Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-06-11


An unknown quantity. so far.
! They talk to-day of civil war
| Fired on our flag the stripes and stars
Established by our Fathers prayers.
Then fight we must, give blow for blow,
And I shall leave my books and go.
Taking from one side the equation,
But spoilS the problem of our nation
We boys will go and just re-state ii,
Then what is wrong, eliminate it"
And so with many laugh and pun,
A world of earnest meath their fun,
They close their books, their plaus for life
And enter on the deadly strife.
Striplings to-day with book and pen.
Tomorrow grown to valiant men,
Quick to obey or 10 command.
They bring to aid their native land
The same firm will and just intent
Which brought success oR problems bent
few days pass; | see again
The waiting, crowded railway train;
seq the tears by Mothers She'd
The amile for parting words unSaid
| hear the jokes that turns to signs;
The quivering lips, the earnest eyes
The backward wave of many hand,
That last "hurrah" for native land
They're gone God keep them through the fra
That score of boys in Algebra
Why linger longer on the scene?
glimpse is quite enough, l ween;
From every SchOol-room i'll the north
Such bands of noble boys went forth,
From Office desk and backwoods farm,
They fastened at the first alarm,
And scarce a country shop or store,
But gave to Freedoms cause one more
When patriotisms holy fame
Through war burned out a nations shame.
You know the rest, why should my pen
The awful story tell again;
The happy letters hOmeward sent:
The jokes which so much heartache meant;
The photos of the boys in blue
The fondest mother scarcely knew;
The thirst for news, the long suspense:
The strain on every nerve, how tense
The anxious hearts, the eager haste;
No TINS Ilst a mo N ont
The welcome letter held SO fast
We dared not open il at last,
The boys are well? All yes, and no;
We've met and boldly faced the foe,
And I'm unhurt but James is"
No more we hear the tidings read;
The ashen pail of grief falls round
And shuts out other sight and sound.
But who shall say who Jared the best,
The one who entered into rest,
TO whom swift exchange was given,
From strife on earth to peace in heaven,
Or he who heart-sick with the strife,
Held honor dearer still than lie,
And turned again with courage true
To face the deadly combat through,
Or wounded on the battle plain
Lay thirStlug till the gentle rain
Came down like angels tears to soothe
The anguish it could not remove,
Then meath the surgeons hurried care
Who had no time a limb to spare
United both for peace and strife
Came forth crippled man for life?
We weep with tears of honest pride
For him VINO for his country died.
Alas for him unScathed by war
Who homeward led by loves bright star
Finds in their safe and sheltered nook
That Death his loved ones overlook.
Unarmed himself by shot and shell,
In the red mouth OF Wars fierce hell
Some unseen hand seemed Death to foil
That Death might him of all despoil.
For those who persisted in the fray,
We gladly keep Memorial Day;
We read the honor roll aloud
OF evry kinsman justly proud,
For thoughts of love the outward sign,
The laurel and the cypress Irvine,
But memory sets no day apart
For him who lives with broken heart
Who measures as he counts the cost,
The worth of all he loved and lost.
But why should IN feeble verse,
The horrors of this tale rehearse?
Gou know the unromantlc side,
Ofglorious march and dashing ride;
You know the sorrow of the strife,
The awful loss of human life;
Iou shudder as you think again
Of tortures in the prison pen;
You know the victories and defeats
You counted with your own heart beats;
My muse is singing to each heart
How well each soldier bore his part
From Sumpter's summons to the fray.
To peace on AppOmattox day.
You need no words, you clasp the hand
That held with you the battle brand;
You look into the kindly eyes
Which watched you meath the Southern skies:
You look upon the banner worn,
By shot ana shell in combat torn,
Beneath whose folds with martial tread,
You followed where the battle led,
And follOwnd too with rousing cheers:
You look to-day with gathering tears.
The peaceful years which lie between
The time when last that flag was seen,
The guerdon of your hope affair."
Amidst the clouds and smoke of war,
And this fresh morn in early June,
When Heaven and EARTH are all in tune"
Seem like clear and perfect lens
IN which the near and distant blends;
Aud shining through the midst of tears,
You see across the coming years
The bow of promise, perfect span
OF brother love 'twixt man and man.
With soldier zeal and right good will
You try again the army drill;
The tactics of old sixty-three
You know as well as Abe,
Somehow are changed. You've lost the trick,
You cannot load and fire as quick,
Aud keeping time with easy swing
Has come to be q harder thing,
You straighten up for dress parade.
Aud note the changes time has made;
Once raven locks are streaked wsth gray,
The muskets heavier grown to-day,
And here an ache and there scar
Proclaim the ravages OF war,
While now and then an empty sleeve
Your hearts best homage doth receive.
You look along the rank and file
And count the missing boys" meanwhile,
Whom peace sent home with eager feet,
Who neer again with you will meet
THEY'VE crossed the river just before,
And in the twilights fading CLEAN,
Their silver tents you almost seem
To see, upon the farther shore.
That hillside cottage far away.
Seems almost in our midst to-day.
Where scarce one little year ago
The "Old Commander lay so low;
The silent man." so firm of will.
So bent upon his purpose still,
That even death he held al bay,
Till his great work. completed lay;
Till his stout heart and valiant pen
A fortune lost, had won again,
And on this past Memorial Day
The flowers and wreaths from far away
By kind hearts sent from sea TO
Bore tributes to his memory.
Not to the Generals sounding name,
Nor TO the hero's wider fame.
But TO the manly tact so rare,
That knew to strike and TO forbear;
That pressed the combat TO q close.
Then made him brother to his foes.
lis said that master of music.
When dying was harraSsed with pain
That the strain he was leaving unfinished.
There was no one to take up again.
Do you who have writ with the musket
The song of the valiant and true.
Do YOU wonder, as LIES scenes are closing,
V ho Will take up the strain after you?
I
Undsunted by day and By night
To see that no stain of dishonor
Ere clings to its folds rosy bright?
| Do you wonder how long will the Southland,
Whose defeat was blessing unseen,
Still whisper the watchwords of treason7
And cherish the bitterness keen
Do you wonder whence cometh the Lincoln
From labor to strike Of the chains
To lead from worse bondage than Esypss
Gods people away from their gains.
You have settled the question of Union;
One Nation we live or ve die.
/ Der the land to our Fathers God-gIvsn,
But the star spanGled banner may Ay.
/ No red flag Of var and disorder.
Must haunt In the breeze and the sun.
Through the leagth and the breadth ofour bord
Our country and banner are orr
And the song the irst beats Of whose measure
We have written in bloodshsd and teArs
/ Shall yet be the chorus Of nations
When Peace shall have hailoved the yearA
Col. J. 4. Watrous. of Milwaukee
was the principal orator of the da
He spoke about half an hour and W;
attentively listened to.
/ He said: While the men who ser
ed in the Union army during the r
bellion had sacred and Imperial
duties to perform their duties durir