The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-18
disappointed because you did not get

NGlLQGT Tie South WIZ oaSdo OI buC
war, nor the north who so promptly took
mp the gauntlet, fully realized the magni.
tude of the situation at first. Tht
south thought the northern peo-
pie were so eager to make money thai
they would sacrifice their principles rather
than to go into an expensive war. Ths
north thought they could suppress the re
bellion in three months. But the war de.
| veluped and expanded and both parties
, saw the mistake they had made. And
then when President Lincoln called for q
larger number of volunteers. to serve for 8
much longer term, you came again frou
all parts of the loyal states. singing: 1--WE
are coming, Father Abraham. three hun
dred thousand more" Your promptness
in answering the call of your country, and
your bravery displayed IN the very first
battle of the war. were a great surprise &C
the rebels. II they had believed in 1851
what they found to be true early In 1861,
thew would not have fired on Sampler
neither would there have been any one OF
the great rebellion.
The most sacred duty war owes to his
country is to volunteer for his country
defiance This duty every one of you per
formed with credit to yourselves and
honor to your country.
We admire the chivalry that
caused so many of you to
rush to the recruiting stations when the
first call was made for rs, 600 men to enlis,
three months.
War in this country was novelty then
The old wars were then known as his
torical facts. Washington. Marion, Stump
terand their generals. who had distin-
guished themselves in their country's serv.
ice, together with the brave Continent tails,
who marched over frozen ground with
bleeding feet at Valley Forge, and yho
fought from Lexington to Yorktown, and
made this a free country, were revered and
honored by every loyal citizen of the
United States; but the stearn realities of
war had been forgotten.
Again say, we admire the chivalry OF
the men who answered the first call, even
if they did think the war would be of short
duration. But the idea that the sup
preston of the rebellion would be holiday
trip on dress parade, was soon abandoned
and long and bloody war. with hints OF
doubt as to It's result, met the people OF
the north in all its stern realities. Then
was the time that tried mems souls.
And again l say we admire the intelli-
gent bravery of the men who left their
families and homes and came understand
ingly to the recruiting stations and we're
sworn in to the service of the United
States, knowing full well what was before
them. While we admire your bravery in
Cblioi.uB5 youh bkdSCAJ III buC AClu Vi
bSttle where your comrades fell by your
side. your bravery in the prison pen while
you and your comrades were Starving, we
have no less reverence for the bravery OF
your mothers, your sisters, your wives,
and your sweethearts, who SO valiautly
drove back their tears and babe you go.
Even yet, in your memory you can see
your dear old mother standing in the door
the evening you left the old home to join
hvoSy ho
strained her tears until she had kissed you
good by and had given you her parting
blessing. But when you had started down
| the lane, when she realized that you had
gone, her tears flowed as they had never
flowed before. You did not see them and
tbs we'll that you did not. Her grief
was witnessed only by the Great Father
above, who heard her fervent prayer that
you might come again and that your
honor might be untarnished. Then there
was the sister, whose idol was her brother.
They had grown together from childhood.
He was only few years her senior, but
she looked upon him as her protection, so
brave, so kind and so thoughtful for her
comfort. Could she give him up? He
said his country needed his support, and
she hid her sorrow while she babe him 60.
There was no JOY, but real heroism in that
parting But here is the wife with her
The husband, great stalwart man with
brawny hands and handsome face. comes
home from town. He enters the house,
kisses his wife, fondles the children as is
his wont, but he looks embarrassed, for he
does not like to break in on his wife's hap
piness by telling her that he has "volun-
teered" She notices his embarrassment
and divines the cause. She has been ex-
pecting it, for news from the front has
been discourag1ng. She had read of the
bout of Bull Run and of other reverses.
She knew that her husband, SO kind and
SO true to her, would be equally true to
his country. Her first gush of sorrow was
soon conquered. She dried her tears and
bravely gave her consent. If you had
happened along by their modest little
home next day you would have seen them
part. You would not willingly intrude on
such a sacred scene. They both look care
worn and weary, for they spent the night
in talking over their plans for paying the
balance on the farm and adding some
little additional comforts to their home.
These must be deferred for the present.
They have agreed on what to do, and how
she shall manage the business. Now they
are standing just outside the door. The
SITUATIONS of love and endearment have
exchanged. He has kissed his little boy,
who is too Young to realize that papa is
going far away, and that he may never re-
turn to his little man." His wife holds
the baby up for the last kiss, and he
is gone. When that young mother re-
turns into her now lonely house,
after having watched the form of
her departing husband, until he turned
the corner and was out of sight, when she
looks upon her little cues Ali unconscious
of what has TRANSFERRED. When she faces
the cares, formerly divided with her
husband, but all devolving on her now,
when she looks forward to the lonliness
she knows is in store for her, think you
not she is as brave as the soldier who con-
tends for the mastery on the field OF
battles
But here is the soldier boys sweetheart-
the saddest one of all. She has kissed her
lover q secret goodbye. They have plight
ed their troth anew, aud both have
promised to be faithful till he returns with
an honorable discharge They linger long
at parting but BOW he is gone. IL she
weeps she must weep in secret. She has
no confidential friends to whom she can
tell her troubles People would "talk' if
she had. If her lover is sick or wounded
she cannot go to him to take care of him
and nurse him back to health. Ii would
not be considered proper" for her to do
SO.
The mother, the sister aud the
wife Can talk TO their friends
of their troubles and their disap-
pointments. They can have all the com
fort that symp ,thiziug friends can give
bat the soldier boys sweet heart-the
heroine Of the war had TO suffer in secret
and bear her troubles alone But tell
You when Johnny came marching home"
all the trouble was forgotten and size soon
had a partner to share her joys, for her
sorrows were ali gone. All honor to the
brave women who stayed By the stuff.
while you fought the battles of our coun-
try"
Then" is past the war IS over and the
m an harr of tina q A X ran uur sft doxru