The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-06-04

among these myself. "They look sort Of
fuzzy and stuffy, as if they'd been pressed
by lot of babies with toy irons," one
bold malcontent ventures. "Aud the
seams of the trousers legs curve in and
out of sight like the spiral staircase about
tower" added, twtching at the offer d.
ing legs. "And but, fortunately for
further criticism, half dozen orderlies"
camp, and we were left to clear up
the much.belittered apartment, and we
younger girls to turn our attention to the
flag presentation of the next day, in which
the seeding States were all to be repre-.
sented by young ladies in white dresses
and blue cocksdes, who were to stand
upon the courthouse steps in very hot
sun, and dismiss the gallant soldiers to
the field of glory with sort Of patriotic
doxology.
The next day came Gas next days are in
the habit of doing); an immense con-
course of people was gathered in the court
house square to witness the flag presenta-
tion and departure of our first company.
The hot sun blazed down upon our bare
heads as we stood waiting for the heroes
of the hour. Full an hour after the one
appointed for the flag part of the pro-
gramme passed when we heard them COM
ing; heard the fife and drum playing in a
dismal, down-hearted fashion, singularly
suggestive of depression and defeat, and
presently thsre filed into our presence the
one hundred and fifty-six victims of our
zeal and shears. Men with jackets riding
up in the back and down in the neck
men with one sleeve dangling over their
knuckles, and its fellow vainly essaying to
cover long bony wrist men with trous-
ers that converted them into peripstetic
corkscrews men who writhed like snakes
to reach their mysteriously located pockets;
small, short men, whose selection hav-
ing been decided by the Wristbands,
found it necessary to coil the superhuity
of leg into roll about their ankles large
men, whose selection having been deter
mined by promising amplitude of leg,
had been compelled to supplement waist
band deficiencies with leather straps. A
faint cheer went up from our victims as
they were drawn up in line before us.
Then their commander went through the
cruel mockery of thanking us for deform-
ing his splendid-looking fellows. could
see the fun dancing in his eye, and twitch-
ing the corners of his long mustache as
he delivered the little speech, which, for
his own conscence's sake, hoped he had
prepared before seeing the mischief we
had wrought. Significant gestures, such
as pulling at short sleeves, rolling down
misfitting collars, folding surplus lapels
across breasts, occupied the solemn atten-
ton of the men during the captains
qualification.
The banquet cheered them but slightly.
The iron (of our scissors) had entered
their souls too deeply. Then they went
away from us; hating us, l make no
doubt. Our president acknowledged,
when the inevitable criticism of thou.
sand tongues was brought to bear on
these garments, that I" she never would be
able to understand it. Them patterns
had been doin' duty for nigh quarter of
q century, and she never would know what
got into them soldier Clothes"
We all knew that lot of very wretched
men had gotten into them. Our boys we're
defeated in their first fight. The officers
assigned variety of reasons. They were
surprised by an ambush they were out
numbered; they were this, that, and
t'other. 1 knew better. 1t was those
clothes that whipped them. We women
did it. Some one has said "There is a
moral support in the consciousness of
being we'll dressed that neither religion
nor philosophy can give" In the hour of
danger our victims lacked that support
and they we're defeated. j. II. WAL
worth, in Christian Union