The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-08-05
AND THAT'S THE WAY HE FELT.
From the Vieksburg Herald. ]

He had a wooden leg, three fingers
were gone from the left hand, and he had
to use crutch. In the dusk of the eve-
ming he sat down on dry goods box on
the street corner, and striking the ground
with his crutch, he exclaimed:
well, old pard, the war over, Gimme
your hand-shake hardr'
He shook the crutch with hearty good
will, and continued:
There no more Reb-no more Yank!
We re all Americans, and standing shout
der to shoulder South Carolina along.
side Massachusetts-we can lick the boots
Oft n any nation under the sum-
tie waited awhile and then went on:
mo more sklrmishes-no more fouts.
Uncle Robert is dead, Gen. Grant wants
peace, and they're melting up swords and
bayonets to make cotton mill machinery
We re about through camping out, old
pard, and we hain't sorry-not bit"
He leaned the crutch against the box.
lifted his wooden leg, and said:
Lost good leg up at Fredericksburg
when was under Barksdale. and Burn
side thought he could whip old Uncle
Robert and Stonewall Jackson together !
Good Lord but wasn't it Dot that day,
when the Yanks laid their pontoons and
got up and got for u.s. And when we
got up and got for them, wasn't it red
hot
He stopped to ponder for while, and
his voice was softer as he said:
But | forgive EN-! | took the
chances-and lost I'm reaching cut
now to shake hands with the Yank who
shot me, and III divide my tobacco half
and half with him. 1t was a big war
1ank and Reb stood right up and showed
pluck, but it's time to forgive and for
GET
He cut chew off his plug. took off his
battered hat and looked al it, and contin.
ued
Didn't we all come of one blood
Hain't We the big American nation {
Isn't this here United States the biggest
plantation on the river, and is there
nation in the world that dares knock the
chip off our shoulder!
Maryland, my Maryland,
Michigan, my Michigan"
He put down his leg, looked at his
crippled hand, and soliloguized:
Three fingers gone-hand used up,
but I'm satisfied. Folks who 90 to war
expect to feel bullets. We stood up to
the Yanks-they stood up to us-it wa
fair fout, and We got licked. Two fin
gers .hain't as good as five, but they are
good enough to shake hands with Come
up here, you Yanks, and grip mel We
raise cotton down here you raise corn
up there less trade !"
He lifted his crutch, struck it down
hard, and went on:
"Durn family who'll fight each other
We've got the biggest and best country
that ever laid out doors, and if any for
eign despot throws club at the Ameri-
can eagle, We'll shoulder arms and shoot
him into the middle Of next week -
He sat and pondered while the shad-
ews grew deeper, and by and by he said
There's lots of graves down here
there's heaps o war orphans up North;
I'm crippled up and half sick, but / m
going to get up and hit the onery cusS
who dares say word ag'in either.
We've got through fighting shak-
ing hands now, and durn the man who
says a word to interrupt the harmony
It's one family-ole Uncle Sans boys
and gals and babies, and We re going to
live in tho same house, eat at the same
table, and turn out bigger crops than any
other ranch on the globe"
He rose up to go, raped on the box
with his crutch, and continued:
"Resolred, That this glorious old fam
lily stick right together ii the old home
stead for the next million years to
come ~