Part 53 (1/2)

CIV SCENES FROM ”TEcumSEH”[Q]

CHARLES MAIR--1840-

SCENE--TEcuht, and Mah upon s on earth have rest?

Oh, could I be with them! The lily shone All day upon the stream, and now it sleeps Under the wave in peace--in cradle soft Which sorrow soon rave

Ye shadohich do creep into hts-- Ye curtains of despair! what is my fault, That ye should hide the happy earth fro, Mother of beauty, hid , And forests and far-sounding cataracts Melted s of dismantled woods, When Fall had stripp'd them, and have felt a joy Deeper than ear could lend unto the heart; And when the Winter from his mountains wild Look'd down on death, and, in the frosty sky, The very stars see with icicles, Then came a sense of beauty calm and cold, That wean'd me from myself, yet knit me still With kindred bonds to Nature All is past, And he--on from me such love for him, And he--my valiant uncle and my friend, Comes not to lift the cloud that drapes my soul, And shi+eld me from the fiendish Prophet's power

_Enter_ MAMATEE

Give me his answer in his very words!

_Ma in his s in woven darkness o'er the earth

Brief is his answer--youthe oaks Which dot yon western hill A thousandthere cajoled to fatal dreaht

Hark! 'tis the war-song

_Iena_ Dares the Prophet now Betray Tecumseh's trust, and break his faith?

_Ma will feed aue, Which prophesies revenge and victory

Before the break of day he will surprise The Long-Knife's cale onset

_Iena_ Should he fail?

_Mamatee_ Then all will fail;--Tecumseh's scheo to him at once!

_Mamatee_ And risk your life?

_Iena_ Risk hovers everywhere When night and ue on ive my heart To stay his purpose and this act of ruin

_Mairl! they die ould oppose hio! But, first-- Great Spirit! I commit my soul to Thee [_Kneels_

SCENE--_An open space in the forest near the Prophet's Town A fire of billets burning War-cries are heard from the town_

_Enter the_ PROPHET

_Prophet_ My spells do work apace! Shout yourselves hoarse, Ye howling ht until s in speech, And half declines its office Every brave Inflaeful serpent, ill glide erecamp to death

Why should I hesitate? My promises!

My duty to Tecumseh! What are these Coe, there hs All other reason Here is Harrison-- Trepann'd to dangerous lodgrooves the prairie's breast A channel of approach; each winding creek A screen for creeping death Revenge is sick To think of such advantage flung aside

For what? To let Tecuathers his rich harvest of renown Out of the very fields that I have sown!

By Manitou, I will endure noflood of our affairs, Fish like an osprey for this eagle longer