St. Landry democrat., 1888-07-21
a HEROINE, AFTER ALL.

She had read of heroines far away,
OF wonderful deeds that girls had done,
And wished that she were as brave as they
Who such an amount of praise had won.
There was naught she could do to gain renown,
No chance for commonplace girl like her;
For blizzard never had reached the town,
Nor any thing else that made stir.
She had often read OF Joan of Arc,
And in spirit followed the daring maid.
And wondered if she was scared at the dark,
Or of ghosts and COLLINS had been afraid
When she was child, And was it true
That angels came to her in trance,
And told her exactly what to do
For her honor, and the glory and good Of
France?
And Amy sighed; and she said: 'sTis we'll
That lead an easy and quiet life,
With nothing that's likely to compel
My taking part in such active strife;
For faint away at the sight of blood;
Would mile to avoid COW;
And at thought of the terrors OF fire and food
Am ready to go in Mysteries now. a
ST am only brave in my dreams and then
To accomplish my purpose never fail,
Butrush to the charge with valiant men
And heart that SCOTS at a coat-of-mail.
What plans make! and what deeds dol
King Arthur himself had no grander schemes,
Nor ever more glorious triumphs knew
Than lin my rapturous girlish Dreams
And Amy sprang from her couch with q
scream,
For The flames about her were drawing higher
And seemed at first like horrid dream.
The stairs were ablaze! and below them stood
Her mother-the young babe in her arms
And she looked as only mother could
whose heart was tortured with vague alarms,
She strove to speak but her lips were dumb;
She tried to move-but she could not stir:
Oh, why should horror her strength benumb,
And at this moment SO cripple her?
There-above-in an inner room
Her children slept, while the flames rose
higher;
Naught could avert their fearful doom:
And between her and them was this wall of
firel
Quick as flash did Amy speed
To the bed where nestled each tiny elf;
Strength was given for the hour of need
She had no time to think of herself,
But Selling each, with loving kiss
She hushed their fears, and then hurled them
Over the fiery red abyss
That they were caught by the men below
Then Amy stood at the head of the stair
Alone and palid-but not with fright;
And she looked like an angel standing there
Crowned with q halo of dazzling light
She did not know that they called her name,
Nor heard them shrieking: Jump! Jump this
wayp'
Her gaze was fixed on the lurid fame,
And she knew twas fatal to long delay.
So over the chasm with flying leap
Did Amy go into outstretched hands
That were eager the hungry flames to keep
From leaving their mark on these precious
brands,
Plucked from the burning. And oh, what bliss
To gaze once more on her mothers face,
TO be rewarded with kiss on kiss
When closely held in her fond embraced
From the noisy plaudits she shrank dismayed,
With feeling that her deserts were small;
Twas but an impulse that she obeyed;
Yet she was heroine, after all,
And had learned the lesson, that from above
Is strength impaired for all our needs,
And that even child with heart of love
May astonish the world with it's mighty
deeds
= --Josephtae Pollard, in NJ Y Indsp e7adent.