The Republican journal., 1898-01-27
A Story in Rhyme.

A story III Rhyme.
just word, my southern brother,
10 you who wore the gray;
Let's try and understand each other
Before we've passed away.
Time is going swiftly,
A record should be made
Let Truth sit down with Justice
Awhile, and all the facts be weighed.
You tell us Boys in Blue
When you talk it right out plain,
"That the cause for which you fought
Was right, and you would fight again"
We say, Shooting at the dear old Flag
And trampiing it in the DUST"
Is no more nor less than treason
To mind that's simply lust
We thought when the war was oyer,
And of fighting you'd had your fill,
You'd drop Your animosities,
And not talk treason still
They say you've got history
Showing the secesh point of view
Oe which was right, and which was wrong
And teaching it to your children, too.
We hope while you are about it
You'll not let the chance 90 by,
But tell the whole of the story,
For half the truth a lie.
While you speak of Jefferson Davis,
And laud him to the sky,
just tell them the story of Lincoln,
TOO, who dwells with God on high.
Of how when Lee surrendered,
After fighting four long years.
You boys knew what was coming,
You saw it through your tears
And " hen you stacked your arms,
And our music met your ears,
How General G rant rode along our line
Saying, boys, hold back your cheers"
'Those men are our brothers,
No doubt they re feeling bad.
Let's not add to their sorrow
By cheering, though we're glad
Says Grant to Lee, Dear sir,
Is there anything can do2
Your men look worn and weary,
L fear they're hungry, too"
General Lee answered him.
In his serious, thoughtful way,
"My men have nought to eat, sir,
Since dawn of yesterday"
Then says Grant to his Commissary,
Let's feed these "Boys in Gray"
Issue thirty thousand rations
To help them through the day.
Let them keep their horses, too,
They'll need them on their farms;
Let them go back to wives and mothers,
And be welcomed to their arms
Now instead of building monuments,
And stirring up old strife,
Why don't you join with us
And strengthen the nations life.
You say you d be just as loyal
If occasion should arise.
And fight as we'll for the dear. old flag,
AS you did against it, under southern
skies.
You brought Jefferson Davis body
From his Mississippi home
Into the State of old Virginia,
Where it lies in beautiful tomb.
Now in this act OF itself
There's certainly no fault to find,
You should honor your sacred dead,
To do otherwise is ungrateful, unknd.
But why bring out your children
To lay flowers on his bier;
Why give them the impression
That the "Lost Cause" is still dear?
why not act with us together,
Love our country, hate its foes,
And let go of that delusion
That's the cause of all your woes.
If you thought you were right,
Well and good, let it be so,
Don't make others think so, too
Who were not old enough to know.
just step up and acknowledge,
Every word of which is true,
If your side had triumphed
| Our country would have been rent in two.
| Now bless you, isn't it really better
To have things as they are,
To have one flag, one country,
| With loyalty for our guiding star?
| E. B. BILLINGS.
Lynn. Mass, January, 1898.
For Over Fifty Tears.
| AN OLD AND WELL-TRIED REMEDY.-Mrs.
Winslow's Soothing Syrup has been used for
over fifty wears nv millions of mothers for