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

Part XXVIII  - published in the Windsor Ledger Feb.  08, 1900

 The moon held far down the sky
When the two retired for rest;
Soon the lights were extinguished
When slow, gliding from the West,
The young lover, with his comrades,
Came in silent secrecy,
Each one cautiously approaching,
Gliding up from tree to tree
Until at length securely they
Close to the house well-hidden lay.

All was silent as the grave,
Until the dogs at the front
Bayed them long savagely;
Never had they on a hunt
Woke wilder echoes on the night,
They soon disturbed Major Brown,
Who had scarcely fallen asleep,
As the dogs would give no ground;
At bidding of vilest men
Their lives and uproar soon found end.

The killing of his watch dogs
Roused the Major fully up;
This assault upon his castle
Was the filling of his cup;
All the slanders and reflections
He had yet in silence borne,
Now armed himself for battle
And blew a blast on his horn
As signal for his slaves to come
And help defend their master's home.

But the sound of fire arms,
So much terror in them raised,
Only two of all his men
Were not stupified and dazed;
These two did as he had told them,
Coming with the overseer,
All soon got within the mansion,
Wishing much to make it clear,
For what earthly rhyme or reason,
Assault was made at such a season.

As the firing of the guns
Occurred at the front gate
With his feeble little band
Just awaked at hour so late;
That way did Major pass them,
Where the door was barred and locked
And but for his steadfast valor
He had surely there been shocked;
For dimly in the midnight air
He saw six men surely there.

Then the leader lifted voice,
And in haughty tones declared,
He had come upon a mission,
By which if they rightly fared,
No vermine like this vilest Tory
In the land would long be found,
And his death knell that very night
They assuredly would sound;
"So open door, you ancient curse,
Or with your gal prepare for worse."

Then like an apparition
Robed entire in spotless white,
Came upon father breathless
She who was his soul's delight;
Every curl upon her forehead,
Every feature in her dress
Were as if she deep had studied
To enhance her loviness;
She seemed a Norma, in new strife,
To plead again for throne and life.

In her hand a lamp she bore,
Showing all her queenly mien
And the old man was as troubled
At the strangeness of the scene,
Outside death and foul dishonor,
He believed awaited him,
Noisy shouts of wrathful challenge,
Showed a night so dark and dim;
Yet she stood there calm and serene,
As if she was some battle queen.

Swiftly to her father's side
Went she then, as dazed he stood,
A few whispers in his ear
Seemed to thrill his very blood;
"God be thanked" he muttered,
He who rules this dastard world;
We will yet these scoundrels punish;
From my door they shall be hurled;
By all is that both just and right,
They all should die this very night.

Softly he unbarred the door,
Called his leigemen by his side,
Telling them to wait for signs
And in silence to abide;
Now he knew that Godwin Cotton
With his war tried veterans,
Lay waiting overt action
By these blood-stained partisans;
Men who slew and pilfered all
On whom they thought it safe to fall.

And thus it is, too, all alas,
Ever in the time of war,
Scoundrels far too cowardly
To confront the battle's roar,
When contending columns reel
Back and forth upon the field;
But upon the weak and helpless
In secrecy crept and steal,
Like these vile wretches of that night
Thought that this old man could affright.

Being ignorant and low,
In the scale of social life,
And well knowing Major Brown,
In the progress of the strife,
Between the King and the Colonies,
Had offended certain men,
By the opinions he had held;
They could safely venture then,
To slay this rich and haughty Tory,
As few would ever hear this story.

But they made a great mistake,
Major Brown was yet so loved
By his neighbors one and all,
That their love had never moved,
Even though he differed largely
With them as to what the King
Owed them as his loyal leigemen,
Ere the war did first begin;
And since that time to very few,
Had he discussed the issues new.

Thus it was all his neighbors,
Still revered the lonely man,
One and all deep regretting
That he took so strange a stand;
But they always left each other,
To whatever faith they had
Disposed as to those who fought,
Some for the King beyond the sea,
Others for home and liberty.

Having made a great mistake,
Now they huddled in the dark,
Howling out their implications
And the most abusive talk;
All was still within the house,
And the light no longer flared,
That they ventured to draw nigher
Those that they previously dared;
The house so silent, big and grim,
It seemed in some way staggered them..

Then out-spoken the leader
Showing his accomplices;
"Are we afraid of shadows,
Or this ghostly edifice?
Then let two men hold fast the horses,
While we other four will go;
And with a rush against the door
Our weight will force us through;
For shame partners, more courage take!
We'll through that door like lightning break."

Then like a torrent rushing,
Came the robber to their work;
Once in the house's deep shadow
All was hidden in the dark;
But they never reached that doorway,
They thought so easy done,
In the darkness four men met them,
And disabled every one;
Prostrate on the ground lay all,
While they for mercy loudly call.

The two men with the horses
Left at once at headlong speed,
Not a moment did they tarry
To enquire if any aid
Might be needed by their comrades
For they well knew by their cries
In what trouble dastards left them,
Careless of their destinies,
Though death requited many crimes
Committed then and other times.