The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1897-05-27


glorious past, too, though red with
other things than the rust which gives
me my dull, swarthy hue. They have
spruced me up a little with paint that
j might be in keeping with other park
accessories, but you may observe that
there is rust in my throat, while its
marks show roughly through the thin
coat of paint which but half conceals
tie ravages of time, l may look grim,
but am not so savage as might at first
impression appear.
"When the war began l was young
and handsome, not the battered veteran
of these later years. The gunners were
proud of my trig and trim appearance.
ard groomed me as carefully as if l were
a prince out on parade. You should have
seen me as, with other guns of my cali
ber and class, started for the front in
response to the first call for volunteers
issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1861.
Polished until every piece of metal
about me shone, waited upon by brave
men in uniforms as striking as my own,
/ attracted admiring attention from
multitudes all along the line. There
were six of us, all exactly alike, and we
spoke with one voice when called upon
10 respond to the ardor of those men
starting toward the front.
"It was not long before we were in the
rush and war of battle. Where we were
could be found the very craters of the
war volcanoes, Redeemed with our lurid
fires, enlivened by our bulldog bark,
reddened sometimes with deeper Grim
son than that of flame. We were sons
of thunder and hurled thunderbolts,
shooters of lightnings which struck with
deadly effect. Our throats were often
parched and our IRON constitutions
racked and. strained, but we obeyed
orders, and sullenly served Death
until told to desist. They were
brave men who handled us in
the very center of the carnivals of
blood and fire, and ever above us floated
proudly our gallant comrade, the old
flag, often tattered and torn. singed
and ragged. but its stars shining ever as
stars of promise on their armament of
good union blue. Not less courageous
were the men in gray who fought under
what is now the conquered banner.
Even our iron souls and hearts of steel
thrilled with honest admiration of their
dauntless bravery. What a pity that
such men must be swayed in deadly con-
fiict, one against the other. Thank God,
that is all past now, and the old flag,
well beloved north and south, floats in
love and protection over all Colum bia s
braves. If the men in gray were mis-
taken they atoEed for their fault in
countless ways known only to brave
hearts who meet defeat. We love them
for their courage and devotion, hail
them as brothers true for evermore
But this is DEPRESSION. Old cannon. like
other old warriors, become garrulous
when they recall the days which tried
mems souls and burned out the dross il
the crucibles Of afiliction.
''You think my language rather
choice for grizzled warrior accustomed
10 camp and field? Well. was a Wesi
Point graduate, if you please, and one,
shone resplendent among the ordnance
aristocrats of that eminent institution
of learning.
1T was at battle on the mountain
near the sea. fighting bravely at clos,
quarters on a ridge overlooking deep
wooded ravine that l was disabled
There was opposed to us battery o
heavier caliber, and, after our men wer'
nearly all down, dead or wounded.
heavy ball struck me directly in TIL
muzzle, broke this jagged piece from IN,