The National tribune., 1909-07-01
AIS Wrong at Fort Logan.

(For more than five months the gar
rison flag has not been displayed, owing
to a broken Flagstaff. Private John
Smith tells his troubles to the reporter.)
Something wrong out here at Logan
Something lacking? 1 should say!
Going olor-blind, us dough-boys; whole
blamed posts civilian gray.
Got grievance" as you call it, cause
of daily stir and strife;
Got a kick, that's what We call 1t, and
we kick, you bet your life!
Broken staff" twas so reported; when
it happened, how twas done;
And thru military channels got at
last to Washington.
Then on up thru subdepartmentS that
report had got to work,
And in each must be "considered'' by
some bloomin sissy clerk.
BY and by back comes the order, none
too hasty, none too quick,
To repair it. (Don't the red tape of
your Uncle make you sick?)
Well, in time they ''let the contract"
and the firm came out to look,
Came again to fuss and fgure-gee-
min-ee, the time it took!
Time to make a whole new outfit, time
to squander, time TO spare,
And that staff a-sticking, meantime.
straight and topless in the air;
First and foremost point of interest"
that tbs visitor observes.
And they ask, why, what's the mat
ter?" till it just gets on our nerves.
where's your colors?' they keep ask
ing. Are they stolen, lost or
strayed?"
Then we say: "They never run, ma'am;"
still, who knows but they might
fade?
All-wool bunting is expensive, and this
mountain sun is stout,
So we're just a-playing Hamlet, with
the Hamlet part cut out"
'Tain't a pole, it's just framework;
faint an army, just mob;
'Tain't a color-guard We've got here,
just a gang that's lost its job.
'Tain't a fort, it's just village, where
we go in uniforms
'Tain't no better'n down in Denver, with
it's city in sack-coat swarms.
When the bugles thrill at daybreak it's
a tune, but not song;
When retreat is blown at sunset
something's wanting, something's
wrong;
Poor old color-guard lines up a-looklng
droopy as can be,
And "Oh, say" the band keeps calling,
Can you see? Say, can you see y
Till ! feel like yelling: Sure! Shut up!
That's why we're kicking. Gee!
What's the sense of asking Can you?"
when there's nothing there to see.
What's the sense of rubbing in about
the dawn's first early light?"
When we miss-Lord, how we miss it
every morning, noon and night?
What's the use of sun a-shining when
there's nothing up to show?
What's the use of winds a-blowing when
there's nothing up to blow?
What's the good of stars at nighttime
IL we can't have none by day?
What's the good of being soldiers? Amt
it part of soldiers pay?
What's the good of doing duty, whether
done or left undone?
Has the Lord forgot Fort Logan, as
they have at Washington?
What's the use of Red of sunset, White
and Blue of Heavens scroll,
II they amt up where they should be,
next headquarters, on that pole?
What's the use of light and eyesight?
What's the use of breeze of Spring?
What's the dad-blamed use of living?
What's the use of anything?
Our sky-pilot talks of something" that's
"above all price," Gee whiz!
Bet my next months pay that could
tell him what that something" is,
If it's here (that "something") alfs o.
K-straight business, order, law:
If gone, it leaves the up-side-downest
mix you ever saw!
What's that song we hear in Denver
shows, II Wish Had Girl"
Bout a fellow being lonesome for lit
tie double whirl?
Girl That's easy, Amt there plenty
in this world and some to spare?
Girl! Nope, that amt why I'm whin-
ing; got no kick a-coming there.
It's this blanked red tape, this idling,
while the months and hours drag;
For I'm lonesome, oh. so lonesome!
Gee! / wish we had a flag!
Hattie Horner Louthan.