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/
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          CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  
  My third son had enlisted,
      And went to the fight the foe,
  My oldest had gone on business
      Back to Ohio.
  
  My second and my seventh son
      Took a team and plow,
  And went to breaking prairie,
      Just where they could, and how.
  
  And by breaking up prairie,
      And by following the plow
  They earned some cash and wheat
      And they also earned a cow.
  
  My fourth little son
      Went to the war's seat,
  And with his wagon and oxen
      He hauled them bread and meat.
  
  I suffered much on his account
      Because he was so small,
  But at length he did come home
      With his wagon and oxen and all.
  
  And when the child came home
      He told the cause of his delay,
  For he was gone fifteen days longer
      Than we expected he would stay.
  
  He said the day they got to Dixon,
      One man's team had gone astray, 
  And the wagon master said,
      "This man's load should not delay.
  
  "Can't some of you assist him?
      To take his load along,
  Some of you have teams that
      Are sufficient good and strong?
  
  "I wish some of you would help him?"
      Thus the wagon master spoke,
  Then my little son stepped out,
      And said, "I will spare one yoke."
  
  Then a man among the crowd
      Said, "I will spare another,"
  And so they all moved on,
      As they had done together.
  
  In the evening, near to Dixon
      The wagons moving on,
  The day was spent,
      Just before the setting of the sun.
  
  The foremost wagons in the slough
      Were all a stalking down,
  And doubling of their teams to
      Get across the sloughy ground.
  
  The wagon master saw it,
      And was troubled at the sight,
  To see the teams all stopped
      And the fore one in such a plight.
  
  My son had but two yokes then,
      But they were good and strong,
  All five year olds and active,
      To take his load along.
  
  He said his team stood fifth
      Or sixth away behind,
  When he ran up to the slough
      A crossing place to find.
  
  And as he went he "kept a jumping
      To try the sod," he said,
  "And parting at the grass
      That was high above his head."
  
  And when he got across
      He thought that sod would bear,
  Went back, stepped on his wagons' tongue
      And for that place did steer.
  
  He put his oxen out
      Upon a lively run,
  And the first man got across,
      Was that same little son.
  
  And the wagon master saw it
      And slapped his hand upon his knee,
  And said, "Upon my word!
      You are the man for me!"
  
  The other wagons followed him
      And safely got across,
  And the conduct of my son
      Was commended by his boss.
  
  Then he said, "You must go with me,
      I cannot go without,
  I'm sure it never'll do now
      For you to turn about."
  
  "Come, go with me to Rock Island,
      You shan't have a heavy load,
  For you can show the old men
      How they should take the road."
  
  Then he took him to his mess,
      And would not let him cook,
  And over him he kept
      A kind and friendly look.
  
  He took him to his bed,
      And with himself he slept,
  And thus my little son
      The wagon master kept.
  
  But alas!  That worthy man
      The cholera did seize,
  And in his youth and prime
      He fell with that disease.
  
  When strangers came with pay,
      They could not believe 'twas him,
  Because he was so short,
      And he was so much too thin.
  
  They said to me, "Was not that one
      Or that his older brother?"
  I said, "No, sir, it was that man,
      "Twas him and was no other."
  
  They seemed to look surprised,
      And looked upon each other,
  And still they seemed to think
      It must be an older brother.
  
  Then they took out their paper
      To see what was the name,
  They asked me what I called him
      And I answered to the same.
  
  And when they fell to quizzing him,
      What he knew about the place,
  He squared himself before them and
      Answered with indignant face.
  
  His answer was so pert
      It seemed to please them well,
  For he felt somewhat insulted,
      It was very plain to tell.
  
  Then they took a hearty laugh,
      And agreed with smiling face,
  This man must have been there,
      He has surely seen that place.
  
  Then they counted out his money
      With a very pleasant glee,
  And that money was a benefit
      Both to him and me.
  
  That service was essential,
      Although he was so little,
  It helped to clothe the family,
      And also helped the victual.