The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1910-05-28
When Daddy Donned
the Blue

-1HE birds are singing there to-
III day. just they did Of old.
And phantom feet 20 down ths
street.-the same old war
4; j: al: ::: :: Il; az: :::, %:
lA night.
l see the shades march thro' the giades-
for country. God and right.
From caves and SILL DER vale and hill
the Stars and Stripes a-wave.
To ffe and drum the legions come. the
loyal and the brave
] see her there upon the stair-oh mother
heart 20 true
With tear-dimmed eye. and sweet good
by. when Daddy donned the blue!
xyES, Daddy donned the blue, my lads.
but hearts were sad that day
For little Jim-it was his whlm-had
gone to don the gray.
Dad called him Baby brother'-his were
but IS years.
Alas. aiack. go bring him back" they
said twixt sghs and tears.
My heart II hears, down thro' the years
the echoes signing there.
When mother heart poured out its grief.
and hands wrung in despair.
But still we sang. till hill tops rang with
echoes thro' and thro.
'Hurrah, boys. for the Union for
Daddys donned the blue,
uTRAMP. tramp. the boys are march
ing We sing 1t with a vim
The train Is pulling out, my lads
sing II for the love of him,
Way down the track the song came
back. and echoes family play,
The Girl Left Behind Me-" till at last
they die away.
The regiments, the fields of tents. down
by Potomac's shore:
The silent camp. the sentry's tramp, and
home. dear homes more.
They're gone. they're gone. the battles
on, but young hearts never knew
The mothers part the aching heart, when
Daddy donned the blue.
I SEE today. thro' mists of gray my old
grandmother there
The lamp is dim she thinks of him.
and then the poignant prayer.
20. God Of Battles. keep them both Thou
knowest which is right.
Thine arm their screen-oh let them lean
upon thy love tonight
Ny boy in blue. oh. keep him true; my
boy in gray protect.
And II they meet. in battles heat o Lord
each aim defect"
The days have rolled Into the year. and
years seem but a day.
Since Daddy donned the blue. my lads.
and Baby Jim the gray!
A NTIETAM sings her harvest song her
"A harvest song Of death,
The iron hail rings on tho mail-"a
bullet for a BREATH"
Poor Baby Jim. the feet of him stand
shoeless the line.
With courage there. born of despair-like
something half divine;
Face powder stained, while bullets rained
defiant there he stood.
To load and fire at each command and
win or die for Hood.
All, Baby Jim. a mothers prayer must
needs go up for you.
II wrong or right-it is her plight-"God
bless the gray and biue,"
THE boy In biue-while carnage grew
with Hooker stood all day.
Until the stars looked down upon ten
thousand swept away.
The night was still, DER vale and hill An
tietam mourned her dead
No sound was heard. save COO Of bird
and silent sentry's tread.
The boy In blue-ah. well he knew, that
Jim was ever there:
But wha, OF him? Nights sable rim
closed round him in despair:
With heart Of steel. for woe or weal-he
sees the bayonets shine
With quick advance leap like a lance, he
skins the picket line,
w HAT strange intent! Presentiment?
:" He seeks among the dead;
"a II,
then lifts his brothers head.
This message bear. to mother there"
said Jim. II am to blame
But she'll forgive. II she shall live-my
last breath is her name"
20, Jim. that I had died instead" cried
out the boy in blue
''Her heart bled when you ran away. and
now twill break for you"
The gen'ral passed, but held him fast:
said he-"A spy. I guess,
When I am thro' with tn life O. you,
therell be one Yankee less"
<AY AT. general this is little Jim. my
M mothers baby Jim.
~ promised her. I swore It, SIR, that
I'd be true to him:
Then when I've covered him with earth
and said my last good-by.
Just tell her this-'twon't be amiss-'for
Baby Jim I die.'"
The general spoke. with husky throat,
and eyes a little blurred:
you'd better take the news yourself
my boy. you've kept your word
Here. take this pass. and clip the grass,
here's compliments of mine:
Tell Fighting Joe he'll have a need o.
you when he strikes my fighting
line"
CARVED on q board. they read, who
L. pass: ITO Baby Jim the brave"
While birds awning. their requiem sing,
above his honored grave
They're living still. the hearts that thrill
to hear the story old.
Where phantom feet 20 down the street
and phantom warriors bold;
No sound Of flute. their lips are mute. but
shades Of heroes come
A. once they came. with hearts afams,
to bugle, fife and drum;
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