Pursued, arrested, and for life condemned—
Caged as a wild beast behind bolts and bars—
The iron door closed out the world so fair,
The panoply of heaven, sun, moon, and stars;
Closed out home, mother, father, sister, brother,
And one that was so fair, and loved me so;
Broken are their hearts, because I was so dear
In the sinless happy days of long ago.
Once only was I lured by the red wine,
And joined the revel in the maddening bowl.
’Twas fatal! In that appalling direful hour
Lost was all the world, and ruined was my soul;
Forgotten was my mother’s warning, and
I saw not the pit made for unwary feet,
But past the portal and the dividing line,
My awful ruin was complete.
Stunned, and almost crazed by agony
And remorse, I wept such bitter burning tears
As come from those, all lost to earth and heaven,
Who, hopeless, brood o’er past and following years.
I prayed with awful fervency to heaven
To forgive and heal my weary, broken heart,
Appealing for the lowliest place in paradise,
That I might with the angels bear some humble part.
I know not, but sometimes it seems to me
A pitying God will my fell deed forgive;
Will lift the grievous burden from my weary soul,
And let the suffering, forsaken sinner live.
And thus I wait behind the bars and iron door,
In gloomy corridor or stifling cell,
Suffering the nameless horrors of the damned
In this relentless, dreary, earthly hell.
THE BATTLE OF LACOLLE MILLS.
Fought March 30th, 1814. American Force, 4,000; British and Canadian, 340.
Ten miles inland they ventured
To the “Stone Mills” at Lacolle;
Four thousand rough invaders,
Our country to control.
Canadians e’er rally quickly
When dangers thicken round,
And to duty’s call immediate
Give no uncertain sound.
The call was swiftly given,
And the “Stone Mills” occupied,
Loopholed and greatly strengthened,
And the enemy defied.
Of stern British and Canadians
The little force formed round;
Resolved at every hazard
To hold their vantage ground.