Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-01-25
NORMAN C. FERKISs,

| ine ioIIOWlns poem, entllleu juno
Training" was then read by the author,
Norman c. Perkins, of Pomfret:
Time was, long since, when each Green Noun.
| taineer
A soldier came to b, for one day in the year
| 10 tell the glOries and the dire mishlps,
| In martial lines. all headed with tall caps
| 0fthat great day, when each heroic band
| Marched to its towns defence, Tonight stand
Among the mig guns here, and to increase
| Their roar, perhaps, fire otf my little piece.
Springs work was done the old, low fences pooled,
| The sheep all sheared, ard all their Aeeces sold
| Excepting what the housewife saved for yarn
| To knit boys mittens, and perchance 10 darn
| Or iOot-out stockings Of that lasting kind
| Whose feet depart but leave their legs behind
| The wheat grew green upon the steep side hill,
| While yet the bin held many gr.st for mill,
| The sentry scare-crow watched the tender corn,
And close beside it, listening for the horn
| To call him to his dinner OF baked beans.
With rye-andlndian bread, or salt pork boiled with
green's,
The hungry farmer stood. and wrest,cd with the
weeds,
And maryeled at the growth from evil seeds
With bustlng haste, across the new plowed land,
Stalked the Town Constable with Warrant in his
And while his victim leaned upon his hoe.
The solemn Warning read in measured phrase, and
slow,
you are commau ded. now ;" or words to that effect,
Armed and aecoutered rs the laws direct.
ON Tuesday to the Town House to repair.
Then strobe the warlke farmer from his field.
Like old Achilles going to scour his shield,
And took, with sign Of battle in his looks
His Springfield musket from its wooden books
Above the fireplace, or, more ancient still,
An old Queens arm thai came from Bunker
Hill,
While his good wife, who had but small desire
To see such weapons by her kitchen fire
Declared the gun loaded and forgot
The thing would blow his head oil, lust like a
not
So true it s, through all the changing year,.
An empty guns the thing woman fears.
The garrett was his arsenal, and IN that realm OF
lie found his bayonet il its sheath all covered oer
with rust.
An iron ramrvd. and anon Lis priming brush and
wire,
Two extra hints-the hno was nnerence If they
didn't str ke dre
ii Is Gnspsack Of meats leather. handed down to
him from
Who had worn 1t on his shoulders in the Il :ht at
Bennington
canteen with the initials rIcc.y elrVcd upon its
head,
OF soldier who drank from it, and lay down be-
side IL. dead;
The Old eartridg e box now empty, which held |
many good ounce ball,
When its owner chased the redskin, as they hei to
Montreal
From the deed they did At Royalton, where, IA sol
oilers OF the Crown,
The Indians scalped the people while the British
burned the town.
Thus the farmer iound his armOr
And it see med like FURNISHED gold
And II glistened as he listened
10 the stories that it told
on the morning when the Warning
Called the Company TO lie,
Each new conner heard the drummer
Heard the buelr and the fife
Saw the Captain ali enWrappci ia
Gorgeous uniform and lace,
with a feather altogether
out OF sOlor and OF place
Heard the peddlers like rough meddlers
Crying III their stock in trade
fokers, Tenders, and suspenders.
Jewsharps, combs. and Lemonade
saw the slender sanity Nender
OF those cards OF gingerbread
Which no baker or DTead-maker
Couhl make now To save his heat
Saw the willing soldiers drilling,
saw them marching in and out,
TIL they grounded arms. nstOuLIad,
And stood iacln. risht-abUut.
Corporal Cottle passed tho bottle
All along the single file
Able bodied soldiers nodded .
Each to each and took smile 80
And they said, 1T is credit q
That although the grOg is free. ,
We iJnt let er get the better
" one IN our Company; u
But It's sarchn'. ana in mlrcLln'
IL viii Timber every int .
Tn pile the cost on down to b, stun !,
Fu'pence ha penny pint
And though tie handy cider brandy {,
OF the kind we have to hum I
We delight in, vet Tor fshtin' >,
6lNe us good New Enga land Rum
nus Training Day wore on. and when the u ght h
drew near :,
Ich warrior grim cast oil his martial gear, u
~ took II hand at honest hall and bat u'
II "base-ball, mind you, but good 'two old Il
I'd when, quite weary Of the catch and toss -
} reached his home all hungry, tired, and cross, "
> thoughtful he pmatc, KNOWN. how 'twuuld he, re
'thed all his woes with nutcakcs and hot tea pc