Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-20
BY The great horn spoon, III hoata' ies

"By the great horn spoon, III hoatia' iesl
Stump, -"
Lieut.. Jesms Monroe, II you please"
"yim, how in thunder did you do itr
"Bought five ton at the pork house lust IN
sde the mouth O. the creek. and hired the mig
gers to chuck il in an let IL float But don't
you call me jim again, you inferno -"
keep your rebel tongus-but never mind
1oSp conn,pT y0Sys ES ss.s he'd
shouldn't wonder II you'd be President one O.
these days. You'll please cross in the boat
with the commander-iirchiek an'-An' kerry
the flag, darn you. if you did get 1t a."
Just then Gen. Knox came between thu two
to unload scriptural language ON some boat
men who had capsized dusout BY strfkine
cake Of ice. Then the headqusrtere boat
crossed and was received with loud scclsms-
stern-wheel steamer, which had picked MP tho
Missouri spectators, brought up the rear with
series Of snorts which would have aroused a
sleeping camp ten miles away.
Then the army was formed and strange
spectacle IL made. First Il seemed very funny:
then it didn't great many people laughed;
others looked pale and some eyes moistened.
The commsnder-in-chief. who was somew Ill
at ease, seemed to be looking ''all ways to
once" as his wife sfterward told him, al
though he tried to carry himself gravely. Two
or three times he rallied on the flag, which
Lieut. Jeems Monroe was holding aloft with
fine dignity in spite OF a rather stiff breeze.
When the ranks were in order and awaiting the
command to march Washington rode to the
center of the flank and shouted:
Attention! Front! Tho commanding
officer wants ev' rybody to understand that this
amt no fool show. It's intended to mean
something by bringin' back somethin'. Them
that don't think SO had better 60 back home"
Purity durn quick, too" murmured Lieut..
Jeems Monroe, from behind mouthful Of the
stars and stripes which the breeze had tried to
force down his throat.
''Right-face! Forward-marchr roared
the commander-in-chief. Then he turned
toward the colors and whispered, Ego up head,
Jim, SOS everybody can see the glorious old
rag even if you did git it on the first day at
SHILOH"
The column started; there was no music-for
fear OF alarming the enemy--but there we're Q
lot OF men in the ranks who had marched
before, and, though it was long ago, they knew
now to take the step and keep it. They re-
membered great deal else, apparently; it
never took much to recall the great experience
OF their lives, SO that dxy-the first day that
any OF them had formed ranks since the great
dlspandment-their recollections came so thick
and fast as to entirely envelope them and
silence them. AS they tramped along the road
they slowly rcgained the old swing of the march,
ana slowly the young men in the ranks caught
IL from them. Scarce veteran spoke, and
even Ii the young men broke ont into fun they
were frowned into silence, The crowd of spec
tators-nen. women and children-at first fol-
lowed umldly in the rear, but little by little GU
rloslty got the better OF fear and led by the small
boys, they formed an irregular procession on
either side OF the road, beside the main body.
lrumbuiis device OF a flour busted road. with
suggestions of bloody foot prints-a device
which he had half regretted in his cooler mo-
ments-made n deep impression on the col
iectlve imagination of the yicinage, and the
only voices that wero heard confined them
N r mi
Jim, whispered the commander-in-chi
to the standard-bearer. Its a-workin'. Ev'ry
thin 8 as solemn as church meetin."
solemn as funeral, was the reply. 81
wish twas nigh the end
The longer IL lasts the more they'll see of
the old flag. jim"
Then it can go on till kingdom-come, If my
right arm IL last that long, George"
''Hurrah for he JiIn-between friends, you
know, I'm glad-things havin' turned out to-
day the way they have | don't mind ownin' up
day."
Sorry? I'm gladdern ever was before.
was SO full o tight that day
He maketh the wrath of man to praise
hlm, though sometimes he's long time about
interrupted the comrnander-in-chief.
wonder where my boy Jonathan is?''
Close benin you. Nobody ever see you
fur?'
on, notnln tnat 10, we re gettln nigh the
enemies pickets. an it's about time. Zee them
bits O callker up yonder!''
''Yes, 1 see EN-. What bout it?''
well, You know what George did, an I
reckon it's high time to bust UP this awful
quiet. Then the commander-in-chiefr rose in
his stirrups, turned his head and roared: l
Attention! Charge give them the
bay'net!" :. =
The pent-up emotions of the crowd ESCAPED
in loud yell. as the troops dashed into the
clearing, where a crowd of damsels and colored
women servants stood awaiting the procession.
There was sudden scattering. but Trumbulrs
boy, Jonathan. who had very long legs singled
out Car Ina Iulver, overlook her. dropped
his gun and captured her In the manner pecu-
liar to Young men with women of whom they
are very fond. Other young men made similar
captures.
'Jona;hans throwd down his arms to Car
lima shouted the color bearer.
Don't sec but what his arms is where they
ort to be, responded the commander in-chief.
'1rum, remarked Stump. two birthdays
later. an awful lot o weddin . come out O. that
celebration o the crossin O. the Delaware"
YES, but that amt the best of it, Sump."
responded the ex-commander-in-chief .!All
the boy babies has been baptized George.
Reckon we resurrected the old man.