Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-10-10
Ghosts that triH not Dorm at
Hiddfasg.

Bondholdcr. ! have brought you a
nresent Here are two little children,
your slaves for life. l give them to
YOU. ifycu please, for no fault of theirs,
except they are white But, sir, |
could not help it--their father and
mother both dead, were white. These
are my little innocent grandchildren
all you and your party have left me-
and the bonds you hold are mortgages
q on them, as upon myself ! cannot
h pay the debt-take the little ones.
Bondholder-Bc off-get out-take
the dirty brats away from me!
Poor man-Please, sir, don't speak
so barshly. 1t frightens the little girl
The boy does not seem to start much
at your angry tones, else he would not
double up bis fists, but the girl IS timid.
Bondholder-Get out-be off with
your brats, or I'll ring the bell for
servant to put you out, you imperti-
nent scoundrel
Poor man-You needn't ring, Mr..
Bondbolder. The dayof ringing little
bells has passed away. And you need
not ring for servant, for | am your
servant! And as you have no chair
for servants, | will stand here mo-
ment before | 60, and have little
talk with you. And you will listen
And you will not speak cross or inter
rupt me,
Oncc, when you were afraid of the
draft, you wore the kindliest smile.
And you patted me ON the back and
said was dear, good, patriotic man
| listened to you then, and, by the
Eternal, You shall listen to me now
Do you remember those days
There was war. You, with your
oily tongue, helped bring it about 1t
was more Of war than you thought
it would be. You were coward, a
great bug coward. Don't look ugly.
for don't scare worth cent And
you were afraid to go to war You
made long speeches about saving the
Union, protecting the Constitution,
honoring the laws, and helping the
poor man.
You said the war was to restore the
country TO peace and prosperity.
You said the object of the war was
not TO coerce States, nor TO deprive
any people Of liberty.
You said those who would not fight
were towards. ! was no coward, Mr.
Bondholder, so | went to war You
were coward-you dare not go, SO
you hired me to 60. / took your
money and went. And, now when |
have returned, find that ! owe you
more than you gave me, and that |
must now work to pay myself for
being shot at, and to pay you big
interest on the money you let me have.
And | find that you are exempt
from taxation, that you hold the
wealth of the nation in your pockets,
and that am your slave
In short, Mr.. Bondholder, you are
coward, a cheat, swndler, a tyrant,
a robber, a great bloated aristocrat.
When the war came on | was a poor
but honest man. | knew but little of
Your tricks and financial plans.
had a wife and | loved her very dear
ly. She wore no silks, for ] could not
buy them. We had no grand home
as Won now have. We drank milk
you drink wine and ] pay for it. Our
home was o poor mans home, but
was a very happy one.
Do you know, Mr. Bondholder, how
you whined and begged of me to 90
to warY You said the country was
in danger. You promised to care for
my family, and to look out for my
interests, if / would go aud fight for
you. You promised well, you did,
and you lied to mo all the while
While ! was fighting you were specu-
lating ! bade my wife good bye,
and went to war My son went to
war.
You made war speeches. You prom
ised great things to the soldiers You
lied to them, you did, and you know
it Don't look mad--I am not afraid
of cowards--I don't scare worth a
dime
l was wounded in the battle and
half starved in the hospital. My son
was killed by the Confederates while
on a cotton expedition to enrich your
loyal cousin in the army as General
| had a hard time Of it and at last
came home.
My wife died from neglect. You
never cared for her My son was
Killed by the Coniederates while help
ing on the crusade after cotton and
negroes. came home TO find you
rich and me poor. Ny farm was Gov
cred with weeds and mortgages. My
wife lies in the churchyard for your
benefit. My boy sleeps by cotton
field for his Generals benefit.
These arc his children. They are
not left to me-they are left to you.
You stole my son. You lied to me.
You starved my wife and my sons
wife
You and your party lied TO all the
soldiers-you robbed them in the field
you sacrificed them for private ends
you gave away our blood to protect
your dollars.
While we fought TO save the coun-
try, you said that a national debt was
national blessing, and you made the
blessing great; but blessing only to
yourselves and the other cowardly
'hieves and aristocrats of the country.
The soldiers should have been ex-
empt, but they are not. Only the
hristocrats are now exempt, and able
to live at ease.