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 TWENTIETH
  
  Stories of animals are entertaining; I thought I would tell my little friends 
  about the animals and game that were here over thirty years ago.
  
  Over thirty years ago,
      Soon after we came here,
  We were told some time before,
      The winter was severe.
  
  There fell a tremendous snow,
      It was some years ago,
  And it covered up and froze to death
      Whole herds of buffalo.
  
  From appearances they chose
      Low ground for to lie down,
  To screen them from the wind,
      But snow drifted round.
  
  And covered them so deep,
      And the crust became so stout,
  That these strong wild animals
      Never could get out.
  
  I have seen perhaps half acres    
      With their bones all looking white,
  Especially at a distance,
      When first I came into sight.
  
  And the wolves no doubt carried
      Lots of their bones away,
  For they were very plenty
      In this country at that day.
  
  My children killed fourteen
      The first winter we came here,
  They rode on them and stamped them
      Without mercy, dread or fear.
  
  We had two large fine horses,
      That seemed to like the fun,
  As soon as they were bridled
      And their riders mounted on.
  
  Away off after a wolf they'd go,
      As fast as they could run,
  And I watched them with anxiety,
      As they were going on.
  
  The first that overtook it
      Would spring upon its back,
  The other following after
      And round about they'd tack.
  
  And so they kept a stamping it
      As fast as they could go,
  Till they thought that it was well killed,
      And the riders would say, "Whoa."
  
  The wolves were often sneaking round
      To catch a pig or hen,
  If the boys and horses were handy,
      A chase they'd give them then.
  
  I have seen them at their breakfast,
      And suddenly leave the table,
  And in the shortest order
      Take the horses from the stable.
  
  And away and kill a wolf,
      And come back in finest glee,
  And sit down and finish breakfast
      As pleased as boys could be.
  
  And they made a wolf trap,
      It was a sort of pen,
  They baited it with meat
      And they caught some in it then.
  
  They caught the large sized timber wolf,
      Both the black and gray,
  For there were all kinds of wolves
      In this country at that day.
  
  The deer were rather plenty,
      And turkeys by the score,
  But not so very plenty
      As in Ohio long before.
  
  There were lots of prairie chickens,
      And different kinds of fish,
  The wild geese and the ducks
      Oft made us a good dish.
  
  Son Washington called me
      Soon after we came here,
  "Come, Mother, to the door
      And see our flock of deer."
  
  When the children were collected,
      And talking rather loud,
  They raised their milk-white tails
      And loped away so proud.
  
  Some wore large horns with many prongs,
      Looked dignified and bold,
  No doubt but some of them
      Were ten or twelve years old.
  
  The bears were rather scarce,
      I heard of only two,
  The panther and the wild cat
      Of them, there were a few.
  
  My children killed a catamount
      The first winter we came here,
  And beautiful it was indeed,
      And it the dog did fear.
  
  My children saw and treed it
      And William shot it down,
  And brought it in the house and
      In its head, the bullet found.
  
  I could not describe its color,
      It was neither black nor white,
  Neither red nor yellow,
      But it was sleek and bright.
  
  It partook of all those colors,
      And perhaps of many more,
  An extra animal it was,
      A handsome coat it wore.
  
  Its coat was of the finest fur,
      It looked so grand and gay,
  It was so soft and beautiful,
      Seemed dressed in rich array.
  
  Large as a good-sized dog,
      But longer, round and fat,
  Its ears and head and tail
      Resembled much the cat.
  
  Its teeth were large and hooked,
      And tapered flat and then
  Its claws were long and crooked
      And sharp, seemed as a pin.
  
  Its eyes were round and bright,
      And of a large size,
  Resembled most the human's 
      Of any other eyes.
  
  A young man from Virginia,
      To warm himself came in,
  And when he saw the animal
      He seemed to want the skin.
  
  He said, "No doubt your sons
      Will soon be getting more,
  And this one's mate to find it
      Will soon come near your door.
  
  "I would like to take it with me,
      It would be such a treat,
  Because in Old Virginia
      The like we never meet."