The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-05-28

tdko you nOIQe.
Yes! THIS is baby
NAV. WHERE WAS THE HOUSE?
She knows her daddy. Don't she. sweetf
The boys are plantin corn
With Sam, an Mary-hless her heart
She's spinnin In the barn.
We live thar. When they burnt the house.
Had nowhere else ter 60.
It's served us well In summer heat
An winter cold an snow.
They burnt the beehivee, an the fence
Soldiers. it wus-s whole brigade.
The first come gilpin down the pike
An said I'd give the rebels aid.
"tWell. gentlemen. says I. 4 wish could.
I'd do it in er wink-ef you but would
Gimme the chance And then they laughed
an said
I better take the oath. shook my head
An they went lopin ON. Twus the advance
Good fellers, too-but by the wust o. chance.
GerriIlers bushwhacked EN- ON top the hill.
The rascals shot an run, but shot ter kill.
They hit the yankee majer-young an slim
Peared like the rest thought all the world &
him.
As they come back. right at our gate he fell,
They brought him in. an laid him by the well.
In the thin shadder of the poplar trees.
Twus spring, an all the yard alive with bees.
Mary brought cordial-but his face wus gray,
He jest could whisper tween the blood spurts,
Pray
/ tried ter pray-but couldn't say word
Fer thought Of you. excsptin, % dear Lord.
Receive an comfort thou this passin soul
An bear it up while deaths black waters rolll'
Somebody caught my shoulder rough, an said,
stop cantinl Don't you see the majer's deadi
Ole rebel hypocrtte your time has come!
You fed an harbored this gerr1ller scum.
They've killed the bravest man that wore the
blue,
You helped 'em. an. by God, your help you'll
ruel
With that he made ter hit me on the cheek,
But Mary caught his hand. cOuldn't t speak.
She run an snatched q chair frum of the porch,
An set me down ter sue 'em ply the torch.
ssThey piled it well. They lit fire ter fill
The whole clear space that lays frum hill ter
hill.
It drove US back, an back. an when the flame
Wus roarin loudest up the gin 'ul came.
He stopped an stared. I raised my hat an
bowed,
Then looked him in the eye, an said out loud.
Jest as the orderly finished his reports
'You come too late, sir, fer the cream O. sport.
Retaliation can't bring back your dead.
It may make little children cry fer bread,
An leave no roof above er womans head
CT that don't complain though. Understand
know your man wus shot upon my land
Land that Lindsay earned in seventy six
An Lindsay blood sheers no assassin's tricks.
Guiltless are me an mine O. that mans blood
As babes unborn. I'm old an not much good
At ightin, but the man that come an said
harbored gerrtllers, spied fer EN- an fed,
Must take it back-er take er broken head
"My! Eff them soldiers didn't cheer
The gin'ul loudest O. the gang!
He shook my hand an made his flies
Play Dixie tell the ole hills rang.
He took our baby in his arms
An kissed her little rosy cheek,
Then rode away without word
l ra' ally think he couldn't speak,"
The old man g Quavering treble hushed-
The path had brought them to the door.
How quickly Mary's fine ear caught
A loved step on the gathering foori
With swallow motion swift and light,
She ran to greet her soldier true.
Beyond all speech. her sweet blue eyes
Brimmed over with loves happy dew.
In benson. the dipping sun.
Sent through the door Last bright ray,
And in its light the old man knelt
And softly murmured, "Let us pray"
Peace has its own dear battles.
Bravely, In sun and rain,
! Through the quick April weather,