Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-08-12

Win NeiVet points, the prairie Oeer
seeks, where the sunbeam's fiercest CLINT,
To smooth his brittle antler's tint"
And toughen hard his horn.
III.
Soon on the broad. smooth prairie green
Hunters and hounds are scattered seen,
And on the wind is borne the sound
OF eager cry from yelping hound.
Upraised was every hat on high,
Fired WAS each hOrseman's kindling eye,
And every riders pulse beat high;
Re-echoing came the stirring cry,
The buck is on the rum
Forced from his MONDAY couch, the deer
Hears the wild huntman's shout with lear,
And bounding forth like arrow fleet,
Spurns the dried grass beneath his feet,
And stretching DER the prairie far,
Seeks safety on the Watteusas.
Then villa the hunters shouted loud,
And hurryiDg comes the excited crowd!
The very plains with thunders shake,
The hounds a noble answer maze
With jogging spur and slAckened rein
The halI0oing rout come on anain.
Who struggling come the TOut 10 lead.
Ga dark bay morse of ChoctAw breed?
No matter, he the ead.hss won
Without the stroke Of spur or gun.
"0D, Choctaw, on" his ringing cry,
Thou need'st no spur, my good horse, fly.
On, and show this Tabole chase
The noble mettle Of thy race"
Thus onward urged, his flying steed
Bounds from the turf with hOof OF speed,
And soon so far he leads the rout
That faint and fainter grows their shout.
Then all alone the Indian horse
And his bold rider mold their course.
Hour after hour, with frightened rein,
The gallant horse held on the strain
The sun poured down his fercest ray,
On went the chase, on went the bay;
His breath comes thick with b. wing sigh,
The green sward swims before his eye,
Nor thought his rider then to stay,
Each bound he nears the painting prey.
And no Y the deer, with heaying side,
Tongue lolling. nostrils stretching wide,
With antlers back on withcrs ialo,
Struggles 70 gain the cooling shade.
One effort MORE and We have won,"
The rider said, and raised bis gun.
Forth leaps a charge of leaden balls,
The prairie monarch dying falls.
Close on the bayou's ssdgy bank
His life blood dyes the osiers rank.
One effort makes 10 raise mis- head,
In vain; it droops, the deer Is dead.
The exhausted hounds have ceased their cry
And painting, watch their victim die.
VI.
But the rider sounds no blithe halloo,
His ruddy cheek has changed its hue;
For, spent with toll, fatigue and heat,
bis horse les dying at his feet,
And all his efforts are in vain
To rouse the dying steed sgiin.
C0nvulsive heayes his toroobtng breast,
The deAtl-damp on his cold lip rests;
Then.rigid gro as each supple limb,
And ceath has glazed his eye-ball dim"
s'Ohl woe for me-" the huntsman saic,
The day my folly doomed thee dead;
The friend 30 true in every breath,
Faithful and kind even unto death,
Could l repay 70 i'll thy worth,
NY dearest friend, my noble horse.
OH bitter gue4don for thy faith,
For constant service, cruel death.
Long will / mourn 70 bitter cost,
Long rue this mornings ~vauntbg boast
That ne'er was morse on Western plain
Could gaIlop by thy slackened rein;
But here, my steed, thou shalt not lie,
1 hear the coyotes gathering cry,
Aud Thy feet limbs, nay murdered steeos
Were never made tue wolves 10 iced.
Too brave thou'st borne me, brave Choctaw,
To feed the hungry Yultures nav
VII.
he ceased; the struggling hunters came,
With boisterOus shout, around the game;
But hushed was every noisy SOUND,
When on their leaders grief profound
They cast their wandering eyes
Then help each saddened kuuislnAn gave
To dig the horse n narrow grave
Close where the waters gently lave
: Ana prairie willow signs.
There sung 10 rest by sad mscaw
On the ooZy banks OF the Nattensas,
sleeps his last sleep-the brave Choctsw,
80 D.iihe at early dawn.
And ne'cr did ncer mount a steed
50 nobly true and good at need,
90 lily guerdoned for his NEED
Or one more sadly mourned-
vISTTA jim