Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-19

laSC 10 the muse, ana as the car rolled out on
the rail his severity relaxed and this rolled out
on the air:
"Many men though who march in the ranks,
Are good as gold In the national banks,
They DO not run In the hour OF defeat
Like grocery butter on the hot buckwheat.
Rider Whoa! Changer"
One Of the platform passengers was ward
of the nation, who was dressed in a half and
half suit. His cap was of the army regulation
pattern and had evidently "been under fire. in
some heated contest, as good portion Of the
crown was scorched out. His coat, too, had
Of various colors plugging as many holes in the
fadedblue. Whether they werebullet holes or moth
holes the readers fancy must fix. He had on
pair OF plain home-spun pants, which gave an
odd appearance to his outfit. He had but one
arm. Was he an old soldier. or a one arm
whitewash artist7 Our rhyming disciple Of
Socrates sought to unravel this colored enigma
by the gentle influence of his divine art. With
much enthusiasm he drew these martial word
pictures for consideration Of the man and
brother:
did you ever stand on picket
When the night was clear and still,
With nary sound to cheer your heart
But cry OF whip POI WILL
Did you ever as soldier
With a corporal stand,
Stunning down the pork and beans
With hard tack'in your hand7
Change? Rider Whoa!"
SambO was surprised; he stood for a moment
like victim of the toOthache at the door of
dentist, not knowing whether to go in and open
his mouth or turn away in silence. After some
hesitation he spoke, however, as follows: sis
yer tawkin to me- boss?"
The sweet singer assured him that he was
"Well, boss" came the answer, Il ain no
sojer, but I seed de war. l ain nebber seed dish
yer town 70 has Mundy mornin. l comd up heah
fun RiChman on ur skurshun trane. In de war
times yused ter lib down in Jawgy, but now l
got ur job closer to dis place. Wen de war fust
broke bro -. out It. l was libbin wild man
rhoomatlz on nr plantashun, down in Fulton
county. Wen fote Sumter went outen de Newn-
yum all de white men in dat county look like
dey was crazy: gwine bout raisin cumpnys
rite erlong rasin CHICKENS wen de mites was
dark, an KEEP on doin dat fun dat da plum up
to de time Mister Sherman cum fru dar, wen l
gin up de bizness to him, an l clar ter erasmus,
dat he rase mo- CHICKENS an corn in dat county
in wun da dan could ur fetched urway in all
de bawn days ur my life. De men whar he had
wild him noed whar de things was JUS de same
as de ole Missus who had bin rite dar fer fifty
years. Ny old master war dekum In de church
an TO de Lawd seed dem yankee sojers fotch
mo- whiskey outer his cellar dan would er frOt
was in dat county let lone in de house OBJ UT
man who used to preach temprunce to de mig
gers"
After the bard had eased down soldier VINO
had captured from some Washington citizen
quantity Of the article last mentioned by the
key with this crucial test:
'In what big fight did you lose your arm.
Manassas Cap or lFrazier's Farm7'
What struck your hmb?-a leaden bullet7
Or did cruel she'll from socket pull III"
'Look ur heah, boss" said the colored man;
II ain nebber seed you befO. but gwine to tell
you rite heah dat dere ain muffin In dis wurl
ebber struck me wusser dan dat las vurse ur
poetry yer flung at me-"
The kind old poet. who is noted for his good
nature, quickly interrupted him with this atone
ment:
"Colored soldiers, good and true,
Nobly fought as boys in blue;
And now ask, in softer tone,
what wicked thing smashed up your bone7"
''Dar you 60 agin," said the Georgian Eyer
seems to be mOutly PUZZLED bout dat arm dat
yer can't see. rekkun better tole you bout
dat an den let you CESS wedder were ur sojer
or not. los dat arm dish yer way: Wun mite
in de fall ur "a. wen Gen. Shermmun was fool
in long dc cOnfedricks round Atlanty, sum OBJ
desc yer blak and blue boys you tawkin bout
cum arter me an sed dey nOed whar dey could
find one oh dem old time fellers who so orfen
my gun an l went wild EN- Oar was TO I'm us
in de squad. We pass de pkets an putty soon
we was in de low grounds whar he lib De
moon was shnin' brite an twant long 70 we
seed him rite IN lrunt un us close to his house.
Wen he seed US he started fer to run urway. but
wun oh de boys he outrun him an got on de
udder side Oh him rite across frum whar
was stannin an as he cum toards him
he up vivid his gun an fired,
but bless yo' soul, honey, he miss dat coon an
hat dis niger! OATS de Molasses Gap. whar
got shot in, al de farm whar got hurt didn't
long to de Mr.. Frazer whar you ak me bout 1
nebber wer sojer, an l ain nebber pint ur gun
at anything bigger dan a coon. De war histry
l wer gwine to tole yer was what l seed de
fedrick soiers.do roun Atlanty. but rekkun de
way l loosed my arm dun kilt 70 ntrst in my
war speriunces; but yer axed me. an I tole yer.
You is ur smart white man, but want fer to
tole you dat ebbery wun arm culald man Won
see wild a blue coat on ain gittin no twenty dol
lars fun de penshun agint to buy his bacon an
greens wild. Ur ma9's eyes deceib him heap ur
times, an rite yer members piece ur POETRY
l lernt wen was ur,boy. an ain nebber forgot
it. As you seems to be fon ur vurses III para
lyze you wild it. Dis is de wa it goes:
'sNebber 1edg ar manp de euler OBJ his coat:
Nebber gage yer drain by de size OBJ yer frote
Kase ur mules bliIis, dat Gioan make him lame.
He XIX 1is as hard, an he XIX jis de same"
When the rival philosopher put forth these
chunks Of wisdom the silent passenger sided
off.