The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-23
THE CAMPAIGN.
Tritten for HE Journal by MARY Dean.


Written for the Journal by Mary Dean.
The farm boy is breaking yoke of steers now
adays He also breaks pair of heifers and
teaches them to draw the baby in little wagon,
and those heifers will stay broke when they are
old cows. He helps to break the colt such
delicate matter, achieved by Harvesting the colt
with the old mare one hour each day, and never
letting it pull the farmer would be very angry
to see colt pulling heavy load. The colt
grows up supposing that the drawing of a wagon
is a sort of game. When Blaine was nominated,
the farmer told the boy to gather the brush and
make bonfire. The boy worked hard. dripping
with sweat and made big brush heap, piling it
against ffteenfoot stump. At night it was
joyous blaze that lighted the country. sThey
can see that to Beanblossom, said the boy. The
farmer enjoyed it and helped to roll UP the stray
Cling brush and poked the fire till Squire Hud-
gins appeared upon the scene, out of breath
with haste and shouting what the dickens!
Thought the Corners was a-frel Amt
We 'fraid it'll ketch yer hog penn
The hogpen is 200 feet away; but the farmer,
most cautious of men, takes the alarm and turns
on the boy with a scolding, which the boy thinks
disgustingly unreasonable
Thepresidential campaignrevivesw war memories
therefore at present the boy hears heartshaking
stories of old campaigns, mixed with talk about
grain or some bulls pelt Our war, like all civil
wars, was full of romantic incidents. To hear
them talked about by two or three veterans is to
feel the joy, the glory, the exhilaration of war
time when all hearts were great. It is to hear
the rush Of troopers through fresh Southern
woods. It is to gallop over hostile farms on
fragrant summer afternoons with the foragers,
men of cool yet courageous temperament, who
had calm, fierce enjoyment of skirmish that
made them love to expose themselves to draw
the enemy's fire. And then it is to walk coolly
into the barns and HOUSES of the enemy captur-
ing pigs. preserves and books. Moreover, ohear
the veterans talk is to hear the singing
and laughter of winter nights in camp In the
winter of 1862 there were in General Chapman's
camp debating society, an academy of music,
a prayer meeting, theater minstrel show,
and reading, studying, card playing and talking
unlimited. Furthermore, to hear the veterans
talk is to taste the ferocious rapture of war,
which changed a kind, gentle soldier to mad
man, delighted with killing and trampling his
enemies under his horses hoofs and splashing
their blood about. 1t is to feel for moment
that strange effect of war, the love of destruc-
ton. One of our cavalrymen once looked with
satisfaction through house he had just helped
to strip The rooms were strewn with table
legs, chair-legs, footstools china, cracked vases
and clocks. Mirrors were shattered, carpets
were sashed by cavalry sabres and over all
were poured feathers from beds and pillows. A
musical cavalryman had first played tune on
the piano, and then smashed it. One room was
darkened. A fire smoldered on its hearth and
before the fire stood a little boy crying.
stAre you aloneap asked the cavalryman
NO replied the weeping little boy. sGrand-
ma is under the bed.
The boy hears politics talked Aow The farmer
has the antique virtue of moderation, qualities
every statement he hears, and his own state
ments are temperate and truthful The impre
catory speeches of the campaign affect the
farmer not He objects to machine politicians,
which is one reason why they are often dropped
from politics, and can't get back; and it is one
reason why the people never vote as the poli-
ticians think they are going to. The talk about
politics around barn-door is the best heard any
where. The farmer and the boy both utter the
sentiments of that free spirit, nobly generous,
yet discreet Jefferson. who secured for us our
best Institutions who wanted criminals to work.
who wanted such titles as honor excel
lency and Mr.. abolished. together with the
levees and foolish ceremonies at Washington,
and said newspapers without a government were
better than government without newspapers.
The farmer has Jeifersons life and letters
book case
The boy wishes he lived in town s'The sub
lime and sacred joys of the country which the
sensibility of ancient poets hath felt, he thinks
all bosh He would like to join club and
march every night; the campaign uniforms are
to be plumed, ickle-plated and gay-colored, and
will make the boys look handsome The farm
boy will come to the city and see the fire. works
and the professions. in which gray business men
will walk solemnly with the boys, behind brass
bands The election is big game for the peo-
pie, which they play with zest, with jollity for
the winning side.