The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-09


Meanwhile Trottolino. faraway, toilcd and
swcatcd and suffered and broke his hear,
under the heavy pack aud muskct and the
brutal orlors Of the barracks, and his
pretty, thick, loose curls shnfn, his limbs
aching, his lungs painting his body starry.
ing, anl all hls soul sickrning. too, Tor the
life lac had loved and the affections he had
lett.
Poor little Tro,,olnol One among thous.
ands Of country lads, torn irom their
peaceful hills and wales, their quiet mead
ows aud their gladstone VINEYARDS, 10 swell
the ranks Of NJ clad. IN fed. III treated con.
scripts, kcnncllcd IN filth. pushed to and
fro In cattle trucks, weighted with loads
like painting pack mules, forced down un.
der the brutalizing machine OF military
life, which presses out nature from the
very veins aud bones OF Us victims and
slapcs from the warm, living flesh pup
pet, tool, a thing, a creature without
eyes. " ears, OF sense, or will OF iis own, a
playlEing for death. missile In the mrr.
cilcss hand Of the State.
Poor little Troi,oiinol
They sent him Ear away TO some south.
ctn town Of which hc had never heard
the name. lie was miserable, aud Oft.
times on the march big tears would fal,cr
on bis curling lashcs aud roll down his
checks, once rosy ~ the roses before his
cottage door Ut home.
lie was pcrpe,ually at fault. and pcrpct.
ually punished, he was agile ~ a goat
1.-THE a. a squirrel. aud had once been cav
asa lark. He did not wish 10 disobcy, but
obedience was impossible TO him-such
blind, stupid, dull Obedience against all
the laws OF nature ~ was now cxactcd
from him. AZ home. never in all his lie
had he disobcycd his mother or his mas.
tor, he had run 10 do their bidding like a
docilc dog. But hero In the barracks they
brutalizcd, bcwidcrcd, stunned, stupcRcd.
maddcncd him, he was always In fault,
often ho knew not why or wherefore, and
punishment faincd upon him as blows will
rain upona willing horse from cruel hands.
until his happy and buoyant spirit was
broken and beaten into a sullcn silence,
which was ~ unnatural 10 him as ID Il TO
the ripping aud muumunng river 10 grow
still ami iWtid aud stagnant under the
pressure Of factory wheels and the burden
Of factory refuse. They kept him there
Ia the ugly city OF the South
with It's baked aud dus, stfcwn plains. Ia
binding, stony streets, liz scorchinr
ufoutl, dragging us icct IN seemingly
unending marches, lying dazcd with fatigue
and hungry on the benches Of the bafrnck
yard, always tired, always iooisorc, always
aching from head 10 foot, longing with a
dim passionate longing, like chained
dogs, TOT his familiar roads, his grassy hill.
side, his merry simple life, his people, and
his home.
Aud liiondina9 lie wondered.
Bondina could write very good, slilI.
school taught handwriting, but she never
sent MIN "A line nor even message. Tho
rare letters he got were from his mother
and grandmother, written for them by the
village priest They were short and ead.
thorc was always some bad news In them
Once his father had driven the pl,chiork
through his inslcp aud was useless Tor
months another time the eldest brother
had the lever, got IN making bitches; aud