The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1902-05-16

Lu6y uO where IODD6u anu pluuU6f6u
the weak and defenceless. And it is
not on record anywhere that any Con
federate soldier ever offered insult and
outrage to innocent womanhood.
Lees invasion Of Maryland and Penn
sylyania was in this respect almost like
holiday excursion in the piping times
Of peace. His soldiery, though provok-
ed by wantOn and shameful acts Of van
dalism and devastation, and though
taunted on the march through the enc
my's country with gibes and jeers and
Haunting of hostile banners, bore them
selves with admirable restraint, and
endured all show Of scorn and defiance
with easy indiff renee and good humor-
ed indulgence or disdain.
Helen Gray Cone Northern poetess,
has incidentally embalmed this trait of
the Southern soldier in a martial lyric
of great beauty and power:
Oh! Greencastle streets were a stream
of steel,
With the slanted muskets the soldiers
bore,
And the scared earth muttered and
shook, to feel
The tramp and the rumble of Long
streets corps,
And the bands were blaring the Bon
ME Blue Flag"
And the banners borne were a molly
many,
As, watching the gray columns wind
and drag,
Stood slip Of a girl, we'll call her
Jenny.
A slip Of a girl, what needs her name?
With her cheeks afame and her lips
quiver,
AS she stood and marked, with 10y al
shame
The steady flow of that steely river
Till storm grew black in the hazel
eyes
Time had not dimm'd, nor a lover
sighed for
And she ran and she girded her apron
wise
With the flag she loved and her broth
ers died for.
Out of the doorway we saw her start,
(Pickett's Virginians were passing
through,
Her hot little foolish hero heart
Armored with stars and sacred blue
Clutching its folds Of red and white,
She ran and she bearded those rank
of theirs,
Shouting shrilly with all her might
Come and take it, the man who
daresl'
PicFett's Virginians we're passing thro'
Supple as steel and brown as leather,
Rusty and dusty Of hat and shoe,
Wonted to hunger and war ant
weather,
Peerless, fearless AN army s fower
Sterner soldiers the world saw never
Marching lightly, that summer hour,
To death and failure and fame for
ever
Rose from the ripping ranks cheer,
Pickett saluted, his bold eyes beam
ing,
Sweeping his hat like a cavalier,
With his tawny locks in the soft wine
streaming.
Poor little Jenny Her courage fell
AS the firm lines fickered with friend
ly laughter,
And Greencastle streets gave back The
yell,
Which Gettysburg slopes gave bach
soon after
So they cheered for tho fgg they Tough
With the generous glow Of the stub
born fighter,
Loving the brave, as the brave NAL
ought,
And never a finger was raised 10 frigh
her
So they marched though they knew i
not
On that fresh green June to the shocl
Internal
To the hell of the shell and the pIung
ing shot,
And the charge that has won them {
name eternal
And she knew at last, as she hid he
face,
There had lain at the root of her child
ish daring
A trust in the men Of her own brav
race,
And a secret faith in the foes fore
bearing.
And she sobbed till the roll Of the rum
bling gun
And the swinging tramp Of tn
marching men
Were a memory only, and day wa
done
And the stars in the fold Of the blu
again.
1 have recited this poem for severa
reasons. 1t illustrates my theme. |
,,avs sDlend7d tribute to the sublim