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 TWENTY-FIRST
  
  My little friends, if you will hark,
      Now I will tell you more
  About that cruel murder
      I alluded to before.
  
  When we were on the Vermillion
      In three or four days after
  The frightful news came to us
      Of that tremendous slaughter.
  
  They killed and scalped fifteen
      All in one house and yard,
  And captured two young ladies
      And kept them under guard.
  
  They ran these girls away
      With an Indian to each arm,
  Oh! Then it was hard times
      And most thrilling was the alarm.
  
  They ran them through the woods,
      They lost their bonnets from their heads
  Then they gave them handkerchiefs
      To tie on in their stead.
  
  And they gave them provision
      That they all did take away.
  To prepare it for themselves
      While it lasted, day-by-day.
  
  They treated them respectfully
      With decorum every day,
  And at night they spread soft skins
      For the ladies to lay.
  
  With an Indian at each side,
      Near by them they would lay,
  To protect them and to watch them,
      Lest they should run away.
  
  But what availed the friendship
      The Indians then could show,
  To hearts so full of sorrow,    
      Terror, grief and woe.
  
  The young ladies very handsome,
      One had an extra suit of hair,
  A young chief did think to marry her,
      For she was very fair.
  
  An Indian in authority
      Resolved to have her hair,
  But the chief that thought to marry her,
      Did warmly interfere.
  
  They were about to have a combat,
      Upon that very day
  The young ladies were returned,
      And so they came away.
  
  Our authorities did purchase them
      With horses from the train,
  Their brother John went for them
      And brought them back again.
  
  And after he got back
      He directly comes to brother's,
  For his uncles' family all were there,
      And so were many others.
  
  And in a leisure hour
      We sat in conversation,
  He told me all the circumstances,
      Likewise, their deprivations.
  
  He said when at St. Louis
      The ladies gave them presents,
  And changes of clean clothing
      To them must have been pleasant.
  
  For they had not chance to wash
      From the day they went away,
  While they were with the Indians,
      Till they got back that day.
  
  He said that coming up
      Where they stopped upon the river,
  They met with many a pleasant,
      And smiling, cheerful giver.
  
  At places where we stopped,
      The benevolent and the good
  Gave them rich presents,
      Because they said thou could.
  
  They felt that it was better
      To give than to receive,
  And thus their sister's wants
      They greatly did relieve.
  
  And all seemed glad to see them,
      Welcome where they come,
  Welcome to all human hearts
      And welcome to their home.
  
  Home, then, did I say?
      O, Then I touched the sore,
  For the last they saw of home
      'Twas a frightful, bloody gore.
  
  For they left them warm and bleeding,
      Where they chanced to fall that day,
  Both in the house and yard,
      And themselves were forced away.
  
  All that worthy family
      That occupied that home,
  And parts of other families
      That to that house had come.
  
  With only one exception,
      John chanced to be from home,
  The day those savage Indians
      To that house did come.
  
  No, never till life's latest date,
      Can they forget the day
  They saw their dearest friends all killed
      And themselves were forced away.
  
  From that heart-rending scene
      Now, we will turn our eyes,
  For in the resurrection
      Those loved ones all will rise.
  
  Our legislature gave them
      Each a section of good land,
  For them to sell or keep,
      To be at their command.
  
  They are living in this county,
      And both are living still,
  Both Rachel Hall and Sylvia,
      Not far from Munson's Mill.
  
  They have long since been married,
      And families they have raised,
  As wealthy and respectable
      As any in those days.