Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1885-08-06
OLD SKELETONS DRUM.
tOriginal.l

Tennessee regiment. He was a peculiar old
fellow, and his long white hair, Ais sosdlerly
bearing aud his enthusiastic declamations
were known to every child in the neighbor-
hood. Old Shelton beat drum at the bft-
tie of New Orleans. He took the drum home
with him, and ever afterward, no matter
how often he changed his residence, lac
would walk behind the wagon and carry the
drum He would not allow any one to
touch il, and b. himself would not even tap
il except on the Fourth OF July. Then,
dresSe i'm his faded uniform, h would march
throughout the settlement beating what
he termed ''the exultant roll of liberty"
When the war of the rebellion came Shelton
refused 10 tight against the old fag.
Gentlemen" said he, when a party Of his
neighbors asked him TO beat his drum during
a Confederate muster, IF General jackson
himself should arise from the dead and ask
me 10 beat my old drum for the cause which
you have taken up | would tell hin. to shake
off his dishonor and then lie down again in
, his grave Of glory, but | would not beat the
drum
'0ld man, you are crazy" said Nat Whk-
erson. You ought to be proud of the honor
Of being called upon
IL would rather be crazy and be right than
b. sane and be wrong
Say, if you won't beat the drum, lend it
TO Us
''No, sir"
Suppose we take itf
We'll. men, YOU are nv neighbors and j
Y tl..t hls
hands on that drum WILL in two minutes, bt
1 as dead a. Packingham. That .lrum is mine.
When the war was over | asked General
Jackson IL might take il hons. What did
M do He grasped nv hand and said:
4 Buckley he always called me Buckley
the drum i yours. Take il an beat II
whenever our nations birthday rolls round :
Then Ireplied: Andrew ALWAYS called
him Andrew because be insisted upon it
said |. Andrew, | viii take it, did so,
and by the eternal YOU can't get it,
The neighbors smiled at the old mans ex-
cusable egotism, and none of them desiring
10 be a dead a. Packingham, hut preferring
rather TO lead a drumleSs existence. shook
hands with Jackson's friend and retired.
During the war, while a regiment Of Fed
eral soldiers were encamped IN Shelton ;
neighborhood. the commander. one morning,
was startled by the roll of drum. Think
lug ne wa, aLout to be attacked. he formed
his men in order Of battle ari awaited the
coming of the enemy. The colonel had
never seen an engagement, and could moi
help hut Leray anxiety the
drum came nearer and nearer. Pres
entity from behind great rock that
iuttei on. into the road, there appeared
an oil mqn. walking VITA martial tread.
Ills long hair strcamei out like the flutter oi
a white scarf Around his body he wore an
old flag. The soldiers began to laugh, and
the colonel. relieved Of his snxiety, joined il
the merriment. When within few rods OF
the colonel the old man stopped and saluteC
the soldiers
What do YOU mean by this untimei,
parader' asked the colonel, advancing.
IL am discharging my duty, sir.
''Is it your duty to alarm a campF
'.It i, my duty to beat this drum th'
Fourth of every July, it makes no differenc'
who is alarmed. Nv name is b. kley Shell
ton, sir. and / am obeying General JacL
sons orders.
what Jackson-Stonewalli'
NO. sir. my friend Andrew
s.Why. old man. your FREUD is dead.n
YES. but l am not
just then well-known Union man cam
along. Seeing Shelton, he related the oil
fellows history.
"Old patriot said the colonel, spend th
. a f..f, in.
the roll that thrilled the British put YOU
drum in INV tent and will place a guar
around il.
The Fourth # last July ] attended
barbecue ia the northern part of Arkan
sas. Several noted speakers were present
and thousands o. people had assembled
Just a one Of the speakers arose 20 addre-
the crowd the roll OF druia was heard
Then there went up a mighty shout. | ha
heard of shelton, and | eagerly looked j
: the direction whence came the 'exulian
roll Of liberty Presently he appeared. hI
>, white hair waving above the crest of "a hi
He wore the faded uniform and AN old fla
J was wound about his shoulders. His trea
was still martial though he tottered as h
walked.
n Uncle Buckley T. shouted one of III
: speakers, come and take seat ON III
stand
> "Nor' he replied, waving his drumsticG
with majestic flourish, my duty Is her
/. among the cotton bales where | can see th
y British General. the day shall be ours
When You want Buckley's blood, call for 1t.
He sat down by a tree. When u
: speaking had concluded, there was WI
" rush for the dinner table.
= Come. Mr.. SHELTON said the master
ceremonies. approaching the drumme
dinner Is ready. Come COUGHING u
9 veterans shoulder, ''you shall have df
q tinguished place Good Lord gentlemen
the old man i dead OPrE I. sSAD
n LrTTLg Rock. Ark. July l.
Abraham Iipeoin's Poverty.
In Arnold's Anecdotes OF Lincoln's Earl
y life" We have an account ot Lincolns a
"a rival, in 1887. at Springfield, where Il
Is lawyer who leni him law books had Offers