Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1902-10-18

man was master of himself, self-as'
sertive and eager for the fray.
''In this grand army of to-day there
is not man less than IS, and they are
very few. Some of the little drummer
boys are here, but all of them are 50
or more. The average age OF these
veterans is 60. Their hearts are as
light and their spirits as bright as in
the heyday of youth. but they don't
march as though every step were a
pleasure and every alignment rhythm
of collective individual power. The
grand army which saw during the
civil war not only had rudy cheeks,
but hair with some coloring matter in
it. The boys had black, brown, red or
auburn hair. But here is an army OF
men whose heads are all blossoming as
the almond tree, and there is not a rud-
dy cheek to be SEEM
One of "the boys" from Minnesota
sang songs for crowd of comrades
in hotel on the avenue, beginning
with 81 feel just as happy as big
sunflower." Finally he started the
"Star Spangled Banner" and all Joined
with him. Then he told a story of the
song, saying:
Frank Lombard. who used to sing
old Shady for us. was popular min
strel before the war, and he sang the
Star. Spangled Banner all over the
north and south. He could sing it bet
ter than anybody else, because of the
range and power of his voice. In June,
1868. while we were creeping closer
against Vicksburg until our earth
works were so near each other that we
could almost throw stones across the
line, Frank Lombard came into our
camps one night and entertained us
with lot of songs. When he sang the
Star Spangled Banner we heard a
voice calling: Say, Iank! Amt that
Frank LombardY When we answered
in the affirmative, the voice called back:
Il heard him sing it in New Orleans.
1t sounds good to hear him again!'"
Dhring the long lulls when there was
no marching and no fighting to bt
done, everybody learned how to play
cards to pass the time away; and lots
of fellows learned how TO win away
tho small salaries of the others. 1t
is very apparent that they have not
forgotten their old tricks, for in all
of the tents there have been gath
cred lot of fellows playing seven-up
and poker. One OLD, grizzled fellow from
Kentucky says that he came here ex-
Meeting the other fellows to pay his
EXPENSES, and he has won enough to
satisfy him. And he claims to love
his comrades as well as any OF the
other fellows; and he probably does,
too. But where old soldiers gather
some of them are bound to gamble,
Just as they used to do.
Another habit of the long ago has
been painfully apparent. There are
some old fellows here who have been
looked upon as models OF dignity at
home for many years, who have been
unable to say mo" to old comrades
who have invited them to take lit
tie commissary." INDUCING, for the
sake of old times, they have overlooked
the fact that they can't stand what
they once could, and quite a number
of them have felt their legs giving way
beneath them, and the ambulances
have taken them to the hospital.
But yet they are grand army, and
evan those who have shown their weak
nesses by reason of old age and good
fellowship, are entitled to the love and
generation Of us all; and of their chill
dren's children, for many generations
and ages.
Good-by, old boys; we ne'er shall see
your like again. SMITH ID. FRY