The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-09-07
ON THE BORDER.


Esther. Esther say, where are we ridings
Turn, for your head is not withe- bound like
mine:
The grass Of the prairie seems gliding, green
Away like long serpents beyond the straight
line
The horses hoofs keep; is his head to the west
SEQ but his feet. Oh, listen and hear
The very grass growing. the very air glowing,
For John may be riding hard. hard in our rear
After us after us, swift as the wind is
Over the plains. ies-the children had gone
Away to a neghbor s-the wealth of the Indies
Id give just to know they are safe! They have
drawn .r~,
ing
It's nothing; don't turn, but keep listening,
dear.
Is uaugh, coming after! That horrible laughter =
Is numbing my heart-for you see that fierce old
The chief on the right with the scalps at his
belt
Such look he just gave us! felt the swift cold
All over my body-though icebergs might melt
Beneath this red sun, the sun Of the prairies.
Don't cry, dear, the redskins won't stand it
Ny baby! cried so when poor baby died-oh,
Nosr am glad he is under The sod,
In his green little grave in the garden. The 9th
Had gone to neighbours. Oh, what will John
When he dnds the house empty, NO voice but poor
Poor bedrididen mother-to answer. Oh pray
Pray Esther. pray, we ride, that he may not
Come Coz after dioae in his rage; for if one
One Of us Esther. must die. 1t were best for
The children-oh. yes, dsar-it should not be
John.
But NAV BE- he'll rally the neighbors-I pray it;
They're five. and I'd stake them as easy as not
Gsiust fifty Comsnches! And then, though say
There's no aim like Johns. But, dear heart! I
They'll use us for cover-thsy1 put us between
Tokcep off the bullets bodies for shield
Fen that than their rsvels is better, thought
Yes. devils Of redskins. Twas never revealed
Why God made the Injuns:, wildcat is kinder,
A grizzly more human: Say dear. do you THINK
I'm tied So head downward; it's over the brink
OF red gulf hang-but don't mind me; keep
Those small bits of cloth when the redskins
don't watch
All gone: Then my hair here-keep dropping it
you think on the tall grass its curlsd ends
might catch,
And hang: for John knows it-knows every hair
Poor. dear. old John-how proud did feel
When he said it was pretty! took such good
care of it
After. and now the poor curls may reveal
That we have been here. Can you catch at the
yraSsess
If We could but bend them! The prairies so
The horses leap over broad spaces. They cover
Our track. dear They're steoppng-they We
seen US! they hide
All signs of our passing; their swift crafty fingers
Bend back our bent grasses! oh God! is there
Hope for us hope foru.: How the day lingers!-
s, ems though the sun was unwilling to go,
And leave us here galloping over the prairie
Alone with the devilish Comanches! My heart
l. breaking. dear, breaking IL that the ground
shaking
Behind us. or only my pulsess They start.
They wheel to the SOUTH feel the horse turn
That old chief i. startled-I see him look back
Why. dear. there's life in you yet-you are burn
ing
One look. for Gods sake only one! It's the
track
The track, that's the thing-can they find it, or
keepi
The prairie's so blinding-You them? Whats
On
The left the oak-opening: There4 But the hope
may bring
But swifter death God! were saved-John!
oh John!
--Constancs Fsnin,ors Woolson, in Appleton's
journal for September.