Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-02-13
Il he Old Soldier.


outline himself upon the public mind
as a distinct character in American
life. Literature has not yet got hold
of him, and perhaps his evolution is
not far enough advanced to make him
as serviceable as the soldier of the
Republic and Empire, the relic Of the
Old Guard, was to Hugo and Balzac,
the trooper of Italy and Egypt, the
manned hero Of Borodino and Water
loo, who expected again the coming
OF the Little Corporal. It takes time
TO develop a character, and to throw
the glamour OF romance over what
may be essentially commonplace. A
quarter Of q century has not sufficed
to separate the great body of the sur
viVing volunteers in the war for the
Union from the body OF American
citizens, Notwithstanding the organi-
cation of the Grand Army of the Re-
public, the encampments, the annual
reunions, and the distinction of pen
sions, and the segregation in Soldiers
Homes The cold soldier slowly eli
inmates himself from the mass, and
begins to take, and make US take, a
romantic view of his career. There
was one event in his life, and his per-
sonality in it looms larger and larger
as he recedes from it. The heroic
sacrifice OF il does not diminish, as it
should not, in our estimation, and he
helps US to keep glowing lively sense
OF IL. The past centuries about him
and his great achievement, and the
whole of life is seen in the light of it.
In his retreat in the Home, and in his
wanderings from one home to another,
he Eliminates on it, he talks OF it; he
separates himself from the rest Of
mankind by broad distinction, and
his point of view Of life becomes orig
inal as il is interesting. In the Homes
the battered veterans speak mainly
of one thing; and in the monotony Of
their spent lines develop whimseys
and rights and wrongs, patriotic ar
doris and criticisms on their singular
fate, which are original in their char
ac6er in our society. 1t is in human
nature to like rest but not restriction,
bounty but not charity, and the tired
heroes OF the war grow restless, though
every physical want is supplied. They
have fancy that they would like to
see again the homes Of their youth,
the farm house in the hills, the cot
tage in the river valley, the lonesome
house on the wide prairie, the street
that ran down to the wharf where
the fishing smacls lay, to see again
the friends whom they left there, and
perhaps to take up the occupations
that were laid down when they seized
the musket in 1861. AIas it is not
their home any more; the friends are
no longer there; and what chance is
there Of occupation for a man who is
row feeble in body and who has the
habit OF campaigning? This genera
ton has passed on to other things. It
looks upon the hero as an illustration
in the story Of the war, which it reads
like history. The veteran starts out
from the shelter of the Homo. One
evening, toward sunset, the comforta-
BILE citizen, taking in the mild air on
his piazza, sees an interesting figure
approach. It's dress is half military,
half that Of the wanderer whose at
tention to his personal appearance is
only spasmodic. The veteran gives
the military salute, he holds himself
erect, almost to erect, and his speech
is voluble and f1orid It is a delightful
evening; it seems to be a good grow
ing time; the country looks prosper
Gus. He is sorry to be any trouble or
interruption, but the fact is-yes, he
is on his way to his old home in Yer
mont; it seems that he would like to
taste some home-cooking again, and
sit IN the old orchard, and perhaps lay
his bones, what is left of them, in the
burying- ground on the hill. He pulls
out his wel-worn papers rs he talks;
there is the honorable discharge, the
permit of the Home, and the pension.
Yes. Uncle Sam is generous; it is the
most generous government God ever
made, and he would willingly fight
for il again. Thirty dollars month,
that's what he has; he is not beg
gar; he wants for nothing. But the
Fe sion is.not payables till the end of
ne month. It is entirely his own OBJ