Legends and Memories of St John's Chapel -
Addressed to R. A. Riddick
by Major John W. Moore 

Part XV - published in the Windsor Ledger Sept 28, 1899

Ahoskie Ridge good neighbor
Has not been without romance,
With so many pretty girls.
Rich in smile, and melting glance;
Tis no wonder, that our gallants,
Have been prompt to answer these,
So now, Robert, I will tell you
A short story, if you please,
Of how a winsome maiden once
Made a big man act like a dunce.

I am sure, that "you have heard
Of the famous Colonel Brickell,
'Twill serve to paint a model,
And to show how very fickle
Are the fairest maids, too often
In this wicked world of ours;
And also how wise men, sometimes
In spite of all their powers,
Out-witted are, then left forlorn
By maidens who their pleading scorn.

The Brickells had been leaders
For a good one hundred years,
In wealth, power, and culture
They were all along the peers
Of the proudest, and the wisest
In the country far around,
And never on Ahoskie Ridge,
Was there opposition found
To any schemes, or plans of theirs,
And long they bossed our good forbears.

This Colonel was the latest
Man, of all his ancient stock,
That were fifty years before
Living here is such a flock.
Sometimes the clan would send at once,
Three of the name to Raleigh
To legislate and greater grow,
And so it was but rarely
Public affairs were fixed up well
Without the help of a Brickell.

They were preachers and doctors
They were lawyers too and saints,
Some were even literary;
So the public had no wants
Which a Brickell could not manage
In some way to satisfy
And thus became the paragons
Of the lowly, and the high,
In very truth a noble breed
With many honors all their meed.

Many gracious things are told
Of the founder of the line,
He it was that came here first
Herald brave, in cause divine,
And the blessings he brought others
Were reflected on his race;
Worthy man, intimes primeval,
Unto whom was given grace
To minister in holy things
And soften human sufferings.

But the greatest of the race
Was however Colonel Mat,
Who in our highest places
Long in honor, safely sat,
Leading lawyer at assizes
And church warden many years
Such a man, of course was potent
In Provincial affairs,
And so when e'e he would consent
To the assembly he was sent.

It was no wonder then sir,
That such a man should amass,
Outside of all his honors,
An estate for those days vast;
And his grandson inherited
Much the greater part of this,
Thus you see he soon was foremost
Mark for all amenities,
Which maid or matron could contrive
That such a man with her should wive.

So the colonel early saw
How such matters lay around,
But in an early marriage
He, in no way could be found,
And the floods of adulation
Turned his not capacious head,
So from every bait and banter
Had he so adoitly fled,
His friends and foes gave up the hope
That he in wedlock e'er should grope.

So rich and so cultured, Bob
So serene and handsome too,
There was sorrow around him,
And the fair romantic crew
Of sweet maidens, softly whispered
That the thing would never be,
For him a happy Benedick
Their eyes should never see,
But all things come to those who wait
And surely come, though they be late.

0n the shady side of forty
Had this fair Adonis gone,
And fatal crows feet, surely
On his face their work begun,
Ere he noticed the great beauty
Of an heiress, he had known
Ever since her dark eyes opened
To enchant each soul in town,
He had for once, too long been blind
To woman with her charms divine.

This all-conquering beauty
Was too much for even him,
She had won all others round
While his eyes were yet so dim
And her wonderous gifts and graces
Supplimented by her wealth,
Made her so entirely charming
That he was no more himself
But an humble suitor making
Oaths, his heart was well nigh breaking.

She could not treat such a man
With anything but courtesy,
But she minded from the first,
That she never would agree
To be the wife of a man so old,
But her mother had her say
Being charmed at such a prospect
Of the long expected day.
When this big men should change his life
And take at last himself a wife.

Prayer and tears were all vain
It would never, never do
For a maid, such chance to lose
And she dared not answer no,
And so the poor young girl was driven
Into act her soul abhorred
And she plighted him her promise
He should be her wedded lord
Alas; how many thus have done
And into sorrow swiftly run.

There was a youthful suitor,
Who had long, not in vain
Breathed softly to this maiden,
All the secret of his pain,
But her mother scorned the prospect
Of such son-in-law for her.
From this rooted resolution
Nothing had been found to stir.
A woman, proud and worldy wise,
Who riches thought were Paradise.

Great was the preparation
For the marriage feast to come,
The whole mansion was refitted,
Which would be their future home,
With a lavishness of splendor
Never seen before that day.
For the furniture and presents
The old people used to say,
Made all beholders, rub their eyes
O'er such display of luxuries.

The town was early crowded,
Still the people came till night
Would soon to be upon them,
And the evenings waning light
Warned the mother to see to it
If the bride was yet arrayed;
She found the room all empty,
And no one could find the maid,
She who was to have been a bride
In evening shades away had hied.

There was no wedding Robert
That night in the ancient town
But the feast the Colonel gave
Was a thing of wide renown,
It was a bitter lesson taught
A man who long had reigned
As a quasi monach ever
'Till like athlete over-trained
He had not the manhood left him
Such small misfortunes to condemn.

The Colonel never rallied
From this blow upon his pride,
The story of his jilting,
Grew a thorn within his side,
'Till he left North Carolina
And hid way down in the South,
Where the story of his troubles
Was not heard in every mouth
And died he there in single state
Unwept by either child or mate.

I never knew the fortunes,
Of the lovers who thus fled
On the evening the maiden
Was expected to be wed,
But it happened that this suitor,
Managed at the latest hour
To bear away the girl he loved,
Far beyond the rich man's power,
And I suppose 'tis safe to say
Lived ever happy from that day.