The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-03-10
s where's He that would NOS
Dance Z"


When Governor Geary, at one of his evening
receptions at Harrisburg. was asked to dance:
he excused himself with the mild remark \
bava not danced since the war-my legs are
too full of bullet holes l''-Harper's Bazar'
February 26.
On which the Sunday edition of the \. I.
World comments as follows:
Are we nerer to know the full extent of
the devastation Of the late war Are there
any more of our hcroes-to all appearances
healthful and robust moving about among
US with constitutions thus underminedf with
legs thus hopeessly perforated Grant,
Sherman, Sheridan. Thomas, are there any
bulle.-h holes in your legs Are you precluded
from the sweet solace of the social Gacce
In the case of Grant, we are somewhat as
sured, for have we not read that he did dance
at the Princes ball in Washington the other
night But fab. dreadful thought y may
he not with Spartan pluck have ''trod
measure" upon honeycombeG pins Let Us
make assurance double sure, and take a
bond Of fate - go each and all of you. orr
heroes, we beseech, and submit yourselves to
the nearest surgeon roll up your sacred
trowsers, and let medical certificates set
forth the true condition of your respective
bifurcations, that the anxious nation may
know how you stand, and thus be assured
of its standing.
And thou, oh. Coriolanus Geary, puissant
hero of newspaper battles Let Tot that
haughty reticcnce. that proud scorn of pop
ular favor. that patrician contempt of the
"greasy citizen" which has been so charac-
teristic of you. carry you too far If the
grand old commonwealth is leaning upon q
broken reed, let US, oh let us know the ex-
tent of your fractures! Although yo2 may
never again ":rip the light. fantastic toe," )"
let us pray that strength may be given you
10 run for third term. and stump the State
once more. Why have we never heard the
history of Pennsylvania glory from the lips
of those wounds2 And why, may we ask,
have the wounds themselves never before
been heard ofl Why did they not take
their honored place in the current record of
the sufferpgs and sacrifices Of that ghastly
time Why did not the newspapers ring
with them, that the nation might give her
tears to salve them2 Answer, We reportorial
legion Why have these sacred wounds
been boarded in so secret and misery man
ner. and disclosed only in relaxed moment
of playful abandon7 Verify. the underpin-
ming of our nations fabric is in jeopardyi
The dance was at its maddest, loud cIashed
the horns and drums,
When, finging wide the massive doors, the
usher cried, ''He comes u
| Then Beauty, whirling in the waltz, with
doughty cavalier,
With parted lips and wondering eyes, paused
in her wild career,
AS, stalking through the glittering throng,
with smiling port, yet high,
Bold Geary cane, our Governor, him of the
eagle /;
Ex General. nee Democrat, Kansas Governor
TT, ct Get
Ulysses head, Achn es's tread, and Nestor 3
wisdom met,
To form the man upon whose span" our hopes
are fondly set
He plants cat ease his good right leg, his
hand rests on his hip,
Stern majesty in every line, from toe to mus
tached lip.
Then from that tranced throng there glides q
beauteous maid, pardie
y 10 straight before the Governor crooked
the hinges of her knee:
| my Governor, my General, our common
Wealth's great stay,
Unto thy hurpblest subject grant one little
dance, pray 90
Since the war was DONE" the Governor said,
81 have not danced ," said he;
| Zone little whirl,' the maiden plead, oaE lit
tie whirl With me ~
! The Governor shakes his JoYe-like head, but
still that maiden begs-
81 CANNOT dance; too FULL he said, "of bull
let-holes my legs'
Then into vacancy be gazed, vherc hair
breadth 'scapes he saw,
And on that joyous companie fell hush OF
Breathe awe.