The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-07-30
A letter Old Soldiers.


The following was sent in response to an
invitation to be present at the reunion of old soldiers:
ToMUEL Cnorr Esp.-My BepptifUl Dreamer:
Your Invitation to me to be present at your bean ban
qnet Is received, and regret to say that previous
engagement will prevent me from taking you by the
hand on that occasion and leading you through green
pastures and beside still waters. DO you think want
TO get all the beans In the country? AM not hog
Tom. know when get enough beans. Tie last
painful of beans at the milwaukee, camp fire fixed me-
and have not looked bean square In the face since
don't know what 1t is but there Is something In
beans that make men sociabie and reckless. Beware
Of beans, Tom, as you value your future happiness.
Look not upon the bean when It's baked ana giye IT'S
color IN the PAN for at last sweeth like accordion
and biteth like cucumber.
But would like to he there. Tom, and take the old
soldiers by the hand, and look into the eyes that
becoming dim, and notice the effect of Father Tunes
penciling the faces of the boys who twenty years
ago, full of vitality and kltteny as any
that ever kept step to tue rating of canteens against
cartridge box; Boys, 10 YOU realize that you arc
getting old ? When you enlisted twenty years ago
the Government glad to welcome you to it's ranks:
but u you should go tca recruiting on,cer to-day he
would say: MY friend. you are too old You'd
feel like kicking the recruiting olccr, but he would
be right. You could not stand the marching the
lying under fences sleeping In the mud and living on
army rations. 1t Is hard to realize It, but VI another
war was to break out your little baby that you left In
ms mothers arms twenty years ago, grooming at the
the chap the Government would want.
boys, you are rapidly becoming ''uld back nun
bers though You feel young enough to stub around
nome. You are ''eNempt - now. Do you realize
that the little baby girl who chung You said good
bye twenty years ago, with In your eyes big
as glass paper-weght or au editor diamond, IL
woman, married, aud that another baby IL trying to
utter theworl grandpa when you come In putting
youthful airs?
1t Is pleasant to chase the festive bean nd
the home campfire AMI talk of the nights when you
slept on the ground under pup tent, sous but
tle-leld with your wet aui muddy plntalpun legs
frozen stiff dried goldfish, willie you dreamed that
every star that was looking down from above the
eye OF dear one beckoning to you to - Hold the
Fort - and hurry up and get through with the
founded fOOlishness and come home. You can laugh
you think how you got after such a nights
rest looking as though you had been drawn through
brush fence, and swearing because the niger was
afraid to come up with the camp-kette Of coffee.
You who are left have right to be happy but in the
up with your cup OF black coffee aud drink to
g The boys who neyergot home the brave fellows
who never returned 10 the loved ones they parted
from twenty years ago. Let us hope that the great
Congress above - removed the disabilities - of the
boys who left vacancies In their regiments, and that
the few chickens they took from the enemy by way OF
business may not be entered up against them the
Big Book, but that the provost guard on duty at tho
gates of the New Jerusalem Will "preseut arms ~ TO
them and tell the boys they welcome to the best
there is, and that when all get In work here
and are ready TO Join our regiment in heaven, the
fellows that We're buried years ago may stand on the
parapet as we come struggling In and give MS the
soldiers welcome, " three times three with n
tiger; and we shall say to them. " All right COM
rades; we would have been here before, only were
detained on business. 'GsOrge Peck.