Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-04-25

Two N6bbEdu 5Ulu4EES were, blGlI UEE Win DlHZ-
Ing faggots bright;
On the table there between them, was spread
their evening lunch,
Which daintDy they uibbled, while they slipped
their cups of punch.
They were two batter'd veterans, rough rem
nants of the wars,
With military records that we're Written out in
scars
Engraved deep in their faces. The night was
"New Years Eve
There were three legs in the party, and a single
empty sleeve
They were smoking soon, and chatting too, as
boon companions may,
OF times long past, but not forgot, in an old
soldier way;
They called each other " Bob " and "Jee." nor
recA'd the rank they bore
Twas nOught to them the straps and stars their
shoulders brood once wore.
They talk'd about the war that's past, the fear
ful sights they'd seen,
The laurels each had won, and all the lights in
which they'd been.
{" Tell me, old Joe" said Bob at last, the best
him you have done
Your %proUdess recollection of all your Life
that's gomez"
"Itis not, Bob, as you may think, an easy
thing TO tell
What Wete done that is best, when we have
done so Jetg things well!
Bot memory does nj always wish on tragic
scenes to brood,
Nor does he ike ner pictures dabbIed DER and
Ger with blood.
When in our lonely hours we take a retrospect
We hasten by those passages enstained with
brutal strife,
Which the toorld iau5s as truly great, and fat
tiers US with glory
Fill up your glass and listen, Bob, while 1 relate
astory:
1t was Just after war was Ger, on q cold,
stormy night,
I sat saug in my quarters, h the warm and
Cast us shadows on the roughly plaster'd walls
about,
As if glots5quely laughing at the tempest wild
My just cast-of habiIments, piled loosely in a
chair,
With myself upon another, and my feet high
in The air,
Smoking my pipe luxuriously the meerschaum
thai Jack Moore
ave - Jack! You knew him., Bob?
he fell at Grande EcOre9
/ was waiting LL.ere ~1mpauently to get my
evening meal,
Stormiug at tother daIkeys, who, within her
sable view,
Was demo accountest n'ggahs dar dat she done
But aided by her busy hands and her reproving
blast,
The meal was soon all ready, n the supper
laid at last.
d" started for the mess-room, and had cross'd,
say, half the floor,
When / heard a hesitating rap outside upon
my door.
who's that ? I asked abruptly, in a surly voice
U'm sure dear Fob, not what you'd call a hos
pituble tOneD
Come 10. | say! Can't you come in' Can't
you when you're toid?'
I can't replied a timid voice, my fingers are
7 ,,-SeS - k,ob o,a Iool-sd without i,4o tba
night and storm,
And shrinking, shivering, there beheld a drip
ping, scant cad form
A sad-faced little girl-a face where poignant
Had gwen a wan and wither'd look, while
from her eyes the tears,
hooking the big, cold rain-drops, were creep
j gOe- her cheek.
silent I stood a moment, waiting for her to
She, too, stood stin, upon the threshold there,
perhaps a minute,
Gazing with ike eyes on her basket that had
nothing in it!
She seem'd to hesitate as though cen hope was
somewhat fearful,
Like one unused to klndness, while her dropping
eyes still fearful,
Sought with such anxious look my own, i'm
plOringly, 50 sad,
That I'd have given her then the last hard
tack l ever had.
"'Come in, my dear child, then quothI, come
in, and BY the fac
Inform me as you warm yourself what tSt
that YOU dtsire?'
She GLUED to the hIe.ide then, n took the
And he'd up to the cheerful blaze her poor,
half-frozen feet
Those .eet so bare and ~stockinglees, and blue,
and pinch'd with cold,
And ike her d~rsggled dress all staine with
yellOw, clsyey mold
That gown so Ja5terd, torn and worn, and
vainly heightened out
With different material, and patch'd and
daEn'd about!
\ faded handkerchief confined a mass of I'M
kemPt hair,
Which would have fallen in rlnglets, with hall
a hand OF care:
Her eye was OF that Hqul1 hue which artists
love to pant
In their ideal portraitures Of some sad. sorrow
In hne' her timid gracefuIness, her gentle,
modest ways,
Betrayal at once that she had known other and
better days.
a When by the cheerful blaze she'd warmd her
trembling, hal-ciad form,
l ask'd what coud have brought her forth in
such q night Of storm?
1 came, SIR, laid she, biushingly, and hanging
low her head
But OH ! cannot tell you, sir, how much 1 hate
mothsar is SO sick, just now, and Tom has
lost his leg at D~allas-be was a soldier then, !
For then they took most of the boys, as well as
We dId all that we could, sir, and tried to win
the fight
We gave our ountry all we had, believing
we were ight!
ity father died a soldier-a Confederate soldier,
too,
that is why I feard, sir, to ask for bread
nom yOu.
But we are now so very poor-we've neither
bread nor meat,
md we've not had for two days, ROW, a single
crust t. sat.
used TO have a plenty, and horses, too, to
ride, |
And servants, and the incest home, and all We
WlSh'd beside:
Sui we have rad TO sell them al-they've all
gone, one by one
bur home, the stock-aye, everything we once
had, noE Is gone!
had TO sell our dresses too, for anything
md last Week-ahi twas hard to sell-dear
mamas wedding r-ngE
IT'S long since, Bob, you've seen the tears
upon my hon cheek, $500
But fast my eyes ran over then, nor did think
FOR if you'd seen her paIlid face, and heard her
tale of woe,
'~oregone y our manhood, then your eyes could
not their tears forego.
Before, I was so hungry could have gnawed
ct now il was all over, and my appetite was
ust Rien my sable Dinah 1 heard begin to
scOld.
nd ss6, what for de massa let de supper
done got cold?
o 1 led the little wanderer out to the table
4 boGntiful Confusion lay our usual soldier
nd sale her down beside it in my ACCUSTOMED
BOB, 1t did good to my soul to see that
poor child eat! ~
ofse, cold ham and batter-eakes vanishd
wondeTed where so small a child could have
bestowed il all!