Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-05-13

To be captain and host in the fortress,
To keep his assailants at bay,
To batu.e hundred of Mingos,
A score of the foench Stay
John Lewis did SO in Augusta,
In days that have long gone away
And will maintain on my honor
That never by poet W stold
A fight half so worthy of mention,
Since those, which the annals OF Old
Record as the wonderful doings
OF knights and of Paladins bold,
Ay, though about Richards or Roands,
Or any such terrible dogs,
Who sere covered with riveted armor
Ofthe pattern of Magog's and Gog's,
while Lewis wore brown lrnsey- woolsey,
And lived in q cabin Of logs.
They had started in arms from Fort Lewis.
One morn IN pursuit of the foe;
They had gone the hour before dawning,
Over hills and through valleys below,
Leaving there, with the children and women
John Lewis, unified to go.
Too weak for the toll OF the travel,
Too old in the fight to have part,
TOO feeble to stalk through the forest,
Yet fierce as q storm in his heart
He chafed that without him the neighbors
Should thus to the battlefield start.
"How well" he exclaimed, ~ remember
When over my threshold there came
A proud and arrogant noble
10 proffer me outrage and shame.
To bring to my household dishonor.
And offer my roof to the dame,-
tI rose up erect in my manhood,
The sword of 10Y fathers drew;
In spite OF his many retaners
That arrogant noble slew,
And then. with revenge fully sated.
Babe home and my country adieu. (oO
"Ah. were I but stronger and younger,
How eager and ready to-day.
I would move with the bravest and boldest,
AS first in the perilous fray;
But now, while the rest do the fighting,
A laggard, with women I stay
TIE women they laughed when they heard him
But one answered kindly and said
"UncIe John, though the days have departed
When our ehiefest your ora ers obeyed,
Yet still, at the name of John Lewis,
| The Mingos grow weak and afraid.
| "Your blockhouse were weak as shelter.
| Were ood-thirsty savages near,
Yet while you are at hand to defend rs,
| Not one of us women would fear,
But laugh at their malice and anger,
Though hundreds of iCeulen were here"
Away to their work went the women
| Some drove Off the cattle to browse;
Some swept from the hearth the cold embers
| Some started to milking the cows,
While Lewis went into the blockiouse,
And said unto Maggie, his spouse-
..Ah, would they but come 20 besiege IRE,
They'd find, though no more on the trail
may move as In earlier manhood
Though thus, in my weakness, rail-
4iaf.tt.- <tealinu rifle,
These fingers OF mine would not fall
III.
John Lewis..ttly vadnt shall be tested,
John Lewis, tiny boast shall be tried;
Two maidens are with thee for shelter
The wife of thy youth by thy side;
And thy foemep pour down like a river
When spring-rains have swollen its tide.
They come from the depths of the forest,
They scatter in rage through The dell,
Five score, led by young Kiskepila; (J)
And leap to their work with YELL
| IIbe tIe SnIlGES VI an vi bGHloHS
Let loose fIom their prison in hell.
Oh, then there was shrieking and wailing
| And praying for mercy in vain;
Through tho sk ulls of the hapless and helples
The Ratchet sank into the brain
And the slayers tore fastly and fiercely
The scaIps from the heads OF The slain.
By the ruthless and blood-thirsty Mingos.
EncDmpassed on every side,
Cut of from escape TO the block house,
No way from pursuers to hide,
With prayer to the Father Almighty,
Unresistiug the innocents died.
John Lewis in torture Of spirit,
Beheld them ply hatchet and knife,
And said-'WereI younger and stronger,
| And fit as of yore for the st.ife,
| Oh had l from uow until sunset,
| The vigor Of tarlier lifer' (c)
",