The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-29
JAMES CAMPIN' GROUND.


Not fer any price you've in hand.
Thar's somethin' here besides ther land
Besides ther grass, trees, loan an sand
somethin's ben here sence sixty-one;
Nes. ever sence ther war begun;
An it's worth more ter me an wife
Than can tell you, in er life
Kinder lonely sence ther great strife,
Whom ther nation ter drum an fife
Marched as or man ter meet ther toe,
An, es you know. hoed out it's row.
It's way back, five an thirty year
Sence ther -regimunt camped here
Their noblest, grandest set o. mem
Their world ever saw, now er then.
our boy Jamir, es likely lad
Is ther country, ther army had,
Must take er hand, ware 'mong tner fust
Ter Inst, an, faith in God we trust
Ter shoulder gun an take his stand
In ther camp, right here, on this land.
see him now, light haired, blue eyes
Ahl twas so hard ter break ther ties
1 see him pacin on his beat,
In all weaihers, in rain an heat.
Tween duty, one thing an mother.
Come home of'n ter me an mother;
In rhet tryin time, dismal days,
Their ways ware like ther lovers ways;
An ct soem'd so cruel ter part;
But mother said ''Ciod'll give us heart,
Ef we trust Him, ter bear ther pain,
An bring Jamie ter Us ergain"-
'Scuse me- these tears can't repress
Their feelin's thet--l can't express
What twas + us ter give mp our boy
Our only child, our only Joy
But bright an strong he marched erway-
o. ther rec lections o. thet day!
Now, when ther tents ware taken down,
drove or stake inter ther groun'
Jost whnr our Jamio's tent had ben
Don't know why-I can't tell-but then
Early next spring, much work ter do,
| set ther plow ter cleavin' through
Their old camp groun', quarters. parade.
Through company lanes an streets, made
by er thousan' men or drillin',
Marchin', counter. .mnrchin', film.
/ got ter ttnkin' o Jamie
Powerful bard-you can't blame me
An when plow'd up ter ther place
Whhr his tent stood. most face ter face,
Seem'd ter me, with thor boy ergain,
/ had ter stop, ter draw ther rein
| broke plumb down, an on plow beam,
Set an thought an let ther tears stream.
1har's whar ne stood-ther kindest face
Clingin' ter mother-last embrace.
Thought their hearts must break-took on So
sech or wrcnohin' ter let him go
An no cry baby boy ware he.
| But he lov'd his mother-an' me.
Wife saw me on ther plow-come out
Ter see If sick or what erbou'.
| What ware in the arY What comm
! Ter tear ther heart-cause soch suff rim?
| Tween thcr plow handles mother stands
Weepn', sobbin', wringin' her hands!
What coul1 ct -presentimunt
! OF life's hope, joy, intermun;S
| Yes, et come thct nigh, 80 telegram
| meet ther boly ct Rockn'ham.'
| God Just, but twas 10 hard. an wife
/ thought sure she'd lay down her life
| b 20 liv'd, resign a, through good an Ill,
Works on toward Heaven with me still
| Still thinkin' OF her soldier boy
OF life ter come, with him. & enjoy.
| See thet elum tree over thar?
4 Et stans on the SPOT xantly whar
| His tent stood-whar wo saw him last
Set Ave an thirty year, May past;
| An thet land haint ben p'ow'd up sence-
Jest what yo sec inside ther fence.
! No, while life lasts-Tm eighty one
| Nothin' with land can here be done;
| For thor land an thet eluB tree
/ Seem or most sacred an, ter be -
! Er kind o. link tween mem'ry blest
| An reunion an heavenly rest
GEO. A. SToCKwELL.