The St. Johns herald., 1885-10-15
Frontier Ballad.

want free life and want fresh air. And sigh for the canter after the cattle, The crack of the whips like shots ID battle The melee of horns, and hoofs and heads That wars and wrangles. scatters and spreads; The green beneath and the blue above, And dash and danger. and life and love
 And LaScai Lasca used to ride With blue serape and bright-kelied spur; I laughed with joy as looked at her! Little knew she of DOOks or creeds; An Ave Maria sufliced her needs; Little she cared save to be by my side, To ride with me. and ever to ride, From San SabGs shore to Lavaeas s tloe. She was as bold as the pillows that peat, She was as w.li as the breezes that blow; From her little head to her little feet She was swayed, in her suppleness. to and fro By each gust of passiont q sapling pine, That grows on the edge Of Kansas Oiun, And Iars with the wind when the weather is
 rough,
 She Nc.sid munger that might eat. tiauia f4Ee tnc bitter and leave me the sweet; J;us once. xhen made her jealous for iuE, At something Id whispered, or looked or done, Oae Son6 ay, in san Antonio, T0 e glorious girl OH the AiAno, she drew from her garter dear little dagger, And-sting of a wasp-4I made me StaSSer! An inch tO the Jeff or inch to the right, and wouidn be maIndering here tonight; But she sobbed, and, sobbing, SC swiftly bound Her torn rebosO about the wound, That quite fOrgaye her. scratches don't count
 In Texas, down by the Rio Grande.
 Her eye was brown--a deep. deep brown Her nalr was GAfAcF tla1 Ael And something lB hsT sIl.ie and roWn, CGried crimson lip, and inSteP high showed that there ran in each Diile vein, Mixed with the miioer Aztec strain, The vigorous vintage oi old Spain
 The air was heavy, the nlgEt "aS hot, l sat by her side, and fOrgoG--t0rgot; Forgot Inc he rd that were taking their rest; Forgot that the air was close Opprest, That the Texas mortimer comes sudden and soon, Tn the dead OI night or the blaze or noon; That once let the nerd at lts breath take fright fI,s ~fi iIf.a Sffl hG And woe tO the rider, and woe to the steed, Who falls in front of their mad stampede
 Was that thunder? No, by the Lord! I spring to my saddle without word. One foot on mine, and she clung behind. Away on n hot chase down the wind! But never was fox-hunt half so hard, And never was steed so little spared, For we TO for our lives. You shall hear how we
 fared
 In Texas down by the Rio Grande.
 The mustang flew, and We urged him on; There is one chance left, and you have but one; Get behind his carcass, and take your chance; And if the steers in heir frantic urse, Don't batter you both to pieces at once, You may thank yOur stars; if not, goodbye To the quickening kiss, thg long-drawn sigh, And the open air and the open sky,
 In Texas, down by the Rlo Grande.
 The cattle gained on us-just ss felt For my siK-shooter behind m my belt. Down came the mustang, and down came we, Clinging together, and-what was the rest A body at spread itself on my breast, Two arms that shielded my dizzy head. Two lips that hard on my lips were pressed; Then came thunder in my ears As over us surged the sea ot steers, Blows that beat blood into my eyes, And when could rise
 Lasca was dead!
 gOuged out a grave few feet deep, And there in earth's arms laid her to sleep; And there she is lying, and no one knows, And the summer shines and the winter snows; For many day he flowers have spread A pail of petals over her head; And the little gray hawk hangs aloft in the air, And the sly coyote trots here and there, And the black snake glides glitters aud slides Into the rift in a cottonwood tree And the buZzard sails on, And comes and is gone,
 Stately and still, like ship at sea; And wonder why do not care For the things hat are like the things that were. Does half my heart lie buried there
 In Texas down by the Rio Grande.