The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-22
NANCY
LEE.

~ boys In blue fer whom we are
~ baking and brewing. roasting
and stewing. and in the Ian
guage Of the old darkey, putting ';he big
pct In the little one" I, seems so long
period in one way and so short a time in
another since Johnny got his gun and
marched away to the reunited tunes OF
Hail Columbia" and Dixie
Lots Of things have happened in the last
two years. There Is one thing that should
make US inhabitants Of the Evergreen state
rise up and rejoice. It Is that the Wash
ington soldiers not only wore the blue,
but were true blue from start to finish
II isn't every state that can show as fine
a record as We can as to manners and
morals. not to mention courage and daring.
And the boys! Won't they have tales
to tell and yarns to spin after they have
eaten enough and slept night or two In
bed? Tales OF wars alarms and how we
licked the yellow boys" will be as thick
as clover blossoms here Ia June.
Q Q Q
What will father say when he gets his
boy home. the lad who left him such
little while ago and now returns with the
swagger Of the soldier ana the carriage
Of a man who has fought and won his
battle? I tell you daddy. you'll have to
sing little small about a few things. No
more laying down the law when the next
election comes around. No more telling
Dick to vote your way and not his. Dick
has been to war, and il the fellow who
has fought and bled 60 fer his country
doesn't know how to govern 1t when he
comes back safe and sound and without
scratch, he does not want father or aav
other fellow to tell him how to do It. So,
daddy. you had best light your pipe and
81, still while Dick tells his own stories
and what he saw and heard when at the
front. II you possibly can. swallow every
thing except the rusty gun which Dick
brings home to show what sort or tools
the yellow boys used: swallow everything.
because, taking ali things into considera-
ton, boys must blow a little to get the
steam off. And Dick has done good ser
vice and has been credit 10 his country.
his state and his family.
And mother, who has shed so many tears
while Willie was away at Manila. what
Will she say? Didn't tell you all along.
old lady. that your boy was all right and
would come back. this eide up with care?"
Didn't I tell you not 10 cry your eyes out
and your nose red? Didn't / tell you not
10 borrow trouble, and didn't preach you
a fairly good sermon on the text that the
sinner dies a thousand deaths?" That day
when you felt 50 blue, wasn't heartiess
in order to help you. when quoted that
horrid old saw about 'nought is never in
danger" and didn't I go home and have
quiet little weep all to myself when l
thought of you and OF your Willie, and all
the rest of the Willies who willy nily
were up against it, and no mistake?
Didn't tell you, old lady. that everything
must end, even philopena?
And now you've got your boy back, or so
nearly back that there's no talk of the
starched shirt ready for him, and have you
sent his best trousers to the tailor to be
pressed? You'd better hurry up. 1t will
not be many days now before Johnnie
comes marching home again, hurrah,
hurrah!
And suppose. old lady. you put Dora's
photograph on HIS table. You know 'he
photograph you syly took and hid when
you knew he was packing his kit TO go
away with his regiment. You knew he was
looking for IL high and low, and couldn't
find 1t. Don't you remember how mean
you felt the day after he left and you saw
Dora walking along the opposite sidewalk?
Don't you know you felt as though you
had stolen a sheep and every one who
looked at you wanted to say 'Baa?
Brace up old girl, and put the PHOTO
graph where Willy will see 1t when lie
comes home. Do you think he Will love
his dear mother the less because she re-
members how his father wooed AMI Won
her and because she wants her boy TO be
as happy as his father was when every
one In the family was pleased with the
match his mother had made?
Get move on you and put Dora's photo
graph where Willy can see IL the first
thing.
Don't forget how sad ana worn Dora look
ed when Seattle was shaken with the sad
tidings that Capt. Fortson had given his
life for his country. and all the mothers far
and near asked who next?"
Don't you remember that your first feel
ing was about the picture You had stolen
from your boy? Don't you recall how your
weary heart ached over the thought that
II your boy had been shot how sorry YOU
would have been 10 have deprived him
OF the comfort of carrying away with rim
the picture OF the girl upon whom re rad
set his young heart? Put IL on the ratle,
that's II dear, You will never regret Il
Willy loves you very much. II you doubt
ii think OF the day he left. He knew that
photographs even OF angels have no wings
and that time IL vas not the cat"
And wee Jamie. isn't he Just glcasiry
over the fact that his big brother Tom who
went out and wholloped the niggars" Ia
canning home booted and SflsfYras s,.S