The National tribune., 1894-01-04

By LAPI- JACK IEANEphb-
I went with other people Qua to whar the sogers
oanped.
To great sham battle. an as with tho crowd
tramped
Some great anticpatons flied my bosom. an got
So eager I could hardly keep from siFikin' mp a
trot.
thought il would remind mo O. the halisiuysr
days.
When in them Southern sorimmages faced the
battle blaze
When shot an shell war shrekin around an over
head,
An sacred soil waz' ihckIy slrewed with pale. I'M
pleasant dead.
Thought I'd hear the grosuin' o. the wounded on
the ieId,
pes!ed.
An SEQ some bIsziu' beIciIes from tho stomach pit
c'he!i
An hear the Union cheorin' an the oT-time rebel
yell.
ihought I'd see the baltic fire Ia every soger's
eye.
An, see the big balloons o. smoke darkenin' the
sky,
An hear the screamiu' o. the shells on deadly mis-
sion bent,
An all the skeery sounds with which the Southern
air rent.
The buge.biown assembly" DER the Summer
landscape stole,
The fell in with lanGuor. and the Sergeants
called the roll,
The officers put on their swords, arranged their
gold-trmmed suits.
Then waited till their strikers brushed the dust
from Off their boots
Then donned their gloves o. creamy white, twirled
their n,ustaches, and
In front o. their brave warriors undaunted tux
their stand,
An keepin' step to tap o. drum marched with In
trepid tread,
To meet defeat or victoTy-whiche'er their orders
said.
The detailed enemy went forth an TUX position
massive. smoky buiIdin' whar they manufact-
ured beer;
Some sogers sought secluson meath its high up
reaching dome,
Then marched forti, to the conflict with their
whiskers fiecked with foam.
The signal bugle sounded, an the skirmishers be-
gun
TO shoot their deadly puffs smoke an snciSer al
the fan,
Till from the gallant Giueral the brief command
was sent
To close the little sideshow an open the big tent
Then the contendiu' forces--two hundred men
they said
Marched forward to the battle, by their smooth
shaved chieftains led
Halt! Steady thereI Right dressI Front!
Loadf Now for the conflict. boysl
FIREl" OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ID made g
louder noise.
Tie dreadful roar O. battlep that the paper.
talked about,
The "bIiudin' smoks o. carnage" an defiant
battle Shout
riyeu all"
Conspicuous by their absence from that field o
battle were.
Sometimes one side ID start an run like mad g
little way,
Then chase tn advancin' foen1an back. jes' like
two dogs at play,
geons ran
To calkilate the injuries o. detailed wounded
They felt his pulse looked at his tongue, an left
him layin' there,
An walked back 10 their companies with wise an
lofty air.
Saluted and reported that the warrior was dead
/ knowed q darned sight better, fur seed him
scratch his head.
Again the tide o. battle rolled-or rippled should
say
Till most o. the spectators had got tired an gone
away;
Toward the town in deep disgust almost double,
quicked,
An didn't keer q tinker's durn to asce'tain who
licked.
/ saw but one thing material in all that lazy fight,
An it brought back the time days distinkly 10
my sight
The tent they used fur hospital-in which stopped
to peer t'-+
War crowded full O. shirkers that complained o
di-R-reeri
JOSH BILLINGS used to say that " it was
better to know less than to know so many