Page:The Fall of the Alamo.djvu/202

 Thither he came, intent on his design, And, oh! the terrors of that dreadful hour, The ever higher billows of distress That broke upon my aching, quivering heart. When—brazen like the statue of a god That hears not, feels not its petitioner's prayers, Stern like a rock, whose plumb and polished breast Rejects the drowning sailor's outstretched hand— The hard man stood before me firm and stark, Resolved to gain his end by every means, By every wile of diplomatic art,— When stroke on stroke and blow on blow the hammers Of his persuasive reasons fell upon My unprepared and unprotected heart,— When gradually he reinforced his praise By luring bribes, his bribes by calumny, His calumny by threats, his threats by sneers,— When heeding not my tears, my agony. He staked thy life, my father's fate, my honor Upon the revelation of my sacred knowledge— Oh! to describe this hour's experience My utt'rance fails me. Let this sabre speak I wrested from his scabbard, to what height Of bleak despair a woman may be driven. [Elsie hands Santa Anna's sword to Col. Travis.]

My heart has ceased its beat o'er thy account,