The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-12-09
SARGE PLUNKETT.
Sarge Writes About the Boys Who
Are Away Fr0m Home.

The sweetest words that we're ever
write are the sweet words, my moth
en-" but the sweetest song is hard to
agree upon.
Anyhow, during Of the war our reg
iment Was ordered away from Virgin
ia, and when it became known that we
were TO come over and help the Ten
nessee army at Chickamarga the boys
raised song, and thousand voices
joined and O thousand hearts beat
time to the tune and sentiment. That
song went thualy
''We are off TO Georgia early in the
morning,
OF to Georgia fore the break of day,
Give my respects to all "old Virginia"
girls,
For we're off to Georgia fore the break
&c day."
Soldiers took up songs and suited
them to the occasion, and I doubt if
there was ever sweeter song or q
more thrilling sentiment than this
"Of to Georgia" to the men who had
been in Virginia for years.
But it was not the soldiers Of the
Confederaoy or the days Of the war
that started my mind in such trend.
/ have just read letter fgom Geor-
gia boy in Canada, and in that letter
and in every line you could read the
feeling Of the heart which 80 good as
said, "Oh, for old Georgia once
again /"
I should never have written about
THE Georgia boy in Canada save
for the effect it may have upon boys
who are yet in Georgia, and some Of
them smarting under the delusion
that better places are far away and
long to leave to try their fortunes
there. I know the young mar chat
writes from Canada. I know that be
is for above the aversge in capacity.
He 10 o "steel shsrpener", and Eeadi.
ly obtained $3.50 per day here in De-
Kalb at the quasriee; but be was rest.
less, and like many another boy he
thought chat opportunities lay in che
distance. There 10 no harm, think,
in giving che name OF this "GeoEgis
boy in Canada and, perhaps. che
story would be more impressive when
il is known chat this. boy is none 9TH
er than Joe Ritoh, OF, TO be more ex-
plicit, Josiah Jonathan Ritch.
But We know him as simply "Joe,"
and he has touched our hearts here by
writing, "Oh, for cid Georgia once
again." And in another sentence he
says, ut is showing now, ie has been
showing for days and snow is every
where till it chile =; ~ Le=7. lear. s.lia aa
makes me long for home and for Geor-
gis."
In another sentence he says, "If I
could only be at home and watch 2esk.
er as he saunters up the road and see
"JecR ffisking and romping along as
he goes, it would be pleasure that
no travel can supply and no money
could ever purchase
See father saunter up the road and
watch Jack frisk and frolic by his
side" This is sentiment that boys
at home will fail to appreciate till
they, too, like this young man, have
wandered OF and far away. "Jaok"
is nothing bat dog, and an old man
sauntering up the road or across the
aelde ia nnthins e the beg ~he Is jet
at home, but wait, boys, wait till you
get far away and then these email
things will be the dearest things on
earth. When our mothers used to
slip in and tuck the cover to keep out
5he 0oid, nc hardly hardly ggava she shing q
thought, but as age comes on, when
chat mother ia lost to ns forever, then
We remember that gentle touch and
would gire all, that we, have, whatever
We may be, 60 have that couch again.
Every one Of us can remember these
y 49, 4 j. - =