The weekly Butte record., 1863-10-31
4 Picture Of Life.

The streets were a0oied with snnsAiae,
And Fashion aad Folly and Pride
Were sweeping along-a sozlless thgong-
The bright waves of the living tide
And the rg>tle Of six was music.
The crash Of the satins, song.
The waving Of feathers, banners,
To their hearts 2s they rolled along.
And they thought not Of the harsher music
That vas renting the air with it breath
OF the trumpet's yell, and the screaming shell,
And the terrible march Of death
Thought pot Of the battle rent banners
Tha, were died in 4 crimson Hood,
OF the narrow grave, AMI the bold and brave
That were wrapped in a shroed of blood.
But as in the brightest sunlight
A shadow viii Suddenly fall
And as in the hour when Mirth has power
There viii iutter the shade of pail;
So creeping amid the splendor,
The glitter of wealth aud pride.
Two soldiers wounded and worn and pale
Came tottering, side by side.
From one had been torn stalyart limb
And an arm had the other lost,
And sabre stroke had his fair brow broke;
And his cheek with scars was crossed.
man IN his prime, and a beardless boy
Each wearing the badge of the brave,
Far nobler than star Or than jeweled cross,
That e'er king or proud emperor gave.
And this had been won At fredericksburg
When the air was with hell accGrst;
And this hand to hand. when prowling baad
On the lonely picket burst
And crippled. di>Ggured in form and face,
They crepi through the gaudy throng,
With silent lips, but with wounds that plead,
Each helping the other along.
And leaning against church yard rail,
They ga2ed with a longing eye,
Where, as if they were rolled Of molten gold,
Were oranges piled higa
Where the brown banana showed its side,
The apple its rosy flush,
And the grape, that the sun had lovingly kissed
Still bore the tint of its blush.
With eyes that pain and fever had dimmed,
They trembling stood and gazed-
While the human tide swept 10y their side,
And satins and jewels blazed-
Longing, with pennlless pockets,
OF the luscious juice to sip
Longing to cool with its freshness
The thin and the parching lip.
But father and mother and sister,
The wife aud the maiden fair
Passed swiftly by with averted eyes,
Of broad and laughty stare
And, shaddering. hasteued onward
From the wrecks that the war had thrown
Back or liio's shores. to c eep to the grave,
Aud thanked God they were not their own!
Thanked God, with the prayer of the Pharisee,
bat marked not the longing eyes;
What to them the gold the purse would not hold
Or the grape with its lucent dyes
And the hearts Of the brave meI irembled as ne er
They had done in the widest fray.
And sigh like moan-a breath like a groan,
Shook their forms. i they turned away.
q 'Comrade," said one Il often thought
A. lay on the hospital cot
l bad won fame, and soldier name,
Aud should not be forgot
BIT it is not 50! Far better for beth"
The rest was lastin sigh; ;
But tie lips OF the by took up the words
&c help Us why did We not de-
Ju-t then there came dancing across the street
\ i.tle, rosy checked girl,
With the blue Of The ,ky in her laughing eye,
And her h.iria frolicsome curl;
She bsoaslt Of the fai.est oranges there,
And taruel as in act to 60,
When lie saw the pale faces and qpiyerng lips,
The MANNED forms and the speechess woe.
Oh! th-n bright smile such as angels wear:
Heavens sunshine lit up her face
The radiant glow that the soul Will know
When 1t hnee.s at the Throne Of Grace.
She pressed upon them, with gentle force,
The aare t:at then lied as in fear;
Bai a w-r-a kiss fingered on either hand
And e4 b was eeinmed with a tear