Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-07-27

ner quota full on both sides all the
time" But there were persons in all
the border States who tried to keep on
both sides, and OF course that often led
to ludicrous incidents
remember one old man particularly
in our neighborhood who undertook the
plan mentioned, and he made a miser-
able failure of It He was a very eco.
nomicaf man. Often when out for
horseback trip he would walk and lead
his horse in order to save the wear OF
| his saddle. Once while thus travelling
he met squad of soldiers dressed in
gray, and supposing them to be Confed-
crates he began to hurrah for JEFF Da-
Wis. They were Federal soldiers, gotten
up for that special occasion, and they
took that old man and gave him an
awful whipping and sent him on his
way-not rejoicing, however.
Shortly afterward he met another
squad of soldiers. They were dressed
in blue, and being possessed of the idea
that they We're Federal soldiers he be-
gan TO yell: "Hurrah for Lincoln !"
They happened to be Oonfederates, got
ten up for that express occasion, and
they took that old man and bent him
over fallen tree and gave him another
terrible whipping
Not very long after that the old fell
low met another squad of soldiers-it
doesn't make any difference how they
were dressed. He didn't do any 'hol-
lerin." One of the soldiers asked him
What are you, old man?" We'll" said
he, ito tell the truth, I'm nothing, and
nightly little of that"
One day in the autumn of 1861 there
stood in line in the streets of my native
village two companies of young men,
one going to the Federal army and one
TO the Confederate one In blue and one
in gray, Sadly they shook hands and
many wept, but they parted as friends,
for they We're brothers and cousins,
and schoolmates and neighbors. and fire.
quent were such expressions as: Jim
mic, If l ever see you in a battle I'll
shoot in another direction" or, George.
If ever meet you in a charge I'll run
my bayonet in the ground"
1t was less than twelve months after
that those two companies did meet, and
1t was ON Shilohs dreadful field. But
their protestatlons of friendship, If not
forgotten, were at least UNDECIDED.
1t was no time for sentlment-n0t
even common politeness.
Amid the two mighty armies that
crashed together there no time was Civ
en- to two squads of country boys-even
from the same neighborhood-to in
dulge in the courtesies of any occasion
other than such as they could hand out
abruptly through the death-dealing
tubes of their rifles. Amid sheets of
fame and the clash of resounding arms,
amid the roar and smoke and carnage
of battle, 1t was one long and deadly
and desperate struggle for the mastery,
and when the powder clouds blew away
there on that ensanguined field lay, side
by side. brothers and schoolmates,
friends and neighbors, some in blue and
some in gray, silent in the soldiers last
sleep.
Four years afterward, diminished in
numbers to less than tenth, those two
squads returned TO their native village.
bearded men and veterans. to talk
about those who came not back and Of
the scenes through which all had
passed
Theday that those two companies left
their native village their sweethearts |
came TO bid them good-by.
/ remember the case Of one boy and |
his sweetheart, notwithstanding he was
a very homely boy. She was a bright |
eyed little beauty. with dimpled cheeks |
and chin, and fossy curls, and pretty
hands and feet Her good-by was a /
smile that was tinted with tears, and II |
was given with a gentle touch Of trem- |
bling fingers and the faintest qulvering
Of rose-hued lips
But right there and then, at that ten
der parting, that boy gave that poor
girl some poetry-poetry that he had
written himself. And what was mean
er, he tried to impress her with the iiea
that he had just dashed II off while
standing there In that crooked line of
recruits, when the fact was th~t be
struggled over those twelve lines for as
many days and nights like a WORKOUT
team at a stalled wagon. These are
the lines:
Good-by, my little blue-eyed belle:
Don't cry and let those tear-drors tell
How much you wish I'd stay.
I'm coming back with honors won
By noble deeds most nobly done.
Amid the fercest of the fray.
Good-by. my gentle little girl.
And try, my hearts most precious pearl.
To be as happy az a fay.
dangers al IHl live for Won.
And come home honored, tried and true
And love you, live for you, AWAY.
Now the coid-drawn. petrihed truth
Of the business is that that young poet
soldier didn't believe the war would
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