Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-06-25
in thr linz ON Dccoration day men who

III the limo ON Decoration day;men who
won't join the q, 4, r.; men who net,
on every occasion where soldiers come
together publicly, as though they were
ashamed of il, and wanted 10 forget
they ever were i'll the army, We used
to say in the army. God hates Il cow
ard, and these fellows are the mcancst
Kind Of cowaniS. God hates them Tho
soldiers detcSt them, good citizens DIS
pisc them, and | think they must want
to ~ out sometimes and hate thcm-
selves IL death, But we're changing
all this, and the rroudcst men in the
land should I've the men who, looking at
the flag waving over an undivided
Union, can say, i helped to plant It
there, The men whose eyes grow
brighter at the sound ot bugle call,
whose heart beats quicker Vt the tap Vt
" drum, who walk the streets with the
swinging old get there" gait that is
only learned ON the long dusty roads
and woarisomo marches, and is never
taught in II frcScoCd drill room The
men whose numbers are growing less
and less year Ivy year, and whose ranks
cannot be rccruitcd- how closely they
should bc knit together now Look ut
them at their reunions and in column
on Decoration day, Count tho gray
heads, the bowed shoulders; look ut tho
white boards, see tho spcctseles that
reinforce the failing eye sight Why,
where are all the young fellows who
were in the army with your What has
become of the hoySs What does Il
mcmH oh, my dear Robert, the col
oncl Of 10, is an old man
of 10 now; the captain OF 30 can't
comb the gray hair over that
bald spot that used 10 be covered with n
coal black thntch, and his married
children came home ,o celebrate his
titicth birthday last week, AND your
commde OF 20-well, ycs, that is him,
full bearded, with mn earnest face, and
he buys shoes for six little feet now.
Nong Oh, yes, YOU have changed Just
rs much IA he has And SO, year hy
wear, the reunions will ho more lightly
Nttendcd, the old heads viii bc grayer
and the old eyes DINNER, and rs the
ranks thin out, there will he me- recruits
to,till them up. The old guard will die
out at last without achievements, sur
rendering to- the only enemy who ever
made il trcmble, relentless old Time
himself But Ms the old eyes grow dim
mer, thank God, the old hearts will
grew warmer and the old dreams
brighter, and the last days Of the "old
guard. how beautiful they will he. b.
proud my boy that you are one 81
them; walk across the street To shake
hnnds with n soldier and eall him com.
radc, and when YOU lay odd Abe
away, for his days are nearly numbered
soldiers honors TO his grave, and tel
your children, when you teach them to
love their country IA the men Of the
grand old second brigade loved il, tel
them over my last cyrie that here was
n bird, that was named nftcr the grand
est and best man That God ever sent t.
save II nation; That here was bird who
marched three long years, through
storm and sun, through light and dark
through fire and blood, between two
loyal ilngs; bird who hated II traito,
and loved the rnggcdest blue jacket tina,
ever covered loyal heart; n bird thu
did his part in striking the letters from
four millions of human beings, bccnus,
he loved freedom with the God givci
instinct of bird, and wanted TO clevat,
mankind MS nearly 10 his own level n
possible. And when you see any Of th,
old boys Robert, tell them "llowdy" fol
me, and tell them for both Of us
Good boys, God bless you MI
! Ever your comrade,
RoBr J, BrRpE1-TR