Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-01-31
lloutb's Department.
From the News.
THE DRUMMER BOY.


81 should like to go drummer boy, if
my mother would consent. She is poor, and
l would like to help her
every we'll, my boy let MS hear you drum
first" Soon the ffer was called out, and a
drum given to the boy. Dixie was played
and the boy commenced. Could such music
come out Of drum? Soon a crowd gather
ed around the boy the notes came rolling
out-now soft, now loud, now mourniul, and
he, wrapt in his own music, forgot those
around him, who stood listening breathlessly
until the last sound died away.
The officer touched him on the back, and
said "My boy, run home to your mother,
and tell her we will give her what she wishes,
if she will only let you 60 with us, as our
drummer boy.
He went to the humble abode Of his moth
er. She had seen better days; but was now
very poor. She had lost her husband many
years ago. He had left her very destitute,
and she had maintained herself ana child by
sewing and writing. In years she VS. not
old but sorrow had whitened her hair, and
furrowed her brow, yet she looked in her
close widows cap still beautiful. Harry
told her what the officer said to him.
An expression Of pain passed over her iea-
lures as she said My son. what would
money be without you = and lifting the curls
from ms "n''e D,o", sue 'oS'I NV "'o
Uie"' o'ue o9o' %'N ,"'u
10 see 'nese curis c'o''eu WIN l90' o'0uu'
anu tuese eyes gro" uln III ue"'I NY
son cannot let you CO. On marry my
heart "ou'u oleaN j. Sm""'" ''So !ou'
1o"s anu '"' "'S''y my 't'N-u '-e
ing ne Coui" luPPO'' US "'''"v.' '"9
Wouiu Vhiy con'en. 10 io' nun a.N
gn'iS like ne 'nousn' my woulu W ''''l'
uansot' nc sa'"eu, a. u.s. ,''' nt .rI
iu0'u", oo"So"'' 'ne ~ W '0o' Pr'i
uoIu' uel son nc Seou'eu ~ " ~ 'u'1 I
an" naPP! me OU,'P""5 "'sn' oo ing
'.'"' y" -" w. a"u Lar "I' w.
sS'y VIZ" MS u'o','o' uuI'l ,''4t .''"e'
ai'or wees eiapseu 'ne) nau no' bono' anu
'ne "o.n7' 'nu 50" "''o
eN w ~. N'" NY -,
nu' 'ne o'uels W i'ai.n 0a',o q"
anu 'ne" 'no "io'"vi ioPo"'eN ma '"e nlN
S'en ne' oo"sen' 'nas ne' ~" '''ou.u 81 ~
sue wen on 'uu A''eu unn ou' WIN ~ wy
comforts mo'ner ionu hea'' can 'hlnN VI,
"A oloie she marked Tor nim' ana she "e'teu
many page WIN her 'eets' ioch Vi ms
iather nalt WIN one OF her own sue nau
placed IN a iocket' ana tied round ms NECK
-, marry io'ou nus 'no'ne' heN' % MS u.
ine pains was ~ s"u' guy ~
again ana AGAIN TO her heurt as sue sa'u'
Soa olesS NEE my marry may ne oI'"B
you saIe oaeN 10 your poor ione "o1ne ~,
Oh' my ooy now eau my "''n"ns
Buy 1t was time 70 60 ne was M, M. a"N
win one more KISS o"e "u''P0', >
marry VIII oe Nu' 70" a"' ~ N0'' N
was gone
week AFTER tha' ooy "'u' W
HIS music inspire Tue men as '"0y "'' 0n.u
on 10 the oa'te hein, giving me" oou, aso ~
hght LOT country hoe'V'es' my '''' -
they were leu on oy .ne music VI '' '"se'
Hesr that BOY pay sa'u one we mus
hght ior our oouhtfyIou' suoh nus 'aHu'
an ha'reu out VI 'ue I.II a.
uo YOU sec tna' ooy I4.' ~ ,nN
an anger s. 10 you know ne E%'e "ie las
hight let'er W MS ui"'"o' nv saw ~
should never see her again, ana nc YOU n'e y
tell her that uou was with hlu,' anu INA. "ne'
ne was Bohe' NOT 10 niOurn LOT ",','i iD' n'
was going TO Christ' ana ne "ouiu let nj"
come ana watch over her'
marx the enemy are coming my ar
eoih'ns-'ne! are vi us ~
mehI was give" 'ue'n W eu'"N- anu no'
Iong NE eau quo NV !" 10" "i''' ,.l. a.
~ was ho"e",' anu V"en "S NC
thiCk ana '"s'' anu Suuue"'y '"o u'u"' 'e"'e'
W o1"''
me soiuier 10 "noin 'ne ooN o"'' u9'eu vi
letter. went forward 20 where ,ne ooy s'oou
MS uruIn was oeslue nun, ana 'ean'ng gu l.
was the BOY MS arm uhuer ms heau' as
asleep Ne'm was ms lace' anu ,aoiAnt as
an angel was speaking 10 MN oa'l ma
struck MN IN 'ne hear'' anG ne must nav
diea lmmed'a'eiy' me soiu'ei hi'eu MI
amidst the smoke ana am OIL oat.le' ana car
rled nm ana ms drum 70 the oacN Oh ~ vi
camp lie TOOK out ms Knne ana cut OH
lock oil ms ha'r' ana theh went oacN 10 III
duty
The night was soon over ana inc victor
complete and as the solulers marched oac
to their quarters, they marched IN silence 10
their drummer boy was now playing Tor IN
angels. Tired they laid down to rest bu
ever and anon come to the sound OF tina
music, and could 1t be that he was playin
stll-but the sound grew fainter and faintel
and died away with the breeze Inc soidit
obtained leave to 90 and see the mother
She had heard OF the battle and she anxious
ly hoped to hear OF her son--her all. sh
knew It was wrong, but the love had bee
growing for years, aud she knew not its II
MT Rf lEagH Ia i'm