News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-06-15
TIE PLAYFUL ARMY BEAN.
A Tribute to the Boys who Never
Got Home" ~

The following tender and touching
tribute to the so!diers who never re-
turned from the war, was written by
George W. Peck, in the form of letter
of regret at being unable to attend o
"camp fire." of a Grand Amy Post at
JanesViDe, Wis:
I don't know what it il, but there is
| something in beans that makes men
sociable and reckless. Beware of beans,
Tom, as you value your future happi-
ness. Look not upon the bean when it
is baked and giveth its color in the pan,
for at last it swelieth like an accordion
and biteth like a cucumber. But
would like TO be there, Thomas, and
look fnto-t the eyes that nfe becoming
dim, and notice the effect of Father
Times pencilings on the faces of the
boys, who twenty years ago were as full
of vitality and as kitteny as any man
that ever kept step to the rattling Of
canteen agaInst cartridge-box.
Boys, do you realize that you are
growing old It is hard to realize it,
but if another war were to break out,
your little baby that you left in its
mothers arms twenty years ago, crow
ing at the hand me-down blue uniform
in which you were disguised, would be
the chap the Government would want.
Boys you are. rapidly becoming cold
back numbers;" though you feel young
enough to stub around home, you are
exempt" now. Do you realize that
the little baby girl that clung TO you as
you said goodby, twenty years ago, with
tears in your eyes as big as. glass
paper weight, or an editors diamond
pin, is now woman, married, and that
another baby is trying to utter Ae word
grandpa" when you come in putting
on your youthful airs
1t is pleasant now to chase the festive
bean around the home camp fire and
talk Of the nights when you slept on the
ground in pup tent, or on some bat
tlefeld with your wet and muddy
pantaloons' leg frozen as stiff as cod
fish, while you dream that every star
that was looking down from above was
the eye of dear one at home beckon-
ing you to "Hold the Fort" and hurry
up and get through with the confounded
foolishness and come home. You can
laugh now as you think how you got up
in the morning after such nights
rest, looking as though you had been
drawn through brush fence, and
swearing because the nigger was afraid
to come up with the camp kettle of
coffee.
You who are left have a right to be
happy, but in the midst of your bean
banquet let me ask you to stand up
with your lin cup of black coffee and
drink to The boys wl1o never got
home, the brave felfoEass8 8lio returned
not to meet the loved ones they parted
with twenty years ago. Let us hope
that the great Congress above removed
tho disabilities" of the boys who left
vacancies in their regiments, ana that
the few chickens they took, in the way
of business, from the enemy will not be
entered up against them in the Big
Book, but that the provost guard on
duty at the gates of the New Jerusa-
lem f" viii 'fpresent arms" to them,
and tell the boys that they are welcome
to the best there is, and that when we
all get in our work here, and are ready
to join our regiment in heaven, that the
fellows that we buried years ago may
stand on the parapeis as we come strag-
Cling in, and give us the old soldiers
welcome, with ''three times three"
with tiger. And We shall say to them,
"All right, comrades, we should have
been here before, only we were detained
by business.