The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-10-20
SOLDIERS BUDGET.
Our Johnnie.

lDtO Jig nVubt " LeLJe,
With hair so long and so bright
Crying. mother, johnnie has listed,
He has listed into the fight"
"Don't talk so wild little Lettie,"
And she smoothed her darling's brow,
"'Tis true, you'll see, as true can be,
He told me so Just now"
"Ah, that's a likely storyi
Why, darling, don't you see
II Johnnie had listed into the war,
He would tell your father and me7"
"But he ia going to go, mother,
Whether Its right or wrong;
He 10 thinking Of 1t all the while,
And he won't be with us long,"
"our johnnie going to the wari
Aye, aye, and the time is near,
He said when the corn was once in the ground
We couldn't keep him here"
"Hush, child, your brother johnnie
Meant to give you a fright"
another, he'll go. I tell you l know
He's listed into the fight"
"Plucking a rose from the bush he said
Before its leaves were black
He'd have a soldiers cap on his head,
And a k%napsack on his back"
"a dream, a dream, little Lettiei
A wild dream of the night,
Go find and bring your brother In
And he will set us right"
SO out Of the house ran Lettie
Calling near and far,
johnnie, tell me, and tell me true
Are you going to go to the war7'
At last she came and found him
In the dusty cattle close
whistling Hail Columbia,
And beating time with his rose.
The rose he broke from the bush when he said
Before its leaves were black
He'd have a soldiers cap on his head,
And a knapsack on his back.
Then all in gay mock anger
Hejplucked her by the sleeve
Saying, Dear little. sweet little rebel
I am going, by your leave"
o, Johnnie, Johnniei" low he stopped
And:kissed her wet cheeks dry,
And took her golden head in his hands
Aud did her he would not die.
but Lettie, II anything happens,
There WON'T" and he spoke more low,
"Butif anything should, you'll be twice as good
AS you are to mother, you know"
mot but that you are good, Lettie,
As good as you can be,
But then, you know, 1t might be 80
You'd have to be good for me-"
SO straight to the house they went, his cheek
Flushing under his brim,
And his two broadshouldered oxen
Turned their great eyes after him.
That night in the good old farmstead
Was many a sob OF pain
40, Johnnie stay. II you go away
1t will never be home again"
But Time, its still, sure comfort lent,
Crawling, crawling past,
And Johnnie's gallant regiment
Was going to march at last.
And s~teadying up her stricken soul
The mother turned about,
Took what was Johnnie's from the drawer
And shook the rose leaves out.
And brought the cap she had lined with silk
And strapped his knapsack on.
And her heart though it bled was proud Is she said,
"You would hardly know our john"
Another year and the roses
Were bright on the bush by the door.
And into the house ran Lettie
Her pale cheeks glad once more.
"Oh mother, news has come to-day,
IT'S flying all about,
Our Johnnie's regiment they say
Ia all to be mustered out"
30 mother, you must buy me a dress
And ribbons of blue and buff,
Or what shall we say to make the day
\ cry and mad enough.
The brightest day that ever yet
The sweet sun looked upon,
When we shall be dressed in our very best
To welcome home our john"
30 up and down ran Lettie,
And all the farmstead rung
with -hara ha unuld aat his hav0nat
Aud where his cap would be hung,
And the mother put away her look
OF weary waiting gloom,
And q feast was set and the neighbors met
To welcome Johnnie home.
The good old father silent stood
With his eager face at the pane
And Lettie was out at the door to shout
When she saw him In the lane.
And bye and bye a soldier
Came over the grassy hill
It was not he they looked to see
And every heart stood still.
He brought them Johnnie's knapsack,
Twas all that he could do,
And the cap he had worn, begrimmed and torn
with q bullet hole-straight through.
Alice Cary.