FAMILY HISTORY: POETRY Collection written by Elsie Strawn ARMSTRONG File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Les Howard Strawn Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ CHAPTER SEVENTH Between my bed and fire The mud was very deep, And there my little son Preferred himself to keep. I would take him by the arms And carry him down there, And strip him off and wash the mud Off his skin and hair. Then take him back to camp And dress him clean and good, But in spite of all my care He would soon be in the mud. At length he did get sick, I was afraid that he would die, And over him lone hours, Most sadly I would cry. At length my sister came And I was very glad, But when she saw my poor sick child She did feel very bad. She pressed him to her bosom And said with flowing tears, "This dear child is very sick, And for him I have my fears." She said, "O, brother Joseph! This child must have some way, Or your precious little son You must bury in the clay." "Oh! Do now be entreated To build a house with speed, Tomorrow you and Mordecai Cut all the logs you need And next day haul them up And go and ask your men, And next day build your house And be living in it then." So the house was built and roofed, And the chimney place was built, And the doorway was cut out, And in that, I hung a quilt. And when they cut the first log From the intended door, Then I began to carry boards And commenced to lay my floor. The boards were green, inch oak, And fourteen feet in length, Each one was my full load And did just take all my strength. Then I could keep my child Out of the mud and rain, And I was glad and thankful When he got well again. At length they took a board And made a good strong door, Then I was not afraid Of snake nor beast nor more. But first I would be thankful That with a house I am blessed, And in it I now feel That I can securely rest. I can lay me down in safety, And go to sleep at night, Without the fear and dread Of being wakened in a fright. The wild turkeys were so tame, They came close to the door, And there picked up the crumbs That I swept from the floor. And we considered then We had better have a pen, Our nice turkeys to save, Such as we should like to have. And so we fixed a pen, And we caught a number of them; He made a door below, Where the turkeys used to go. And when they did walk in, They did not walk out again, When they found they'd gone astray In trying to get away. Run their heads through the cracks And he cut them off with an axe Then we had turkey meat a plenty, Perhaps fifteen or twenty. And when the spring began to break, We made sugar by the cake, And we made stack of cakes, That was very much admired. They carried the water in pails, And in the house I boiled it down, He and his man that made the rails From the trees a standing round. And when they tapped the trees They chopped them all around, For there were in the act Of clearing off the ground. I told them that was right, To chop them deep and well, And then we'd have the sugar Both to keep and to sell. My husband said 'twas "Nonsense To make sugar to sell, If we made what we needed It would be doing well." We worked at it till we made Two hundred pounds and o'er, And then we went to clearing, Or we might have made much more. And still I kept to work A doing what I could, And my boy did often follow me And tumble in the mud. But still I kept to work Without making much blunder, Till I suppose I made About another hundred. And when the British war broke out, Produce did take rise, And all things else according Did bear a higher price. Then I took of my sugar, And conveyed it to the store, In order to exchange it For things I needed more. When twenty-five cents a pound Was the best that I could do, I exchanged for tea and coffee And cups and saucers, too. The coffee, fifty cents, Three dollars was the tea, The cups were seventy-five, And how trade went round you see. And when I lived in camp, Although 'twas but a shed, I received friendly visits From ladies white and red. Among the rest, a chief's wife, Her papoose's eyes did shine, A famous little boy he was, About the size of mine. I gave her a little dress, She put it on her son, And then she took a hearty laugh As though it was good fun. Her son had lots of beads, And of brooches and of rings, She took off and put on my son Some of all those pretty things. And then it was the next year The British war broke out, Then the Indians took to killing, And they murdered all about. Because the British bribed them They killed all that they could, And they murdered Squire Ruffnors, And they did it in cold blood. Then they drove off their cows, And their house they did burn down, And left that large nice family All slaughtered on the ground. They came to the kind family And found them all asleep. And the news of that sad slaughter; Oh! How it made me weep! Next morning Captain Coulter Came riding to our door, And he told the doleful story And he told it o'er and o'er. He said, "Hull's given up the army, And the Indians all turned loose, This frontier must bear the scourge And must suffer their abuse." And the Indians will be on us, And we don't know the hour when, And we ought to be retreating As fast as e'er we can. We invited him to breakfast But he said "twas his design To travel round the neighborhood And let them know the sign. So that they may consider What is best for them to do; And so they met in order And held an interview. They agreed to build a fort Down on the creek below, But my husband said 'twas nonsense, And said he would not go. He said, "They won't come back, If they do, I do not care, They will kill that handful there As quick as us that's here." But he went and got a horse shod And said I might take my child, And get upon horseback And ride three hundred miles. For me to get on horseback With my child upon my back, He was over two years old And a heavy boy at that. I thought it was an even chance For me to live, or die, For I was neither fit To either fight or fly. For in about two months I had my second son, And I was neither fit To either fight or run. That same night my cousin came And brought me some relief, He said, "They won't come back soon, It is my firm belief." "They are now making off And pursuers they do fear, They'll go away and stay away And not be soon back here." So, we were left frontier, And the Indians never come, Though not without some fears, Yet I was best at home.