Madeleine de Verchères

" OH ! my country, bowed in anguish 'neath a weight of bitter woe,
Who shall save thee from the vengeance of the desolating foe?
They have sworn a heathen oath, that every Christian soul must die,
God of Heaven, in mercy shield us ! Father, hear thy child-ren's cry."

Thus prayed Madeleine, the daughter of an old heroic line,
Grecian poet, had he seen her, would have deemed her race divine ;
But as the golden sun transcends the beauty of the brightest star,
Than all the charms of face or form her maiden heart was lovelier far.

We can see her now in fancy, through the dim years gazing back
To those stormy days of old, the days of valiant Frontenac,
When the thinly settled land was sadly wasted far and near,
And before the savage foe the people fled like stricken deer.

'Tis the season when the forest wears its many-coloured dress,
And a strange foreboding whisper answers back the wind's caress
As the swaying pines repeat the murmurs of the distant waves,
While the children of the Summer flutter softly to their , graves.

But — was that another whisper, warning her of ill to come,
As she stands beside the river, near her father's fortress-home?
Hark ! the sound of stealthy footsteps creeps upon the throbbing ear —
Maiden, fly ! the foe approaches, and no human aid is near.

Surely He who decked with beauty this fair earth on which we dwell,
Never meant that men should change it by their madness into hell !
He who gave the trees their glory, gave the birds their gift of song,
Cannot smile from out yon heavens at the sight of human wrong.

But those savage hearts no beauty wins to thoughts of tender ruth-
Mother fond, or gentle maid, or smiling innocence of youth.
See! with fierce exulting yells the flying maiden they pursue —
Hear her prayer, O God, and save her from that wild vindictive crew.

Never ere that day or since was such a race by maiden run,
Never 'gainst such fearful odds was wished-for goal so swiftly won ;
Fifty foes are on her track, the bullets graze her floating hair —
But worse than vain is all their rage, for God has heard her prayer.

Madeleine has reached the Fort, — the gates are closed against the foe,
But now, a stricken throng sends up to heaven a wail of woe —
Feeble men, and fainting women, without heart or hope or plan —
Then it was that God gave courage to a maid to act the man.

Then it was that Madeleine bethought her of her father's name :
" Never shall a soldier's daughter die the coward's death of shame ;
Never, in the days to come, when Canada is great and proud,
Be it said a Christian maiden by a heathen's threat was cowed.

" He is but a craven wretch would bid me yield in such an hour —
Never yet my country's sons in peril's face were known to cower !
No, my people ! God is with us ; 'tis our homes that we r defend —
Let the savage do his worst, we will oppose him to the end.

" Women, I am but a girl, but heroes' blood is in my veins,
And I will shed it drop by drop before I see my land in chains ;
Let them tear me limb from limb, or strew my ashes to the wind,
Ere I disgrace the name I bear, or leave a coward's fame behind.

" Brothers mine, though young in years, you are old enough to know
That to shed your blood is noble, fighting with your country's foe!
Be the lesson unforgotten that our noble father gave,
Whether glory be its guerdon, or it wins us but a grave.

" Come, my people, take your places, every one as duty calls ;
Death to every foe who ventures to approach these fortress walls !
Let no point be unprotected, leave the rest to God on high,
That we shall have done our duty, even if we have to die."

Thus she raised their drooping courage, matchless maiden, Madeleine ;
And the cry, " To arms ! " re-echoed, till the roof-trees rang again ;
Cannons thundered, muskets rattled, and the clank of steel was heard,
Till the baffled foe retreated, like a wolf untimely scared.

Seven days and seven nights, with sleepless eye and bated breath,
They held the Fort against the foe that lurked around them plotting death !
At last a joyous challenge came, it was the brave La Monnerie,
And up to heaven arose a shout, " The foe has fled, and we are free ! "