The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-03-20
Ext Citizen.


He came, like a summer visitor, only to
remain till autumn winds should sweep
from distant ice fields, and leahess trees
should wave their creaking branches. lie
came, not to seek home, but to tarry
briefly till the dreaded frost, should warn
him TO depart to more congenial realms.
W hen first We saw him, he looked the
picture of emancipation beau ideal, clad
In garments OF cerulean hue, and warilke
make, bright chip hat woven OF alternate
strips of white aud green, garnished with
scarlet ribon, o er tapped his massive brow,
army brogans OF enormous size enveeped
his stockingless feet, buttons OF shining
brass, stamped with Columbia crest, We're
iibe1ally dispersed over his radlent attire !;
the whole costume was undoubtedly beyond
the value of three dollars and fifty cents.
We saw him as he leaned against an
empty hogshead, basking In the bright
August sunshine, his deutals working
pleasantly on mass of pig tail tobacco, his
dark eye fixed on vacancy, one brawny arm
hanging listiessly, by his side, one hand
deep buried in his raven locks.
He looked, as though his mind were
wandering tack to boyh, ofs home by dis
tant Yazoo, to old plantation scenes, when
cotton was king, aud ebon ehatlets gam
boed and danced, and laughed, and de-
spoiled the Southern plant OF Its snowy
fibre, when dreams OF citizenship, and mar
tial glory ne'er disturbed brains beneath
scalp of wool. The swelterlng heat dis,
turbed him not. His medtations lasted
tiIl Ienethenlng shadows betokcned night s
approach.
Mayhap his dreams, extended back to
dstont ages, and peopled his undisclpllned
Imagination with gally colored picFures OF
savage life IN climes beneath earth s centre
line, of Yankee slave ships hovering on
Atfic coast, and sending forth their pious
crews at midnight hour to capture peaceful
Villages, and transport Their simple people,
TO other fields OF usefulness, beside Poto-
mac : wave, or Yazoo's turbid stream.
At length, his reverle was ended, slowly,
yet with quiet dlguIty, he took up his line
vi March tor cool retreat, where savory
vianus uf uncertain Origin, We're sometimes
spread To tickle palateo like his, that were
not spoiled by over indulgence.
Auou, he was Immersed III basket OF
cold ylctua 5, remnants OF Caucasian feast,
but TO him sTeeter luXurleSthan ever graced
eplcurean board.
When next we saw him, his placid spirit
had winged IFS way to join his ancestors,
the vital spark had sparklcd out sFARVA-
IION, that baue OF new made Citizens, had
claimed HIM for Its victim, his soodly raj
ment, furnished by conslterate and be
nevocnt government, was trayed and tat-
tered; the thoughtful guardians OF the city
welfare had decided to give hlm sepulture,
and with many light and lrreyeTent JeStS
they hurried hlm into bran new dry goods
box, Of the value OF sixty cents, securely
nailed the lid on, and chartered dray to
bear his cold corpus to Potters field A
detected looking dog. one OF the terrier Ira
ternlty, who dwelt hard by the cemetery,
followed as solitary n!oIrner, this martial
funeral.
On the cover Of his impromptu coffin
was traced the words =" all Rail via Ch!ca
go Sure such inscription ne er was seen
before on sarcophagus, casket: nor burial
case.
All Rail via Chicago in bold morcan-
tile letters as though 1t were notice to the
grim tcrryman, who doth preside at Cha
ron's Ferry, on river Styx. of fabled
memory, that this last passenger was Of
habits good, temperate, chaste aud CONT
nent, else why did he come " ell Rail via
Chicago!
The drayman dumps the box into the
ssuase hole made to receive 1t, and soon
twenty inches OF Wisconsin free soil covers
all that is left Of the CoLoRED TROOP, who
fought, aud voted, and who made his exit
from this nIundance sphere labelled all
Rail VIA chicago.
For him who wishes q severance of the con-
jugal tie, divorce from her who doesn't quite
I'LL the BIZ, who isn't precisely the exact thing
you know in conjugal way, Chicago is the
heaven of his hopes, but to him VINO wishes to
get to realms OF bliss beyond the skies, CdIca-
go is not on the approved route--by no man
ner Of means.
An uupretending slab Of humble bass-w ood
at one end of the square aperture in the sand,
where the emaneipated dust of the veteran re-
poses: tells the passing traveller IN this simple
manner the tragic story:
SAM
na.tre Of Tazoo Country, Tennessee,
BORN SLAVE
O.