The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-09-18
SCRANTON MISSISSIPPI. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 49, 1885,

' sand, braves, remember well the oath ye gave
"That, il no victory, this day, we gain
ion flowing stream, this night, shall be on
grave"
Once more they charge! The fierce war
whoop rings out
Mid clash Of weapons or expiring groan;
And, as they thrust, and cut and slash abou
'Tis music sweet to hear the wounded moan
Unto these foes who strive 50 hard to win.
Now here--now there Olus:es's crest is seen
His cheering words are heard above the din,
While many scalps fall meath his weapon keen
Ah vainly hoping thus to stem the tide
or overwhelming foes they cannot beat,
They struggle bravely 'gainst the other side
And strive to pluck victory from defeat.
A mighty effort, but alas! too late,
For wounded, bleeding and nigh spent for
breath,
The gallant braves rush madly to their fate,
Aud for those left there now remains but death!
And, as the happy moments sped,
Twas vain for me the musir Played
For to all else I was as dead
As if--within dark tomb we're laid:
But this sweet maid!
"Heard you," she asked the murmuring -tide,-
Or the sad story of the woeful day
The noble Pascagoulas died
AS, with loud chants, their spirits passed away ?
| Tt;,
Now,
Almost at its mouth--on the eastern side,-
Near where the Pascagoua joins the Bay
Rising, and ebbing, with the rivers tide,
Snake Bayou winds its sinu0us way.
Between the marshy banks its waters creep,
Slowly its murky course, like some huge snake
Until weary, perchance they seem to sleep
| Upon the bosom of fair Yazoo lakel
Once more the tired fighters cease, and now,
To the Pascagoulas' chief there comes the fact
That. il they mean to keep their sacred VOW
The fateful time has come to promptly act!
And while Ontango's conqnering warriors rest
Beyond the stream that separates the way,
Where lie their foes, they see Olustee's crest
Rise up as II once more to lead the bloody fray!
While on the looked-for charge their thoughts
are hung
Instead, they see a sight both wild and grand
And hear the sounds of victory loudly sung
by all the braves who still before them stand,
They now behold the squaws and children lead;
And with death chants the braves plunge
meath the tide.
When all the wounded, too, from pain are
freed
Then stand alone the lovers, side by side.
"Sweet love! thou needst not diev" Olustce
cries,
"Get quickly hence, I beg, ere 'tis too latew
"And leave thee to thy deathw Mona sighs,
"No, nj! III cling to thee what e'er thy fate!
Far, when on thee my heart l did bestow,
Ny joys, my hopes, my all to-thee gave
To follow thee where e'er thou mayest 60
Or with thee plunge beneath yon wave"
Fen though our bodies die--our sonls live ever
Within the happy hunting grounds above
Where we will live in happiness together,
And drink full deeply Of the JOYS of love!"
One last embrace now tenderly they take
And with triumphant songs reach deaths
dark portal
Then leap!-and all the hopes of earth forsake
And dying thus!-gain life immortal!
Well may We ask: 20! grave, where is thy
victory!"
Der love like this: O! death, where is thy
stngT
Though they be dead--yet do they live in story,
And round these waters still their spirits cling.
Aye, though their faithful souls have passed
away
From earthly wrongs to peace within the skies,
Yet when the blood-red sun sinks meath the
bay
There comes again the echo of their sghs!
So runs the legend ofthe "Murmuring Tide
The story Of the pascagoula braves,
Who, for their homes and chieftain nobly
died.
Where once they 6shed Time marks their
watery graves"
L'ENvoI.
She ceased: II was as in trance
My thoughts, my fancy, sought the day,
Those lovers died, with tender glance;
So bright, it lightened cen deaths darksome
way
Withhopeful ray.
While in that state must have dreamed
This maid and walked side By side
Like them; at length, before US cleaned
A sheet Of water yast-we stood beside
An ocean wide!
And heard from out the waters-way
A voice and 10! there rose dove
With snow-whte plumes, which thus did say: =
"Behold! these waters are the streams Of lovel"
Come from above!
Drink deeply and such Joys as liest
Within the gift Of earth thoult win:
Plunge to its depths, and, though thou diest
Eternal happiness will thence begin
Purged from all sin.
THE END.
Scranton, Miss, September l, 1896.
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