The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1897-07-06
"The Soldier Tramp"
fBy an Unknown Author.)

10y AL On>uONu AuLuoEsJ
Yer honor, plead guilty. I'm hummer;
don't deny the cop here found me drunk.
l don't deny that through the whole lsng
summer
The sun warmed earth has been my only bunk
! amt been able fur to earn ivin',
A man with one leg planted in the tomb
Can't get Job-and I've strong misgfvin'
Bout bein' cooped up in a soldiers home.
"Whar did lose my leg At Spottsylvania;
Perhaps you've read about that bloody fight +;
But then guess the story won't restrain We
From doin' what the law sets down as right.
I'm not vag through choice, but through mis-
fortune,
And as for drunk-well, all men have theil
faults,
And Judge, guess I've had my lawful DO rtior
OF rough experience In prison vaults.
II served as private In the Tenth New Jersey,
An all the boys'll say done what's right
There amt man kin say Abram Bursey
War ever found a-shirkin' in fight.
Right In the hell l-born, fearful roar OF battle,
Whar shot and she'll shrieked through the
Amid the binding smoke and musket's rattle
You'd always find me doin' the best could.
I'VE had brave oil fellow for a colonel,
We called him Sweety but his name was Sweet
Why, Judge, swear 1t by the Great Eternal.
That brave oil cuss would rather fight than eat
And you can bet your bottom dollar
In battle Sweet'd never hunt tree
He'd allus dash into the front an holler-
Brace up, my gallant boys, and follow me-
We'll, just afore the Spottsylvania battle
or Sweety came TO me an says says he,
1 tell you. Abe, 'taint many things'u rattle
A tough oil weather beaten cuss like me,
But In my very sool I've got feelin
That I'm a-going to get dose today.
An 'taint no use for me to be conceal.u'
Tim sldttish thoughts that in my bosom play.
For many years you've been my nelghbor,
Bursey,
An have allus found you squar' and true;
Back In our little town in OIL New Jersey,
No one has got better name than you
An now want yer promise, squar'ly givee,
That If our cause today demands my life,
An you yourself are left among the living,
You'll take me back an lay me by my wife.
well. Judge that day, amidst the most internal
An desperate, bloody fight ever seed.
Way up in front saw the DARN colonel
Throw up his hands and tumble OF his steed;
In half a minute was bending DER him,
An seeing he wasn't killed outright.
loaded him upon my back and bore him
Some little distance back out o. the fight.
The blood from out CHASTITY wound was flow
ing
An so l snatched the shirt from of my back,
Fur could see the brave OF cuss was goin'
no die unless held that red tide back.
An purity soon seed he was revivin.'
And heerd him whisper Alb :, you've saved
Yer OF wool shirt, along with your eontrivin',
Has kept me from that grave beside my wife,
We'll. judge. while stood there beside him
schemln
On how "a get him in Doctors care.
A ten pound shell toward us come screamin'
lust like a rlvin' demon in the air.
And when it passed found myself a-lyin
across oil Sweety's body. an l see
That tarnal shell that by US went a-fyin'
Had taken my leg along for coLIpauy.
We'll. judge. that's all. 'cept when the war was
over.
found myself cripple, and since then
I've been sort OF shiftless. worthless rover
But just as honest as the most of men.
have never stole dime from living mortal,
Nor never harmed woman, child nor man;
I've simply been bum, ami hope the court'n
De Just as easy on me as ii can"
Then spake the judge ''such helpless. worth
less creatures
Should never be allowed to bum and beg;
Your case. it's true. has some redeeming fea-
lures.
For In your country's cause you lost your leg,
And yet feel the earth needs an example
10 check the tendency OF men TO roam
Tine sentence is thai all your life your camp'u
BE In the best room in my humble home"
The soldier stared-dumb. silent as a statue
Then Ia a voice OF trembling pathos said
Judge turn your head and give me one good
look at you:
That voice is like an echo from the dead"
Then forward limped. his grimy hand extended.
While tears down his sunburned cheeks did
roll,
And said, with slang and pathos strangely
blended.
why, Colonel sweety, darn your brave old
soul -