The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1903-03-06
PEN AND INK PICTURES OF MY HOYHOOD
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AMI under its rsD are huge Isoss and bins
Fiilei full Of new hay nd graiu;
Mill down in its garn-r- is corn and wheat
stored safe from The snow and the rain.
But whit matters storms TO the husba ndman
He smiles At the wntry blast
Sinrs Col has promised to him whosnws
That spring me and harvest shall last.
II Is only such farrner- can safely dare
The Storm King in all his might.
As he trusts in heaven and follows the p!ow
With heart that Is honest and right.
See down In yon meadow waving
In the breeze Of the early morn,
ID the latest crop Of the 'aspn,
The golden ani yellow corn
II stands like a free & II frosn heaven
safeguard from hunger and woe;
A promise aud pledge a dear 10 lis all
As the pledge Of the bright rainbow.
Bu, en- ugh of this-I must leave the farm.
With ha'f "f its gifts unnamed:
Tor the Cumberland valley is wide and grand,
And much Of lis surface is famed.
II Is famed for more than the eye can see,
Ats glance from this In 3untAin brow;
But We learn 1t BY turning 10 hist0ry's page,
Which makes the forever
Twi1t the living and the dead
It's an ocsan that wastes not al its brink,
Nor leaks in its hidden bed.
But II holds the past In an iron grasp,
And gathers the future in: =
Its i"od is the honey and milk Of truth,
Tie stftn wood and gall Of sin.
II teaches the Monarch that crowns are vain.
And that all mankind are but dust:
II teaches the Nations that pride must fall,
Aud that God In his wisdom is just
II teaches the SluSsari that honest toll,
Is the omly safe read to fep0se:
And that virtue and labor alone can make,
The WILDERNESS bloom like the rose.
Yes, hi.;ory's pages are treasures vast.
Thank God for the precious gem;
And aid lis in keeping our future Alright,
BY the lessons we learn from Them
lis in history rad OF the deeds of
lar back through times misty irsi;
lis there that gather in part, these facts.
In my tales Of the Cumberland vale
'Ta there that we read ofa warrior brave.
Who Ion. to his rest has gone;
But he marched this way with his army once,
That warrior was-washinYton-
And again IL tells OF that patriot band,
Far back In the long ago:
Who white red here In their Journey drear
To drive back the Indian Toe.
Twas At SbippensburS. in that gloomy year,
OF seventeen fifty-four
That sni Braddock wiutered his men
Hall naked. and sick, and sore.
Aad there sh-y suffered for four cold months.
Ere they marched to that fatal S'es;
Whefe the savage foe hid in ambush low
Killed Braddoek and half his men.
Brave Brsddock "A hero. but still too proud.
Z To harken 70 Washingtou's prayer;
OF 20 use discretion and thus avoid
Jhe Frcnchman's and Indians snare.
Bqd marched on In Column without . scout.
q fpseae< 70 clear the vas.
Straight into the very jaws Of death,
Where the aAbushsd Indians lay.
Then sudden and swim ss the lightning dash.
thousand oresd bullets sped;
Richt into the ranks OF that patfiot band,
Until more than the half lay dead.
AGaiA and again. frun each rock and tree,
r-S;;i Tans ,h: dsrlh s; dealing mss.snssr,
save the brave. Colonel Washington.
Five bullets riddied his coat and vest,
T~A hprne< hRpRaf nh him iied.
But he mounted again aud fought as II he
Wose the Battle Gods" charm At his side.
He rallied the liviu. and cut through the foe,
With the few men he still found zlIve;
Thus ended that carnage OF JuIy the ninth.
In sevrntsxn- -efy five.
And assin-far hack through the cloudy mist,
OF one hundred and eighty years;
Come tales OF blood with the frcasier men,
And terror and bliuding leArs-
Cold horror.. that ,srn,sh the gloomy past.
OF the beautiful Cumberland vale;
Dark days when Its soii was Ayed With blood.
And the Red Man" was on the Tail.
4 time whom the hatehst and scalpiug knife.
Struck terror to friend and foe;
And the wishering glare Of the burning torch,
Filled the hight with Its deamoA glow.
'fwaSa time when the valley WAS forest dense,
The frontier town OF all the vale,
The cnvied Eeighbor OF none.
Twas when forts Morris and franklin" gave
refuge frum death and shame:
To frirhlrned mothers and helpless babes,
=, The aged. the sick and the lame.
" ho came when the war whoop flsd the vale,
And sought for protection there;
White brave men stood ut the outer walls.
And guarded with jealous care.
Dark days were those-when the axe And gun.
While the hsif-grown boy and house dog kept
Ciosc watch for Approaching harm.
Here whore stand on the mountain brow.
stood the saysEc with piercing eys
And watched for his victims As eagles watch.
Sad, sad indeed. was the white mans fate.
Who fell in the rcd mans grasp;
lie had no escape from torture and pain,
Till released by death = cold clasp.
Such gloomy scenes marked the early days,
OF this blood-bought Cumberland vale;
But darker, bloodisr deeds than these.
Will follow in their trail.
The schoolday scenes of those early yean,
Away from the forts and town:
Were flil Of danger and often death.
Brown taught schvol in the valley then.
In Seventeen sixty-four,
When he and hts scholars all were killed.
And scalpsd on the schcol-house floor.
Al another tme-in the harvest field,
4 number of men were slain;
While opictly reaping and binding up,
The useini and needed grain
This ac, occurred Just east Of the town.
Not quite two miles from the Fort:
So near. It Is said, the guards could hear.
Tue war-whoops, and rifles report,
But such acts made heroes In carly year,
OF many noble boy,
Whose place of birth was shippensbury.
Aud the ride his only toy
Who has not read OF the Brady boys
Captain Samuel, and General Hugh;
Who many u daring deco crformed,
And many an Indian slew.
Or Of Brady's leap Of twenty three feet,
Over the deep. swim hood;
When runninE for life from the Indian chief,
Whose mission was death and blood.
Or Of Brady lake-where he had to take
His chances Of life. or Of death;
BY sinking himself and using reed,
Through which to draw his breath.
One hundred and forty eight years ago,
In ehippcusbure--Bradyw WAS born;
Still his name. his bravery and his hme,
shines bright - . summer morn.
He sleeps In the grave Of . frontier scout,
Who never knew auEht OF fear,
And well might the PsnnSylvAnia sons,
Amonument over him rear.
But Cumberland valley gave bad men too,
As well As its noble and brave:
an speAkiuE OF Lewis the robber'' now
That knight Of tho roxd and cAve.
From eighteen ten. up to eighteen e irhtecep,
This daring htehwayman and band:
were lords ii this mo0ntain and valley,
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