Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-06-03

A few weeks since the Washington
Post called upon Miss Clara Barton. and
i'll response to kindly words she said ::
"But, comrades, it is impossible for me
to respond in the eloquent words in which
your remarks to me are clothed. With
the fullest preparation l could not with
almost none | surely cannot. But there
is never moment, however unprepared
or inopportune, i'll which | cannot make
known to some extent my appreciation OF
and reverence for the organization Of the
Grand Army of the Republic. Since
human civilization commenced, and men
began to band themselves together for
mutual aid, for strength, for safety, for
power, or for causes of humanity, the
world has never seen an organization to
be compared to this in extent and num-
bers it is simply marvellous. manly,
open, firm, fostering and charitable to
the last degree 1t Is the essence of the
noble, intelligent spirit of the men
who formed the rank and file Of the Amer
lean armies. | have searched i'll vain
through other lands for something like
this. l have found every where the tra-
ditional old limping soldier begging his
way, public charge upon the precarious
hospitality of those who had nothing in
common with him. This picture has
come down to us through all time in
story, ballad, and song, crooned by the
frcside and sung in the streets for pen
nics. 1t was for America, young in
years, new in wars, To show to the world
something better than this. and an cxam-
pie worthy to he followed by every M
ton which ever AGAIN draws II sword IN
war and sheathcs II i'll pcare. After four
years Of such soldier life rs few armies
have known-fer i. wns Greek meeting
Greek on every field such extent of rude
territory as armies are seldom called to
traverse or to give battle ovsr-worn,
weak, and broken, You turned To your
homes for the remnant Of rest So long de
MED. But scarcely Were You there and
the sweat wiped from your brows, or the
old faded uniforms out Of sight, when
there arose from this weary mass Of vetc-
ran soldiers. this new element of society,
cry us of one voice Help for our com
ra,lcs, help for the sick and wounded, the
poor, the widow, and the orphan. Yes
help But from wherc-frhm whom ?
Did YOU turn To the civil public and say
to it. We have served and saved you and
YOUR reperty with our blood and our
lives, while you ute the bread and slept
the sleep Of peace and Iuirt. Will You
not now take ns your rlmrS" those whom
the war has dcs"lal,l? Ah, no. no
No such words McI,' heard from You.
But quick as Thought. Nuu drew your
selves together mln nnothrr army
grand, indeed -',nd formed your hollow
squares i'll every town aId village, and
from their shelterin@. loving wall shouted
to the limping. disabled comrade and
his helpless family and the widowed and
| orphans of the dead Come here come
here for food and shelter, our camp fires
still burn. Bring your woes, your neccs-
stiles, your wants To us. Only comrade
can know II comrades needs. Pour your
tales Of sorrow and want into our soldier
| hearts. and the outside world shall never
know Won needed its charities. You
shall neither ask nor receive hut of MS :;
and here it is your right, and for sixteen
wears that rallyinS cry: Come here.
come here = has sounded through the
| land Your camp-i fires have burned un-
dimmed, and in their cheering light the
widow has dried her tears, the tottcring
| orphan babe grown to man and woman
hood. The worn comrade has found
again his strength. or passed into hls
eternal sleep, and been gathered tenderly
to his rest And still the bugle-call.
Come here Come here : liz ringing
through MI the land and so would have
it, while there is comrade To hear It's
note or respond to its call. And when
there in but one left ! would have HIM
wrap his blanket around him, and, with
tho ilickering blaze of his dying camp fire
still iitfully lighting mp his br"n2ed sol
dier face, pass to the dreamlcss sleep
that waits the great rcyrlllc Of the eternal
morning"