirck lossens his great solt
Filings the cleaning links in Nekama's y Ian.
-, Then Syringe t. the shallop's stem again
The stout ash bends to the rower's will
49,, Ill The small boat reaches the vessels side
When he turns to Nekama, walllns still,
SAD, but calm IN her savage pride.
Sails the ship under high Cro' Nest,
Wearing and tacking in Marivrs' Reach
While Dirck looks back with mans unrest,
. ana Nekama fingers upon The beach.
Fnue the sails to u vague white speck:
Loom the mountains hazy and ta,l:
Dirck watches still from the We sel's deck,
And The girl moves not, though the night-dews 5
Iall.
year has passed, and upon the hills
Scarlet anu russet have faded to brown;
No sound 10 heard but the flowing 1ills;
lie summers voices al c huShe ed and gone
late sad crow on bare beech top
Chws and swlngs in an autumn wind;
ne dead leaves fall, and thv acorn g diop
breaks the stiffness and scares the mind
Wrapped in her blanket Neka,na ct .nds,
Scans the horizon with eager eve
Late lie fingers. She clasps her hands
And sadness dims her wide dark eye
is 1t mist o'er the distant shore?
LOOK how the m sideu'S dusky face
CLOVIS and brlghtens! 4 moment more
An" Inc white speck Changes, and grows apace.
He comes he comes!'' From the wigsams
Gather the braves and squaws again;
1he men are decked with arrow and spear,
And the women OF w2mpum and feathers VAN
fiecEed Is lie river with light canoes
-. Laden with gifts for the welcome guest;
Inc spolls OF the chase let him fre-ly choose:
Iiose 10 the ship are the fruil barks pressed.
Brown and still as a bronze relief.
Shyly Hekuma keeps her place
Behind her iather. the Muh .wk chief
Who. p:umed aud tall, with II painted face,
SraspinS spear In his nervous nand,
Turns and ui;ers his proud demand:
Dirck Brandsen come not; where fingers he?"
'Dirck stays in Holland" the sailors say;
He has weddcda dame Of We tllh anu state.
He sails no mole for many Il day
hou send Us all like hal py fate ~
Dai grows the brow OF tnr anycred sire.
,, Can the hite man lie like Huron knavcP
Inc eyes OF the nai'ien barn like fire,
Out her inein Is steady, her words are brave
+ rom her bosom she drag the great gold chain;
- sei AT the captain = feet il lies;
lake back to the traitor MS gift again:
NekAma has learned how L pale face lie, ~
Proudly she steps to her li.ht ,anoc;
- bends her paddle NJ every stroSe;
ne graceful bark DER the walters flew
y II "ist they woinan's heart had broke
p the mountain Nekama hieS;
:, Stands IN the pine-trce's shade again;
scans the scene with her wide wild eyes;
Moans ike creature in mortal pun
Inc dark clouds crowd round the mountain peak:
laws the crow on the bUuSh o'erhcad;
ne great limbs bend, and the branches crrak-
'Ah, why do live? He is false - she said.
"A shrek is heard through the gathering storm:
"A rushinS figure darkens the air;
out from the cllf springs Il slender form
. Aud the maiden's grief lies bnriei there
lowers the gray cra9 grim and high;
Drips the blood from its rugged side.
Loud and shrill is the eagles call
oer the muttering wash OF the angry tide
But Storm King nois to old Cro' Nest,
"here ihe pine-trses wave and the ioar,e
crows cal,
Though the Mohawk sleeps meath that rocky
While the leaves on hi, ruined ca,.,. fan
To-day on The Hudson sailing by.
l ndrr iEc sh''irw OF Bre.iS nri:k l!;II
We tell the l,g MI, and hetNca sigh.
Where NeSaIla' memory lingcr, still.