Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-02-14

They had started in arms from Fort Lewis,
One morn in pursuit of the foe;
They had gone at the hour before
dawning,
Over hills and through valleys below.
Leaving there, with the children and
women,
John Lewis, untitled 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 storm in his heart
He chafed that without him his neighbors
Should thus to the battlefield start.
"How well, "he exclaimed, "Iremember,
When over my threshold there came
A proud and an arrogant noble
To proffer me outrage and shame,
To bring to my household dishonor,
And offer my roof to the fame
81 rose up erect in my manhood,
The sword of my fathers l drew;
In spite of his many retainers
That arrogant noble l slew,
And then, with revenge fully sated,
Bade home and my country adieu. (a)
"Ah, were but stronger and younger,
How eager and ready to-day,
would move with the bravest and
boldest,
GAS first in the perilous fray;
But now, while the rest do the fighting.
A laggard, with women, l stay
The women they laughed when they
heard him.
But one answered kindly and said
"Uncle John, though the days have
departed,
When our chiefest your orders obeyed,
Yet still, at the name of John Lewis,
The Mingos grow weak and afraid
''Yon blockhouse were weak as shelter,
Were bloodthirsty savages near,
Yet while you are at hand to defend us,
kNot one of us women would fear,
But laugh at their malice and anger,
Though hundreds of foemen 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 blockhouse,
And said unto Maggie, his Spouse =
"Ah, would they but come to besiege me,
They'd find, though no more on the trail
may move as in earlier manhood
Though thus, in my weakness, rail-
That to handle the death-dealing rifle,
These fingers of mine would not fail. :"
John Lewis, thy vaunt shall be tested,
John Lewis, thy boast shall be tried;
Two maidens are with thee for shelter,
The wife of thy youth by thy side;
And thy foemen pour down like 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; (b)
And leap to their work with yell,
Like the shrieks of an army of demons,
Let loose from their prison in hell.
Oh, then there was shrieking and wailng
And praying for mercy in vain;
Through the skulls of the hapless and
helpless
The hatchet sank into the brain;
And the slayers tore fastly and fiercely
The scalps from the heads of the slain.
By the ruthless and dbloodthirsty Mingos,
Encompassed on every side,
Cut off from escape to the blockhouse,
No way from pursuers to hide,
With prayer to the Father Almighty,
Unresisting, the innocents died,
John Lewis in torture of spirit,
Beheld them ply hatchet and knife,
And said: ''Were younger and stronger,
And fit as of yore for the strife!
Oh, had from now until sunset,
The vigor of earlier life!' (c)
w.
| OhooSSO Will AOIIOL diu CdIuoSS,
Their arms all bedabbled with gore
The foemen with purpose determined
Assembled the blockhouse before,
And their leader exclaimed, "Hol Johl
Lewis!
The Mingos are here at the door.
'"The mystery-men of our nation,
Declare that the blood you have shed
Has fallen so fastly and freely
The white clover flowers have grown rel
And that never will safety be with us
Till you are prisoner or dead. I'D
$50 keep us not waiting. old panther
Come forth from your log bounded liar
If in quiet you choose to surrender,
Your life at the least we will spare
But refuse and the scalp;ng- knife bloody
Shall circle ere long in your hair
"Cowards ALL" answered Lewis; "noN
mark lne.